Eagle
With gold being found in the Boise Basin in 1862, and many surrounding mountain towns, Eagle’s early settlers capitalized on the growing need for agricultural products that the mining towns desperately needed.
The site of many of Eagle’s first homesteads were originally located on the land located between the North and South channels of the Boise River. This “island” of land was named Eagle Island to reflect the number of Bald Eagles that lived there. In 1864, the first irrigation canal was built on Eagle Island, diverting enough water from the Boise River to irrigate 700 acres. By 1903 there were nine major canals constructed, irrigating much of what is today’s Eagle.
But where is the town? The original town-site is located on the north side of the island – across the North Channel of the Boise River. Of course, a bridge needed to be built to connect the farmland to the new town-site – and it was, starting in the late 1890’s – early 1900’s.
With the coming of the interurban trolley in 1907, Eagle saw some big changes. The little drug store moved and expanded to include a soda fountain, a bank, and a 16-room hotel. The bank is now Da Vinci’s restaurant and the hotel is now commercial office space in downtown Eagle.
Eagle is now a thriving community with a quaint downtown area that keeps much of the small-town vibe. Just a short drive into Boise, or go the other direction and head into the foothills and mountains to “get away from it all.”