Kuna owes its existence to an accident of geography. People settled in it in the mid-19th century based on its location near the Snake River, populated it due to mining south of the area, and built a railroad station because it was easier to do so there than near Boise. The Snake River Canyon itself was carved by a prehistoric flood. That close relationship to the earth still continues. Even the school sports teams have a geographic connection: they are known as the Kavemen, named after the Kuna Cave, a lava tube south of town. Today, Kuna is the gateway city to the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, and in recent years, it was the fastest-growing city in Idaho.
Author Sharon Fisher is the principal consultant for Gem State Community Development and also serves as the secretary to the Ada County Historic Preservation Council. She is a member of Preservation Idaho and of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. She has written about Kuna history for a variety of sources, including the Kuna-Melba News, This is Kuna, and Idaho magazine. The vintage images in this book come from a variety of sources, including the Boise State University Special Collections, the Kuna Library, and past and present residents of Kuna.