Congress authorizes the formation of the Idaho Territory

Carved out of Oregon and Washington Territories, Idaho became a territory in its own right on March 4, 1863 with Lewistown named as its provisional capital and President Lincoln naming William W. Wallace as its first governor.  Its area at first included much of what was to become Montana and Dakota Territories.  The seat of government was moved to the more central Boise in 1864. Idaho entered the Union as the 43rd state on July 3, 1890.   (By John Osborne)