1. On August 23, 1877, the Nez Perce War ended with Chief Joseph's surrender at the Battle of Bear Paw Mountains in Montana. The conflict began in Idaho when the U.S. government attempted to force the Nez Perce tribe onto a reservation.
2. August 23, 1985, saw the deadliest single-vehicle accident in U.S. history, when a bus carrying 48 passengers crashed off a bridge into the Snake River near Twin Falls, Idaho. Only 14 people survived.
3. In 1910, the world's largest forest fire swept through parts of Idaho and Montana between August 20 and August 23. Known as the "Big Blowup," the fire burned over three million acres of forest and killed 87 people, mostly firefighters.
4. On August 23, 1922, former Idaho governor Frank Steunenberg was assassinated in his home in Caldwell. The murder and subsequent trial were highly publicized and led to the execution of labor leader Harry Orchard for his involvement in the killing.
5. August 23, 1944, marked the groundbreaking ceremony for the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) near Idaho Falls. Originally named the National Reactor Testing Station, the INL has been a major center for nuclear research and technology development for over 75 years.