Samuel Hays House, Boise

The Samuel Hays House, built in 1892, began as a modest one-and-a-half-story residence constructed for Samuel H. Hays, a lawyer who later served as Idaho Attorney General and mayor of Boise. The original structure featured clapboard or shiplap siding, side-facing gables, and a polygonal bay window. In 1926鈥�1927, the house underwent a substantial transformation by the architectural firm Tourtellotte & Hummel, who redesigned it into a six-unit apartment building while retaining many elements of the earlier frame house.

The remodeling introduced a two-story gabled stairhall, stuccoed first-floor walls, and shingled second-story exteriors. The design blended older features with newer additions to create a composition aligned with the picturesque tastes of the late 1920s, including steep gables, classical porch details, casement windows, and repurposed elements such as attic windows and doors.

Internally, the house was divided to accommodate five rental apartments in addition to the owner鈥檚 living space. This adaptive reuse reflects a broader trend in early 20th-century Boise, where large single-family homes were converted into income-generating multi-unit residences. The Samuel Hays House remains architecturally and historically significant as an early example of this residential conversion practice and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Fort Street Historic District.

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Sight Name: Samuel Hays House
Sight Location: Boise, USA (See walking tours in Boise)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Fort Street Historic District Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Boise, Idaho

Create Your Own Walk in Boise

Creating your own self-guided walk in Boise is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Fort Street Historic District Walking Tour

The Fort Street Historic District roughly comprises 47 blocks, situated primarily within the 1867 plat of Boise City original townsite, and forms part of a larger area known locally as Boise's North End Preservation District. Upon its nomination, in 1982, for the National Register of Historic Places, the Fort Street district contained 318 buildings.

Over the years, this neighborhood has... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.8 Km or 1.1 Miles

Boise Introduction Walking Tour

For thousands of years the tree lined Boise River valley was home to the Shoshone people. They would meet here to trade with other tribes. The valley was congenial and the river full of salmon. It was a holy place for indigenous people.

The name "Boise" originated in the 1820s. The valley was thick with cottonwood trees. French Canadian trappers called it "La riviere boisee"... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles

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