The Idaho House

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The Idaho House is the name given to the recently acquired Governor's residence in Boise, Idaho. The house was the former residence of agribusiness magnate J.R. Simplot, donated to the State of Idaho in November 2005. Mr. Simplot's sole condition was that the massive 30 x 50 foot American flag continue to fly above the home, which was constructed in 1980. [1]

The highly-visible residence sits atop a 250 foot butte at the base of the Boise foothills, at an elevation of over 3100 feet above sea level. The property, located on the north side of Bogus Basin Road, includes the house (7,370 ft²), garages (1,151 ft²), and 37.7 acres. The donation was valued at $2.11 million.

The residence has yet to be occupied by a governor's family, but it has been used for state social events. The current governor, Butch Otter, was elected in November 2006 after serving three terms in Congress, preceded by fourteen years as lieutenant governor. He was an executive with the Simplot Company and is a former son-in-law of Mr. Simplot, married to Gay Simplot from 1964-92. Otter and his current wife, Lori, live on their ranch west of the city near Star, and receive a housing allowance of $58,000 per year.