Idaho and its capital Boise are a relatively young state and city that dates from the mid-19th Century. Boise was originally a garrison town that was established to house the US military who were stationed there to protect settlers from the east from Native American attacks.

But Fort Boise's present home was established after the original Fort Boise was built on the Snake River near present-day Parma, Idaho, near the Oregon border. The first Fort Boise was built by a British firm in 1834 to compete with nearby Fort Hall. The original Fort Boise served as a supply point on the Oregon Trail for the military and pioneers who travelled along it to California. The first Fort Boise existed only for 20 years due to floods and repeated Native American attacks, and the Snake River area of Southern Idaho didn't have the protection of a fort until 1863 when the military built a new Fort Boise in its present place off Fort Street.

In the late 19th Century, veterans of the US military were allowed to live in the "Old Soldiers Home" that was located in a another part of Boise. In 1955, veteran affairs were transferred to the Idaho Veteran Affairs Commission, and a new soldiers home was built and dedicated in 1966 at the Fort Boise location. In 1974, veteran affairs were transferred to the Health and Welfare Commission's jurisdiction, and by 2000, the Idaho Division of Veteran Services became an independent agency. The present day Veterans home is like an assisted living facility where soldiers live and have many comforts of home. They also have access to medical facilities on the grounds to receive treatment, are fed three meals a day, and can participate in many activities.

Idaho veterans didn't have a nursing home for a long time. In 1978, construction began on a nursing home facility with government funds. On November 11, 1980, the home was dedicated. It houses about 100 veterans and has a small facility for female veterans who need more extensive care and services.

Idaho veterans didn't have a final resting place until 2004, when a cemetery in the Boise Foothills was dedicated on July 31, and its first interment occurred on November 16.

Along with on-site medical facilities, the Idaho veterans home has a huge park with picnic baskets and pathways for them to enjoy sunny days and picnics with loved ones. Private donations helped establish many of the facilities on the grounds through the years, and our veterans have a place to live and get the help they so greatly need.