What is the Ribbon of Jewels?

The Boise River and Greenbelt are the City of Trees’ necklace, and ten parks make up the jewels on that necklace. Two of the parks are over a century old, and all are named after some of Boise’s most civically engaged women, who have and continue to shape the city.

From Julia Davis to Esther Simplot

The oldest park along the Ribbon of Jewels (and in the entire city) is named after Julia Davis, who helped make an outpost out of the Boise Valley when settlers were moving in. Her husband Tom donated 43 acres of land to the city in Julia’s memory all the way back in 1907. Since then, the park has doubled in size and folded in Zoo Boise, a rose garden, three museums, and more.

The most recently formed jewel was dedicated in 2016 to Esther Simplot, who co-founded the Boise Opera Company and helped shape the Esther Simplot Performing Arts Academy.

The rest of the parks honor women who have helped build Boise’s athletics, higher education, health, and conservation institutions, many of which still operate today. As Mother’s Day approaches, we all can thank these women for shaping our community, and further their efforts to improve it.

Pay a visit to one of these other jewels of Boise:

More to Come

With the ten jewels already in place, two more are in the works in East Boise.

Alta Harris Park, named after the woman who started Harris Ranch with her husband in 1950, will be located on the north side of the river in Harris Ranch, but has been delayed in recent years due to construction costs.

Another park will be named after Sue Howell, who helped found Northwest Lineman College. The eight-acre park will stretch from the intersection of Highway 21 and Warm Springs Avenue northward along the Greenbelt.

After these are completed, the parks will total a whopping 527 acres.