Highway Historical Markers
Idaho’s Highway Historical Markers share stories from across the state, highlighting significant people, places, and events that shaped Idaho’s history. Installed along highways and byways, these interpretive signs provide travelers with accessible, place-based context about Idaho’s natural, cultural, and historical landscapes.
The Highway Historical Marker program is administered by the Idaho Transportation Department in partnership with the Idaho State Historical Society. The state currently maintains several hundred markers that help preserve and share Idaho’s rich heritage with the traveling public.
Contact
(208) 334-3861
Idaho Highway Historical Marker Guide
The Idaho Highway Historical Marker Guide is a downloadable booklet that features the full collection of markers, organized by highway and region. It serves as a convenient reference for exploring Idaho’s past while traveling. Please note that the printed version of this guide is no longer available and is now offered only as a digital download.
Transportation Department Marker Map Hub
The Idaho Transportation Department’s online Marker Hub provides an interactive map displaying the location and information for every historical marker in the state. Users can browse markers by region, highway, or topic to plan trips or explore Idaho’s history virtually.
How to Submit A Proposal for A New Highway Historical Program
There are several steps in the marker program. If you are interested in submitting a marker proposal, please be aware that researching, writing or revising the text, and fabricating a marker can take several months.
Step 1: Contact ITD Cultural Resources via email. Try to include as many details as possible about your marker idea and where to place it along Idaho’s highway system, such as:
- Subject or Description
- Highway Route and Milepost
- County or Region
More details are preferred! The more details you can provide, the better ITD staff will be able to understand your sign idea and its context.
Step 2: ITD’s Cultural Resources staff will work with the local ITD District Engineer to determine if there’s a suitable location for the suggested sign. If so, they will contact the Idaho State Historical Society (Idaho Code Section 67-4117), who will then research the topic and write and format the sign text.
Please note, it may be determined that the sign topic is not appropriate for the context of the statewide program. For example, a sign topic may be redundant with existing interpretive signs, or too broad or narrow in its subject matter.
If you’re providing draft text for review, please remember that Idaho’s Highway Historical Marker signs have specific line length and space requirements. For more details, check out “Guidelines for Creating Text for a Highway Historical Marker” below.
Step 3: Once the sign text is finalized, ITD will fabricate and install the Historical Highway Marker sign!
Throughout this process, please keep in mind that researching, writing or revising the text, and fabricating a marker sign can take several months.
For more information, contact the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) at (208) 334-3861.