Moscow, Idaho

Miners and farmers began arriving in the northern Idaho area after the Civil War. The first permanent settlers came to the Moscow area in 1871. Due to the abundance of camas bulbs, a favorite fodder of pigs brought by the farmers, they informally named the vicinity Hog Heaven. When the first post office opened in 1872, the town was called Paradise Valley, but the name was changed to Moscow in 1875.

The precise origin of the name Moscow has been disputed, but there is no proof that it was named by a Russian or for the Russian city. It is reported by early settlers that five men in the area met to choose a proper name for the town, but could not come to consensus on a name. The postmaster Samuel Neff then completed the official papers for the town and selected the name Moscow. Interestingly, Neff was born in Moscow, Pennsylvania and later moved to Moscow, Iowa.

To appease the residents of the north, who wanted to join the state of Washington, the territorial legislature of Idaho in Boise placed the new land grant university in Moscow, which at the time was the largest city other than Boise in the state. The University of Idaho was chartered in January 1889, and first opened its doors to students in October 1892.