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Idaho Territory




Idaho Territory was an organized territory of the United States which existed from 1863 to 1890 .

The territory was officially organized on March 4 , 1863 by Act of Congress , and signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln . It was created by areas from existing territories, Most of the area west of the Continental Divide was formerly part of the Washington Territory , whereas most of the area east of the Continental Divide had been part of the Dakota Territory . The original territory covered most of the present-day states of Idaho , Montana and Wyoming .

The first territorial capital was at Lewiston . Boise was the territorial capital from 1865 .

In 1864 , the Montana Territory was organized from the northeastern section of the territory east of the Bitteroot Range . Most of the southeastern area of the territory was made part of the Dakota Territory .

In 1868 , the areas east of the 111th Meridian were made part of the newly created Wyoming Territory . Idaho Territory assumed the boundaries of the modern state at that time.

The territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Idaho on July 3 , 1890 .


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