Fort Boise-Military Reserve Park

Originally located a half mile south at the old Boise Barracks, the cemetery was moved to this location in 1906 after a flash flood roared down Cottonwood Creek causing major damage and erosion to the graves. The officer in charge of the move described the new location, about a half mile north, as somewhat "desirable" and somewhat "level." A total of 166 graves were moved, including those of enlisted men, officers, some officers families, and civilians. A short time later, additional graves were discovered at the original site by soldiers using the old cemetery as a target range. Military activity was halted until these graves were disinterred and moved to the new cemetery location. Additional burials took place -- along with disinterments -- through the spring of 1913 when the Boise Barracks were closed. Shortly after World War II, the Department of Veterans Affairs decided to close many of their small cemeteries due to funding. However, the historic Fort Boise Military Cemetery was left undisturbed by the request of the U.S. Department of the Army. In 1947 the cemetery was deeded to the city of Boise with the understanding that the cemetery would be maintained as an historic site and kept in its natural state, similar to how it looked at the turn of the century. Three more unknown people were given solders' burials at the cemetery in 1998. The military ceremony conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs took place on Memorial Day, 1998. The three, presumed to be Civil War veterans, were unearthed during flood control excavation in the vicinity of the original cemetery. Today a total 247 enlisted men, officers, officers' family members, and civilians are laid to rest at the Fort Boise Miliary Cemetery.