The Idanha hotel was built downtown in 1900 to fulfill the need for housing for travelers getting off of the train stub line from Nampa. The hotel opened with the 20th century on January 1, 1901. It was designed by William S. Campbell, who picked the French-chateau style after visiting every modern hotel between Boise and New York. It quickly became the hotel in Boise. . It had an astounding construction cost of $125,000! (big money back then). The original architect, William S. Campbell, included many other amenities for hotel guests. The Idanha hosted many notable individuals of Boise's past specifically, Polly Bemis, Theodore Roosevelt, and William Howard Taft, William Jenning Bryant, and Clarence Darrow​. Some say that Roger Miller wrote King of the Road while staying at the Idanha Hotel. ​The hotel was the place to stay during the trial of Big Bill Haywood in 1907 as well.​Today the hotel has been converted to apartments and many claim that it is haunted. Ghosts of murdered bell hops, and visitors roam the halls and mysteriously stop elevators. Those who live in the historic building are treated to a rare view of downtown Boise and there is no mystery in why so many residents stay for decades in the flats (it's hard to get a place there, believe me! I've tried...)

When the state government decided to outlaw alcohol, the proprietors of the hotel saw a novel, and profitable, use for the dumb-waiter that had previously serviced guests in the card-room. Here’s where documented evidence runs out, as very few people involved in illegal activities keep records of them. So, this next story is culled from both records of the renovation in the 1970s and from stories from bartenders and servers at the 10th street station. As they tell it, and the renovation documents support (if not confirm) this story, the outside entrance wasn’t built until 1974, before that the room had fallen into disuse after a glorious, and un-prosecuted run as a speakeasy. Here’s the genius of this particular speakeasy: the single entrance was hidden from casual inspection, I’ve heard it was either a false bookcase or perhaps an false wall. Either way, it was never discovered and neither was its booze stash, which was stored on the third floor and delivered to the former card room via the dumb-waiter. The entire third floor of the building was reserved for employees of the hotel, mostly African Americans, but the general manager and even the owner kept room on that floor. Whenever the police or tax-men would come knocking, the booze would be shifted into the white occupants rooms while the black occupants made a point of hassling the authorities until their patience ran out and they left without ever searching the “more respectable” tenants’ rooms.

The Idanha has had a lasting and definite effect on Boise, from drawing renowned guests for a visit, to providing a much-needed outlet for those seeking inebriation. One of the most impressive and touching tidbits I found about the Idanha is that Gene Harris got his first break there as a lounge act, and without his influence the cultural landscape in Boise would be much more desolate.

Sources

Advertiser & TV Week “Idanha Offers Luxury of Days Gone By,” Page 8, August 6, 1980.

Hart, Arthur, Idaho Statesman, “Idanha Hotel Rang In ‘01,” Page 5, December 26, 1973

Photo Sources as per Idaho Historical Society’s Records 

“Card Room and Buffet” ca. 1910 Donor: Jess Jennison

WM. E. Borah addressing crowd after his vindication October 2, 1907

Idanha Hotel (Found in Museum) Idaho Historical Society

These Nutts

 Do you know of any ghost sightings within the building?

Have any stories to tell of visits to the Idanha, or any of its previous visitors?