California Genealogical Society blog: CGS Library Collections: Idaho

One in a series by CGS member Chris Pattillo, highlighting some of our holdings at the Library in Oakland. For a fuller listing of our books, journals, and more, consult the CGS Library catalog. Our catalog is also included in WorldCat.

Why is Judge Judy's photo on the cover page of
Memories of Market Lake?

What is Judge Judy’s connection to Idaho? Memories of Market Lake, Vol. V is a picture book about Idaho written by Wm. Stibal Pettite and published in 2002. Subjects covered include Idaho Movie Stars, Sorrowful Events, Bingham County, Eagle Rock’s Forgotten Pioneer, Old Time Cars, Farm & Ranch Days, Beaver Canyon, and much more. The book is packed with historic photos, including a photo of Judge Judy on the title page. If you want to find out why you’ll just have to visit the library to read the book.

Our Idaho collection has thirteen books and one box of the Idaho Genealogical Society Quarterly from 1986 – 1996. There are five volumes of Idaho Surnames that were indexed by the Genealogical Forum of Portland, Oregon. For most persons listed only minimal information is provided but for some, a short bio is included.

Photos of old cars in Memories of Market Lake

For general knowledge about the state, we have a three-volume set History of Idaho: A Narrative Account of Its Historical Progress, Its People and Its Principal Interests, written by Hiram T. French, M.S. in 1914. These are books that feel good in your hands. They are leather bound, have marbled page edges, and are hefty, weighing about five pounds each. The table of contents is extensive and there are good illustrations.

A resource book on Boise

One of the newest books in the set was published in 2006. It is Boise, Idaho 1882-1910: Prosperity in Isolation by Carol Lynn MacGregor. Chapters cover The Land, Native People, and Settlers; Transportation, Irrigation, and City Development; Business and Commerce; Government and Politics; Progressive Social Institutions; and Leisure, the Arts, and Religion. The back cover synopsis explains how Boise became a vibrant city even though it was not located on the main railroad line. “Investigating everything from racism and prostitution to hospitals, hotels, and high society, MacGregor takes the reader on an in-depth tour of how this distinctive western city developed.” This is a well-annotated book no doubt packed with useful information about Idaho.