Treasures In Our Valley March/April 2015 | Page 9

HARRISON BOULEVARD

When Benjamin Harrison became president in 1890, he swore in six new stars on our flag, Idaho being one of them, becoming the 43rd state on July 3, 1890. President Harrison, fresh off his legacy-defining expansion of the United States, visited Idaho in 1891, bringing a national spirit to our rapidly growing community. A local developer and city councilman Jeremiah Brumback, who had just built the large and prestigious 17th street as an expressway to his new subdivision, decided to honor the president’s visit by renaming it “Harrison Boulevard”, and thus, history was made.

The buzz surrounding the presidential moniker and the wide, beautifully landscaped street attracted numerous homesteaders from all walks of life

and soon the North End was booming. Wealthy landowners to young, ambitious pioneers began throwing up homes ranging from quaint Craftsman Bungalows to massive Victorian behemoths with wide, sweeping porches and manicured lawns. This tightly wound collection of eclectic styles and historical significance has made the North End, and especially Harrison Boulevard, a hot-ticket location in Idaho real estate.

The story behind naming of