Idaho State Song

"Here We Have Idaho"

Music by Sallie Hume Douglas,
Verses by Albert J.Tompkins,
Chorus by McKinley Helm

Adopted on March 11, 1931.

On March 11, 1931  the Idaho legislature designated "Here We Have Idaho", previously known at the University of Idaho as "Our Idaho", as the Idaho state song.

"Here We Have Idaho"

You've heard of the wonders our land does possess,
It's beautiful valleys and hills,
The majestic forests where nature abounds,
We love every nook and rill.

chorus

And here we have Idaho
Winning her way to fame.
Silver and gold in the sunlight blaze,
and romance lies in her name.
Singing, we're singing of you,
Ah, proudly too,
All our lives thru, we'll go
Singing, singing of you,
Singing of Idaho.

There's truly one state in this great land of ours
Where ideals can be realized.
The pioneers made it so for you and me,
A legacy we'll always prize.

chorus

Origin of Song:

Idaho state song, composed by Sallie Hume Douglas, was copyrighted on November 4, 1915, under the title "Garden of Paradise." In 1917, McKinley Helm, a student at the University of Idaho, wrote the verse which became the chorus of the Idaho State song, and Alice Bessee set the words to the music by Sallie Hume Douglas. The song was popular then, and Alice Bessee had no idea of its origin. This song won the annual University prize for that year, and eventually became the University alma mater. Albert J. Tompkins, Director of Music in the Boise Public Schools, wrote a set of verses for the song. In 1931, the Idaho legislature designated "Here We Have Idaho", previously known at the University of Idaho as "Our Idaho", as the Idaho state song.