Statehood The 43rd state July 3, 1890 Captial Boise State Motto It is forever Origin of State Name The origin of the name is disputed: it was traditionally considered a Native American word meaning "gem of the mountains;" by other accounts, a politician coined the name in the mid-1800s. State Nickname The Gem State The popularly accepted meaning of the word Idaho gave rise to the state's nickname as the Gem State. Interesting Facts Idaho is the leading producer of potatoes in the nation, accounting for nearly one-third of the national production. The town of Arco became the first community in the world electrified by nuclear power, when a local plant began production in 1951. Hells Canyon, the deepest gorge in the United States, has a maximum depth of 2400 m (about 7900 ft). In 1877 Native Americans of the Nez Percé tribe, led by Chief Joseph, fought off federal forces for months in parts of Idaho before surrendering near the Canadian border.