HomeMy Public PortalAboutKuna, IdahoStatesman 7/26/1964
Early-Day Stage Stop
Water, Kuna's Lifeblood
F1FTEEN MILE HOUSE," as
Kuna was known in 1864, was
a stage stop between Boise and the
rich mining country of the Owyhees.
It lay on the Owyhee Stage Road
and made a connection with the Win-
nemucca -Chico Road at Ruby City.
It became "Kuna" with the arrival
of the railroad and, although there
are several opinions as to the exact
meaning of the term, it has generally
been accepted as "the end " — because
of the temporary cessation of rail
building toward the Pacific coast.
Kuna resident, Mrs. Clyde Cornell, .
who has made an extensive study of
the history of the community, said:
"Although most Boise residents
don't know it, Kuna was Boise's rail-
road station for five years. The Ore-
gon Short Line by- passed the capital
city and, in spite of bitter protests,
train passengers had their dignity
shaken over 15 miles of dusty road
in order to leave or arrive in Boise
via the railroad."
The future appeared gloomy for
Kuna when a man by the name of
Alexander Duffes homesteaded a
parcel of land 12 miles west of the
new community and decided to make
it into a townsite instead of a ranch.
The town was called Nampa and the
railroad was induced to build the
freight spur there instead of Kuna.
So Kuna languished for 17 years.
Then in 1904, a sizeable claim was
filed for a townsite by D. R. Hubbard
and F. H. Tweed. Settlers began to
arrive . . . a young merchant from
Iowa by the name of Frank Fiss
threw caution to the winds and built
a general merchandise store.
Construction was under way at the
time on Arrowrock Dam —the largest
in the world —and work camps were
established for workers who were to
build the system of canals to supply
water to thousands of new acres.
Today, the water from the New
York Canal and its tributaries keeps
alive the number one industry in
Kuna — dairying. The canal also is
responsible for other important ag-
ricultural pursuits including the rais-
ing of beef cattle, sheep, sugar beets
and grains.
Kuna is a friendly town —even if
it isn't pheasant season —and is also
a fiercely loyal town. If the high
school basketball or football teams
are performing, the town practically
declares a holiday.