In 2014, Ron Roizen made a blog post noting Idaho's ties to the Confederate South. In view of the recent controversy involving Confederate flags on a Shoshone County employee's personal pickup, Roizen has re-published his blog post in the Huckleberries Online comment section and Facebook:

In reference to the period during and soon after the American Civil War, Idaho historian Carlos Schwantes wrote, “In many ways, Idaho was as much Confederate as Union territory.  Its remote location coupled with the appeal of mining camp bonanzas made it a haven for people on both sides who sought to escape the horrors of war.” Strong Rebel sentiment gave rise to at least two notable dynamics in early Idaho territorial politics.  Idaho Territory was created on March 4, 1863.  Like other U.S. territories, its government was headed by a federally appointed governor and territorial secretary.  Territorial Supreme Court justices were also federally appointed.  On the other hand, territorial legislators and a nonvoting delegate to the U.S. Congress were chosen by popular election.  This basic structural divide had the effect of pitting Republican and pro-Union federal appointees (in the territory’s executive and judicial branches) against largely Democratic and pro-Confederate elected representatives (in the territorial legislature and in the person of Idaho’s lone congressional representative). More here. (Photo: David W. Ballard, 3rd governor of Idaho territory)