Arthur A. Hart
Boise, Idaho - Arthur A Hart, Director Emeritus of the Idaho State Historical Society and a long-time columnist with the Idaho Statesman passed away on December 9, 2020 at the age of 99. His professed plan was to live to 100. He almost made it. Arthur married Novella D Cochran on February 26, 1944 (they would have celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary this coming February). Arthur is survived by his wife, Novella and four daughters: Susanna Carol (Matthew) of Colorado Springs, CO; Robin Dee (Jim) of Middleton; Catherine Joan (John) of Montecito, CA; and, Allison Ann (Denny) of Boise. Arthur was beloved by his wife, children, numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren. He was an Idaho icon and will be greatly missed. A memorial service is planned for the Spring.
Idaho Statesman, December 26, 2020
Noted Idaho historian, longtime Statesman columnist Arthur Hart, 99, dies in Boise home
BY STATESMAN STAFF
DECEMBER 09, 2020 04:36 PM, UPDATED DECEMBER 09, 2020 08:16 PM
It's fair to say that no Idahoan has been more associated with Gem State history than Arthur Hart.
In fact, "he's known as Mr. History" said Jody Ochoa, now-retired director of the Idaho State Historical Museum.
Hart, an Idaho State Historical Society director emeritus who authored at least 20 books on Ada County and Idaho, died Tuesday afternoon. He was 99.
"Dr. Hart was at home with his wife of 78 years and his youngest daughter," Tobin Hope, Hart's son-in-law, wrote in an email to the Statesman. Hart, who would have turned 100 in February shared his love of Gem State history with Idaho Statesman readers from 1970 until this fall in one of the paper's longest running columns. His last piece was published in October.
Janet Gallimore, executive director of the Idaho State Historical Society, issued a statement to the Statesman on Wednesday evening and called Hart's impact "incalculable."
"The Idaho State Historical Society and its board of trustees are greatly saddened by the news of the passing of Arthur Hart. As the Director Emeritus of the Idaho State Historical Society, he contributed significantly to making Idaho history meaningful to generations of Idahoans. "The Idaho State Historical Society celebrates its 140th anniversary in 2021. Idaho citizens created our organization. Our executive directors, trustees and staff, over time, preserve Idaho history and connect our citizens deeply to our past, providing information and understanding vital to understanding Idaho today. Arthur's legacy of service ... spanned decades.... He was the consummate champion of Idaho's inspiring story and a remarkable leader. His impact is incalculable and he will be truly missed." Ochoa has credited Hart as a pioneer of historic preservation. Long before it became a public rallying cry, he was aware of the vulnerability of historic sites and artifacts. He worked in the face of urban renewal that swept through Boise in the 1970s. It was Hart, said Ochoa, who assembled a group of museum staffers to salvage what was left of the once thriving Chinatown in Downtown Boise, even as the wrecking balls were poised to swing. "He got a call from the Boise Redevelopment Agency. They told him he had 72 hours to get what he wanted," said Ochoa. "He got everyone on his staff out there with shovels and palettes. They took everything."
"We saved all we could," said Hart in a 2017 interview.
He considered the urban renewal era one of the saddest in the city's history.
"What irritated me the most was that people were watching the destruction, cheering as the buildings came down, like it was fun," he said. The rescue efforts by Hart and his staff were responsible for iconic museum displays, including the Chinese joss house or temple and the Ah Fong apothecary. The latter, virtually the entire remains of the family herbalist's shop — down to the jars of herbs, tinctures, recipes, even the shop window — dazzled scholars who visited from Seattle and San Francisco in later years.
"If he couldn't save the buildings, he saved the pieces," said Ochoa. When the Delamar Basque boarding house on Grove Street was slated for urban renewal demolition in 1972, Hart tried to save it. He lost that fight, said Ochoa, but saved the house's large bay window that's been part of the museum's display of "old Boise" culture since.
Dan Everhart, a longtime board member of Preservation Idaho and the current outreach historian at the Idaho State Preservation Office, said Hart worked tirelessly to document local history. Hart kept clippings of all of his columns, more than 2,000 of them, in binders at his home library.
"In terms of cataloging the history of the city and state, not to mention his efforts on behalf of historic preservation, there's probably no one who is comparable to him," Everhart said.
Hart inspired a new generation of historians. His books were one of the reasons Everhart became a historian.
"Those were the books I looked to, and still do, for references about important places," he said.
ART, ADVENTURE, LOVE
Hart was born in Tacoma, Washington, in 1921. The son of a railroad man, Hart attended a rural school. His mother, he said, fostered his interest in academics. He became a lover of reading and writing early on. He recalled writing his first love letter to a girl in the second grade. The teacher intercepted the missive and sentenced Hart to stay after school and write "I love you" 100 times on the blackboard. The punishment did not deter his love for words. Hart quickly exhausted the stock of the bookmobile that would make weekly visits to his school, he said in 2017.
Hart attended high school in Tacoma and enrolled in the University of Washington when he was 17. He majored in art while studying history and journalism. At the beginning of World War II, Hart got a job at Boeing before being drafted and transferred to the Army Air Corps. Hart spent a year in the infantry in Europe, mostly in Germany. Any time he had a day off, he hitched a ride on "any truck going somewhere," Hart said.
"I lucked out," he said. "I never heard a shot fired in anger." The war years inspired Hart's lifelong love of Europe. He traveled frequently and, for a time in the 1980s, led European tours through a local travel agency. In 1944, Hart married his wife, Novella D, known as Dee. Hart described the relationship as a lifelong romance. They met in the Methodist Church choir in Puyallup, Wash.
Dee sang a solo, recalled Hart in 2017. "And I was a goner ... I've been singing her love songs every day since then." The Harts married in early spring, foraging through the northwestern forest to pick ferns and daffodils for their wedding. Daffodils became a symbol of their affection. Along with Hart's paintings and collages, art made by family friends and scores of family photographs, bouquets of daffodils often decorated their home on the Boise Bench.
The Harts had four daughters, Susanna, Robin, Catherine and Allison, as well as several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
STUDY, WORK, CULTURAL PROMOTION
Hart's wide-ranging academic career included study at the Biarritz American University in Paris, an MFA in art from the University of Washington and an honorary doctorate from The College of Idaho, among other classwork and honors. A job teaching art at the Caldwell college brought the Harts to Idaho in 1948. From there, the Harts moved to New England, where he taught for several years before returning to Idaho and serving as the director of the Idaho State Historical Museum from 1969 until 1975. He became the director of the Idaho State Historical Society in 1975 and held that post until 1986.
Hart was an elegant figure, said Ochoa. He was the perfect host of Christmas parties for the museum staff. He and Dee would pass good wine and plates of canapes among their guests. Hart played a part in the founding of many institutions that have become well-known local icons. After the Idaho State Penitentiary relocated in 1973, vacating what's now the Old Penitentiary historic site, Hart campaigned to preserve the complex and make it into a public site, countering the desires of some legislators, he said in 2017, to demolish it.
As the director of the historical society, Hart took the lead in leasing state land to create the Idaho Botanical Garden in 1984. Hart was on the founding board of the Basque Museum when the organization was established in 1985. The museum presented Hart with a Heritage Award in 2012, noting how Hart's devotion to the museum went well beyond the scholarly. Hart helped curate the museum's first exhibits and Basque library, but he also paid for the museum display cases. He and Dee wallpapered the walls for the museum's sheepherding exhibit and made display labels.
Hart received countless other awards during his career, including an award from the Idaho Humanities Council for Outstanding Achievement in the Humanities, the Sesquicentennial Making History Award from Ada County and the Esto Perpetua Award from the Idaho State Historical Society.
HISTORY FOR THE PEOPLE
Given his long history and public presence, Hart was not without detractors. Some criticized his writing style as overly dense and claimed he had a sizable ego. But most agree that Hart brought history into the Treasure Valley mainstream in a way no one else did through his writing, speaking and warm, imposing presence.
Any mention of Hart's name brought instant legitimacy to historic events, said Everhart, noting that as a speaker, Hart was utterly at ease and in his element. "Facts and dates just poured out of him. And he never had to look at a single note," said Everhart.
In 2017, Hart spoke of his fondness for public speaking. "I accepted every speaking engagement that came my way," he said. He embraced it during his long career with the Idaho State Historical Society, touring the far reaches of the state. He always believed in his mission, he said: elevating history, helping people connect with their own culture and saving the tangible remnants of the past.
This is a breaking news story that will be updated.
Former Statesman reporter Anna Webb and current staff members Jim Keyser and Dana Oland contributed to this story.
Boise, Idaho - Arthur A Hart, Director Emeritus of the Idaho State Historical Society and a long-time columnist with the Idaho Statesman passed away on December 9, 2020 at the age of 99. His professed plan was to live to 100. He almost made it. Arthur married Novella D Cochran on February 26, 1944 (they would have celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary this coming February). Arthur is survived by his wife, Novella and four daughters: Susanna Carol (Matthew) of Colorado Springs, CO; Robin Dee (Jim) of Middleton; Catherine Joan (John) of Montecito, CA; and, Allison Ann (Denny) of Boise. Arthur was beloved by his wife, children, numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren. He was an Idaho icon and will be greatly missed. A memorial service is planned for the Spring.
Idaho Statesman, December 26, 2020
Noted Idaho historian, longtime Statesman columnist Arthur Hart, 99, dies in Boise home
BY STATESMAN STAFF
DECEMBER 09, 2020 04:36 PM, UPDATED DECEMBER 09, 2020 08:16 PM
It's fair to say that no Idahoan has been more associated with Gem State history than Arthur Hart.
In fact, "he's known as Mr. History" said Jody Ochoa, now-retired director of the Idaho State Historical Museum.
Hart, an Idaho State Historical Society director emeritus who authored at least 20 books on Ada County and Idaho, died Tuesday afternoon. He was 99.
"Dr. Hart was at home with his wife of 78 years and his youngest daughter," Tobin Hope, Hart's son-in-law, wrote in an email to the Statesman. Hart, who would have turned 100 in February shared his love of Gem State history with Idaho Statesman readers from 1970 until this fall in one of the paper's longest running columns. His last piece was published in October.
Janet Gallimore, executive director of the Idaho State Historical Society, issued a statement to the Statesman on Wednesday evening and called Hart's impact "incalculable."
"The Idaho State Historical Society and its board of trustees are greatly saddened by the news of the passing of Arthur Hart. As the Director Emeritus of the Idaho State Historical Society, he contributed significantly to making Idaho history meaningful to generations of Idahoans. "The Idaho State Historical Society celebrates its 140th anniversary in 2021. Idaho citizens created our organization. Our executive directors, trustees and staff, over time, preserve Idaho history and connect our citizens deeply to our past, providing information and understanding vital to understanding Idaho today. Arthur's legacy of service ... spanned decades.... He was the consummate champion of Idaho's inspiring story and a remarkable leader. His impact is incalculable and he will be truly missed." Ochoa has credited Hart as a pioneer of historic preservation. Long before it became a public rallying cry, he was aware of the vulnerability of historic sites and artifacts. He worked in the face of urban renewal that swept through Boise in the 1970s. It was Hart, said Ochoa, who assembled a group of museum staffers to salvage what was left of the once thriving Chinatown in Downtown Boise, even as the wrecking balls were poised to swing. "He got a call from the Boise Redevelopment Agency. They told him he had 72 hours to get what he wanted," said Ochoa. "He got everyone on his staff out there with shovels and palettes. They took everything."
"We saved all we could," said Hart in a 2017 interview.
He considered the urban renewal era one of the saddest in the city's history.
"What irritated me the most was that people were watching the destruction, cheering as the buildings came down, like it was fun," he said. The rescue efforts by Hart and his staff were responsible for iconic museum displays, including the Chinese joss house or temple and the Ah Fong apothecary. The latter, virtually the entire remains of the family herbalist's shop — down to the jars of herbs, tinctures, recipes, even the shop window — dazzled scholars who visited from Seattle and San Francisco in later years.
"If he couldn't save the buildings, he saved the pieces," said Ochoa. When the Delamar Basque boarding house on Grove Street was slated for urban renewal demolition in 1972, Hart tried to save it. He lost that fight, said Ochoa, but saved the house's large bay window that's been part of the museum's display of "old Boise" culture since.
Dan Everhart, a longtime board member of Preservation Idaho and the current outreach historian at the Idaho State Preservation Office, said Hart worked tirelessly to document local history. Hart kept clippings of all of his columns, more than 2,000 of them, in binders at his home library.
"In terms of cataloging the history of the city and state, not to mention his efforts on behalf of historic preservation, there's probably no one who is comparable to him," Everhart said.
Hart inspired a new generation of historians. His books were one of the reasons Everhart became a historian.
"Those were the books I looked to, and still do, for references about important places," he said.
ART, ADVENTURE, LOVE
Hart was born in Tacoma, Washington, in 1921. The son of a railroad man, Hart attended a rural school. His mother, he said, fostered his interest in academics. He became a lover of reading and writing early on. He recalled writing his first love letter to a girl in the second grade. The teacher intercepted the missive and sentenced Hart to stay after school and write "I love you" 100 times on the blackboard. The punishment did not deter his love for words. Hart quickly exhausted the stock of the bookmobile that would make weekly visits to his school, he said in 2017.
Hart attended high school in Tacoma and enrolled in the University of Washington when he was 17. He majored in art while studying history and journalism. At the beginning of World War II, Hart got a job at Boeing before being drafted and transferred to the Army Air Corps. Hart spent a year in the infantry in Europe, mostly in Germany. Any time he had a day off, he hitched a ride on "any truck going somewhere," Hart said.
"I lucked out," he said. "I never heard a shot fired in anger." The war years inspired Hart's lifelong love of Europe. He traveled frequently and, for a time in the 1980s, led European tours through a local travel agency. In 1944, Hart married his wife, Novella D, known as Dee. Hart described the relationship as a lifelong romance. They met in the Methodist Church choir in Puyallup, Wash.
Dee sang a solo, recalled Hart in 2017. "And I was a goner ... I've been singing her love songs every day since then." The Harts married in early spring, foraging through the northwestern forest to pick ferns and daffodils for their wedding. Daffodils became a symbol of their affection. Along with Hart's paintings and collages, art made by family friends and scores of family photographs, bouquets of daffodils often decorated their home on the Boise Bench.
The Harts had four daughters, Susanna, Robin, Catherine and Allison, as well as several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
STUDY, WORK, CULTURAL PROMOTION
Hart's wide-ranging academic career included study at the Biarritz American University in Paris, an MFA in art from the University of Washington and an honorary doctorate from The College of Idaho, among other classwork and honors. A job teaching art at the Caldwell college brought the Harts to Idaho in 1948. From there, the Harts moved to New England, where he taught for several years before returning to Idaho and serving as the director of the Idaho State Historical Museum from 1969 until 1975. He became the director of the Idaho State Historical Society in 1975 and held that post until 1986.
Hart was an elegant figure, said Ochoa. He was the perfect host of Christmas parties for the museum staff. He and Dee would pass good wine and plates of canapes among their guests. Hart played a part in the founding of many institutions that have become well-known local icons. After the Idaho State Penitentiary relocated in 1973, vacating what's now the Old Penitentiary historic site, Hart campaigned to preserve the complex and make it into a public site, countering the desires of some legislators, he said in 2017, to demolish it.
As the director of the historical society, Hart took the lead in leasing state land to create the Idaho Botanical Garden in 1984. Hart was on the founding board of the Basque Museum when the organization was established in 1985. The museum presented Hart with a Heritage Award in 2012, noting how Hart's devotion to the museum went well beyond the scholarly. Hart helped curate the museum's first exhibits and Basque library, but he also paid for the museum display cases. He and Dee wallpapered the walls for the museum's sheepherding exhibit and made display labels.
Hart received countless other awards during his career, including an award from the Idaho Humanities Council for Outstanding Achievement in the Humanities, the Sesquicentennial Making History Award from Ada County and the Esto Perpetua Award from the Idaho State Historical Society.
HISTORY FOR THE PEOPLE
Given his long history and public presence, Hart was not without detractors. Some criticized his writing style as overly dense and claimed he had a sizable ego. But most agree that Hart brought history into the Treasure Valley mainstream in a way no one else did through his writing, speaking and warm, imposing presence.
Any mention of Hart's name brought instant legitimacy to historic events, said Everhart, noting that as a speaker, Hart was utterly at ease and in his element. "Facts and dates just poured out of him. And he never had to look at a single note," said Everhart.
In 2017, Hart spoke of his fondness for public speaking. "I accepted every speaking engagement that came my way," he said. He embraced it during his long career with the Idaho State Historical Society, touring the far reaches of the state. He always believed in his mission, he said: elevating history, helping people connect with their own culture and saving the tangible remnants of the past.
This is a breaking news story that will be updated.
Former Statesman reporter Anna Webb and current staff members Jim Keyser and Dana Oland contributed to this story.
Arthur A. Hart
Boise, Idaho - Arthur A Hart, Director Emeritus of the Idaho State Historical Society and a long-time columnist with the Idaho Statesman passed away on December 9, 2020 at the age of 99. His professed plan was to live to 100. He almost made it. Arthur married Novella D Cochran on February 26, 1944 (they would have celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary this coming February). Arthur is survived by his wife, Novella and four daughters: Susanna Carol (Matthew) of Colorado Springs, CO; Robin Dee (Jim) of Middleton; Catherine Joan (John) of Montecito, CA; and, Allison Ann (Denny) of Boise. Arthur was beloved by his wife, children, numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren. He was an Idaho icon and will be greatly missed. A memorial service is planned for the Spring.
Idaho Statesman, December 26, 2020
Noted Idaho historian, longtime Statesman columnist Arthur Hart, 99, dies in Boise home
BY STATESMAN STAFF
DECEMBER 09, 2020 04:36 PM, UPDATED DECEMBER 09, 2020 08:16 PM
It's fair to say that no Idahoan has been more associated with Gem State history than Arthur Hart.
In fact, "he's known as Mr. History" said Jody Ochoa, now-retired director of the Idaho State Historical Museum.
Hart, an Idaho State Historical Society director emeritus who authored at least 20 books on Ada County and Idaho, died Tuesday afternoon. He was 99.
"Dr. Hart was at home with his wife of 78 years and his youngest daughter," Tobin Hope, Hart's son-in-law, wrote in an email to the Statesman. Hart, who would have turned 100 in February shared his love of Gem State history with Idaho Statesman readers from 1970 until this fall in one of the paper's longest running columns. His last piece was published in October.
Janet Gallimore, executive director of the Idaho State Historical Society, issued a statement to the Statesman on Wednesday evening and called Hart's impact "incalculable."
"The Idaho State Historical Society and its board of trustees are greatly saddened by the news of the passing of Arthur Hart. As the Director Emeritus of the Idaho State Historical Society, he contributed significantly to making Idaho history meaningful to generations of Idahoans. "The Idaho State Historical Society celebrates its 140th anniversary in 2021. Idaho citizens created our organization. Our executive directors, trustees and staff, over time, preserve Idaho history and connect our citizens deeply to our past, providing information and understanding vital to understanding Idaho today. Arthur's legacy of service ... spanned decades.... He was the consummate champion of Idaho's inspiring story and a remarkable leader. His impact is incalculable and he will be truly missed." Ochoa has credited Hart as a pioneer of historic preservation. Long before it became a public rallying cry, he was aware of the vulnerability of historic sites and artifacts. He worked in the face of urban renewal that swept through Boise in the 1970s. It was Hart, said Ochoa, who assembled a group of museum staffers to salvage what was left of the once thriving Chinatown in Downtown Boise, even as the wrecking balls were poised to swing. "He got a call from the Boise Redevelopment Agency. They told him he had 72 hours to get what he wanted," said Ochoa. "He got everyone on his staff out there with shovels and palettes. They took everything."
"We saved all we could," said Hart in a 2017 interview.
He considered the urban renewal era one of the saddest in the city's history.
"What irritated me the most was that people were watching the destruction, cheering as the buildings came down, like it was fun," he said. The rescue efforts by Hart and his staff were responsible for iconic museum displays, including the Chinese joss house or temple and the Ah Fong apothecary. The latter, virtually the entire remains of the family herbalist's shop — down to the jars of herbs, tinctures, recipes, even the shop window — dazzled scholars who visited from Seattle and San Francisco in later years.
"If he couldn't save the buildings, he saved the pieces," said Ochoa. When the Delamar Basque boarding house on Grove Street was slated for urban renewal demolition in 1972, Hart tried to save it. He lost that fight, said Ochoa, but saved the house's large bay window that's been part of the museum's display of "old Boise" culture since.
Dan Everhart, a longtime board member of Preservation Idaho and the current outreach historian at the Idaho State Preservation Office, said Hart worked tirelessly to document local history. Hart kept clippings of all of his columns, more than 2,000 of them, in binders at his home library.
"In terms of cataloging the history of the city and state, not to mention his efforts on behalf of historic preservation, there's probably no one who is comparable to him," Everhart said.
Hart inspired a new generation of historians. His books were one of the reasons Everhart became a historian.
"Those were the books I looked to, and still do, for references about important places," he said.
ART, ADVENTURE, LOVE
Hart was born in Tacoma, Washington, in 1921. The son of a railroad man, Hart attended a rural school. His mother, he said, fostered his interest in academics. He became a lover of reading and writing early on. He recalled writing his first love letter to a girl in the second grade. The teacher intercepted the missive and sentenced Hart to stay after school and write "I love you" 100 times on the blackboard. The punishment did not deter his love for words. Hart quickly exhausted the stock of the bookmobile that would make weekly visits to his school, he said in 2017.
Hart attended high school in Tacoma and enrolled in the University of Washington when he was 17. He majored in art while studying history and journalism. At the beginning of World War II, Hart got a job at Boeing before being drafted and transferred to the Army Air Corps. Hart spent a year in the infantry in Europe, mostly in Germany. Any time he had a day off, he hitched a ride on "any truck going somewhere," Hart said.
"I lucked out," he said. "I never heard a shot fired in anger." The war years inspired Hart's lifelong love of Europe. He traveled frequently and, for a time in the 1980s, led European tours through a local travel agency. In 1944, Hart married his wife, Novella D, known as Dee. Hart described the relationship as a lifelong romance. They met in the Methodist Church choir in Puyallup, Wash.
Dee sang a solo, recalled Hart in 2017. "And I was a goner ... I've been singing her love songs every day since then." The Harts married in early spring, foraging through the northwestern forest to pick ferns and daffodils for their wedding. Daffodils became a symbol of their affection. Along with Hart's paintings and collages, art made by family friends and scores of family photographs, bouquets of daffodils often decorated their home on the Boise Bench.
The Harts had four daughters, Susanna, Robin, Catherine and Allison, as well as several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
STUDY, WORK, CULTURAL PROMOTION
Hart's wide-ranging academic career included study at the Biarritz American University in Paris, an MFA in art from the University of Washington and an honorary doctorate from The College of Idaho, among other classwork and honors. A job teaching art at the Caldwell college brought the Harts to Idaho in 1948. From there, the Harts moved to New England, where he taught for several years before returning to Idaho and serving as the director of the Idaho State Historical Museum from 1969 until 1975. He became the director of the Idaho State Historical Society in 1975 and held that post until 1986.
Hart was an elegant figure, said Ochoa. He was the perfect host of Christmas parties for the museum staff. He and Dee would pass good wine and plates of canapes among their guests. Hart played a part in the founding of many institutions that have become well-known local icons. After the Idaho State Penitentiary relocated in 1973, vacating what's now the Old Penitentiary historic site, Hart campaigned to preserve the complex and make it into a public site, countering the desires of some legislators, he said in 2017, to demolish it.
As the director of the historical society, Hart took the lead in leasing state land to create the Idaho Botanical Garden in 1984. Hart was on the founding board of the Basque Museum when the organization was established in 1985. The museum presented Hart with a Heritage Award in 2012, noting how Hart's devotion to the museum went well beyond the scholarly. Hart helped curate the museum's first exhibits and Basque library, but he also paid for the museum display cases. He and Dee wallpapered the walls for the museum's sheepherding exhibit and made display labels.
Hart received countless other awards during his career, including an award from the Idaho Humanities Council for Outstanding Achievement in the Humanities, the Sesquicentennial Making History Award from Ada County and the Esto Perpetua Award from the Idaho State Historical Society.
HISTORY FOR THE PEOPLE
Given his long history and public presence, Hart was not without detractors. Some criticized his writing style as overly dense and claimed he had a sizable ego. But most agree that Hart brought history into the Treasure Valley mainstream in a way no one else did through his writing, speaking and warm, imposing presence.
Any mention of Hart's name brought instant legitimacy to historic events, said Everhart, noting that as a speaker, Hart was utterly at ease and in his element. "Facts and dates just poured out of him. And he never had to look at a single note," said Everhart.
In 2017, Hart spoke of his fondness for public speaking. "I accepted every speaking engagement that came my way," he said. He embraced it during his long career with the Idaho State Historical Society, touring the far reaches of the state. He always believed in his mission, he said: elevating history, helping people connect with their own culture and saving the tangible remnants of the past.
This is a breaking news story that will be updated.
Former Statesman reporter Anna Webb and current staff members Jim Keyser and Dana Oland contributed to this story.
Boise, Idaho - Arthur A Hart, Director Emeritus of the Idaho State Historical Society and a long-time columnist with the Idaho Statesman passed away on December 9, 2020 at the age of 99. His professed plan was to live to 100. He almost made it. Arthur married Novella D Cochran on February 26, 1944 (they would have celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary this coming February). Arthur is survived by his wife, Novella and four daughters: Susanna Carol (Matthew) of Colorado Springs, CO; Robin Dee (Jim) of Middleton; Catherine Joan (John) of Montecito, CA; and, Allison Ann (Denny) of Boise. Arthur was beloved by his wife, children, numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren. He was an Idaho icon and will be greatly missed. A memorial service is planned for the Spring.
Idaho Statesman, December 26, 2020
Noted Idaho historian, longtime Statesman columnist Arthur Hart, 99, dies in Boise home
BY STATESMAN STAFF
DECEMBER 09, 2020 04:36 PM, UPDATED DECEMBER 09, 2020 08:16 PM
It's fair to say that no Idahoan has been more associated with Gem State history than Arthur Hart.
In fact, "he's known as Mr. History" said Jody Ochoa, now-retired director of the Idaho State Historical Museum.
Hart, an Idaho State Historical Society director emeritus who authored at least 20 books on Ada County and Idaho, died Tuesday afternoon. He was 99.
"Dr. Hart was at home with his wife of 78 years and his youngest daughter," Tobin Hope, Hart's son-in-law, wrote in an email to the Statesman. Hart, who would have turned 100 in February shared his love of Gem State history with Idaho Statesman readers from 1970 until this fall in one of the paper's longest running columns. His last piece was published in October.
Janet Gallimore, executive director of the Idaho State Historical Society, issued a statement to the Statesman on Wednesday evening and called Hart's impact "incalculable."
"The Idaho State Historical Society and its board of trustees are greatly saddened by the news of the passing of Arthur Hart. As the Director Emeritus of the Idaho State Historical Society, he contributed significantly to making Idaho history meaningful to generations of Idahoans. "The Idaho State Historical Society celebrates its 140th anniversary in 2021. Idaho citizens created our organization. Our executive directors, trustees and staff, over time, preserve Idaho history and connect our citizens deeply to our past, providing information and understanding vital to understanding Idaho today. Arthur's legacy of service ... spanned decades.... He was the consummate champion of Idaho's inspiring story and a remarkable leader. His impact is incalculable and he will be truly missed." Ochoa has credited Hart as a pioneer of historic preservation. Long before it became a public rallying cry, he was aware of the vulnerability of historic sites and artifacts. He worked in the face of urban renewal that swept through Boise in the 1970s. It was Hart, said Ochoa, who assembled a group of museum staffers to salvage what was left of the once thriving Chinatown in Downtown Boise, even as the wrecking balls were poised to swing. "He got a call from the Boise Redevelopment Agency. They told him he had 72 hours to get what he wanted," said Ochoa. "He got everyone on his staff out there with shovels and palettes. They took everything."
"We saved all we could," said Hart in a 2017 interview.
He considered the urban renewal era one of the saddest in the city's history.
"What irritated me the most was that people were watching the destruction, cheering as the buildings came down, like it was fun," he said. The rescue efforts by Hart and his staff were responsible for iconic museum displays, including the Chinese joss house or temple and the Ah Fong apothecary. The latter, virtually the entire remains of the family herbalist's shop — down to the jars of herbs, tinctures, recipes, even the shop window — dazzled scholars who visited from Seattle and San Francisco in later years.
"If he couldn't save the buildings, he saved the pieces," said Ochoa. When the Delamar Basque boarding house on Grove Street was slated for urban renewal demolition in 1972, Hart tried to save it. He lost that fight, said Ochoa, but saved the house's large bay window that's been part of the museum's display of "old Boise" culture since.
Dan Everhart, a longtime board member of Preservation Idaho and the current outreach historian at the Idaho State Preservation Office, said Hart worked tirelessly to document local history. Hart kept clippings of all of his columns, more than 2,000 of them, in binders at his home library.
"In terms of cataloging the history of the city and state, not to mention his efforts on behalf of historic preservation, there's probably no one who is comparable to him," Everhart said.
Hart inspired a new generation of historians. His books were one of the reasons Everhart became a historian.
"Those were the books I looked to, and still do, for references about important places," he said.
ART, ADVENTURE, LOVE
Hart was born in Tacoma, Washington, in 1921. The son of a railroad man, Hart attended a rural school. His mother, he said, fostered his interest in academics. He became a lover of reading and writing early on. He recalled writing his first love letter to a girl in the second grade. The teacher intercepted the missive and sentenced Hart to stay after school and write "I love you" 100 times on the blackboard. The punishment did not deter his love for words. Hart quickly exhausted the stock of the bookmobile that would make weekly visits to his school, he said in 2017.
Hart attended high school in Tacoma and enrolled in the University of Washington when he was 17. He majored in art while studying history and journalism. At the beginning of World War II, Hart got a job at Boeing before being drafted and transferred to the Army Air Corps. Hart spent a year in the infantry in Europe, mostly in Germany. Any time he had a day off, he hitched a ride on "any truck going somewhere," Hart said.
"I lucked out," he said. "I never heard a shot fired in anger." The war years inspired Hart's lifelong love of Europe. He traveled frequently and, for a time in the 1980s, led European tours through a local travel agency. In 1944, Hart married his wife, Novella D, known as Dee. Hart described the relationship as a lifelong romance. They met in the Methodist Church choir in Puyallup, Wash.
Dee sang a solo, recalled Hart in 2017. "And I was a goner ... I've been singing her love songs every day since then." The Harts married in early spring, foraging through the northwestern forest to pick ferns and daffodils for their wedding. Daffodils became a symbol of their affection. Along with Hart's paintings and collages, art made by family friends and scores of family photographs, bouquets of daffodils often decorated their home on the Boise Bench.
The Harts had four daughters, Susanna, Robin, Catherine and Allison, as well as several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
STUDY, WORK, CULTURAL PROMOTION
Hart's wide-ranging academic career included study at the Biarritz American University in Paris, an MFA in art from the University of Washington and an honorary doctorate from The College of Idaho, among other classwork and honors. A job teaching art at the Caldwell college brought the Harts to Idaho in 1948. From there, the Harts moved to New England, where he taught for several years before returning to Idaho and serving as the director of the Idaho State Historical Museum from 1969 until 1975. He became the director of the Idaho State Historical Society in 1975 and held that post until 1986.
Hart was an elegant figure, said Ochoa. He was the perfect host of Christmas parties for the museum staff. He and Dee would pass good wine and plates of canapes among their guests. Hart played a part in the founding of many institutions that have become well-known local icons. After the Idaho State Penitentiary relocated in 1973, vacating what's now the Old Penitentiary historic site, Hart campaigned to preserve the complex and make it into a public site, countering the desires of some legislators, he said in 2017, to demolish it.
As the director of the historical society, Hart took the lead in leasing state land to create the Idaho Botanical Garden in 1984. Hart was on the founding board of the Basque Museum when the organization was established in 1985. The museum presented Hart with a Heritage Award in 2012, noting how Hart's devotion to the museum went well beyond the scholarly. Hart helped curate the museum's first exhibits and Basque library, but he also paid for the museum display cases. He and Dee wallpapered the walls for the museum's sheepherding exhibit and made display labels.
Hart received countless other awards during his career, including an award from the Idaho Humanities Council for Outstanding Achievement in the Humanities, the Sesquicentennial Making History Award from Ada County and the Esto Perpetua Award from the Idaho State Historical Society.
HISTORY FOR THE PEOPLE
Given his long history and public presence, Hart was not without detractors. Some criticized his writing style as overly dense and claimed he had a sizable ego. But most agree that Hart brought history into the Treasure Valley mainstream in a way no one else did through his writing, speaking and warm, imposing presence.
Any mention of Hart's name brought instant legitimacy to historic events, said Everhart, noting that as a speaker, Hart was utterly at ease and in his element. "Facts and dates just poured out of him. And he never had to look at a single note," said Everhart.
In 2017, Hart spoke of his fondness for public speaking. "I accepted every speaking engagement that came my way," he said. He embraced it during his long career with the Idaho State Historical Society, touring the far reaches of the state. He always believed in his mission, he said: elevating history, helping people connect with their own culture and saving the tangible remnants of the past.
This is a breaking news story that will be updated.
Former Statesman reporter Anna Webb and current staff members Jim Keyser and Dana Oland contributed to this story.
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