Records Management for State and Local Government
Idaho State Archives provides access to government records for state, county and city governments including, state agencies, municipal police and county sheriff offices, and the majority of county courts. Services include records management, shelving, retrieval and delivery of records through fax, scan, or certified copies.

Historical Reference and Research
ISA assists in accessing historical information about Idaho and the Northwest and the collections held by the archives. Fees for services directly support the preservation of and access to Idaho’s historical archives. You can submit online requests through the Research Request Online Form.

Reproductions of Historic Images
Reproductions of maps, photos, and documents are available for purchase for personal, professional, and commercial use.

Microfilming and Document Certification
ISA microfilmed newspapers provide the public with one of the most comprehensive collections of historic information in the state. Microfilm is available in our Research Center, through interlibrary loan, or for purchase.

Preservation of Idaho’s Records and Documents
ISA preserves the state’s collections through a management system that includes cataloging, proper storage, security, and environmental monitoring, protecting records against deterioration, theft, and fire.

Education and Training
Public programs in family history are offered throughout the year. A records management training program for state, county, and city governments is provided by Records Center staff.

Idaho State Archives invites patrons to conduct their research on site. Because collections may be fragile, highly specialized and unique, special handling and access provisions are necessary.

Newspapers and Records

• 40,000 rolls of microfilm
• Idaho newspapers dating from 1863 to present
• County-level records (land and property, citizenship, court, vital and tax) dating from 1863
• Sanborn fire insurance maps for many Idaho cities
• Idaho death certificates (1911-1937), federal census schedules (1790-1930), and a variety of materials related to Idaho history and purchased from the National Archives

• The Idaho Digital Newspaper Project makes more than 80 historic newspapers from across the Gem State available to anyone with an internet connection. Researchers can access articles spanning the period of 1863 to 1925.

  The Idaho Digital Newspaper Project was a partnership between the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the Library of Congress (LC) and the Idaho State Archives, with technical assistance from the Montana Historical Society.

Maps

• Hand-drawn and hand-colored maps prepared by Lafayette Cartee, Idaho’s first Surveyor General
• State highway maps
• Fire insurance maps for a variety of towns and businesses
• Blueprints and architectural plans from the state’s premier architectural firms including Tourtellotte and Hummel, Sundberg and Sundberg and Edgar Jensen

And More

• Idaho yearbooks from 1909-2006
• Open-stack reference collection of book and periodical titles for the study of regional, state, community and family history
• Comprehensive list of Idaho Territorial and State Penitentiary inmates including men, women and children between 1864-1947

Experience Idaho’s visual history through the extensive photograph collections available at the Idaho State Archives. The photograph collection includes over 800,000 images, dating from the Territorial period to present day. The collections offer a variety of subjects, including ethnic, mining, military, railroads, and geographic locations. Noteworthy Idaho photographers are featured, such as Bisbee, Sigler, and Fuller.

Purchase Reproductions
Images from the Idaho State Archives make great gifts! A representative selection of images is available for search in our digital collections.

Interested in purchasing reproductions? Give us a call us at (208) 334-2620.

Rates for commercial use of Idaho State Archives collections are negotiated on a case by case basis. This is in addition to Use Fee rates identified in the agency fee schedule.

Fees for commercial use and research services support preservation and access to Idaho’s historical archives.

Visit Photo Reproductions for more information.

View all digitized collections and search by keyword to find specific places, subjects or people. Our digital collections represent only a fraction of the over 800,000 images in Idaho State Archives collections. Access to additional images is available at the Merle W. Wells Research Center. If you are unable to find what you are looking for and are unable to visit the Research Center in person, please submit a research request to ask for assistance from archives staff (research fees may apply).

The temporary exhibition space is located in the Merle W. Wells Research Center at the Idaho State Archives. The exhibits in this space are curated and assembled by Archives staff to showcase the unique materials within our collections and educate visitors on various topics. The exhibit is rotated approximately three times a year, with each display in place for about three months. To encourage further research on the selected topics, Archives staff also assemble a collection of related readings available in the research center. The exhibit is free and open to the public during normal business hours, Tuesday-Saturday from 11 am-4 pm.