Blog: Why Idaho Called ‘Gem State’

From BLT, the blog for Lifestyle & Travel: “The word ‘Idaho’ means ‘gem of the mountains’ in the language of the Shoshone Native Americans. The mountains of Idaho contain a wealth of precious minerals and gems including jade, topaz, zircon, and star garnets, the state mineral.” Actually, there’s a lot of evidence that Idaho is a name made up by a 19th century promoter. But why split hairs? BLT provides short explanations why each state received its nickname here.