License Plates
Most people know that Idaho license plates start with a letter and/or number & letter combination.
The reason that some have numbers and some don’t is simply because if there is more than one county that starts with B (for example), then they are assigned numbers along with the first letter of the county. For example:
Ada County: 1A
1 = the first alphabetical “A” County, along with the first letter of the name.
Adams County: 2A
2 = the second alphabetical “A” County, etc.
Idaho seems to have a thing for “B” counties – there are 10! (3 of which are in North Idaho — Benewah, Bonner, & Boundary).
There are only 6 counties that ONLY have a letter, including our Kootenai County and neighboring Shoshone county.
How many?
Idaho has 44 counties, more than its neighbors, Washington (39) and Oregon (36). Texas has the most at 254! Delaware is in last place with only 3.
Rhyme it out
In some fourth grade classrooms, students memorize the counties with the following poem:
Ada is first with our capital town,
Adams’ Seven Devils go straight up and down.
Then ten counties start with B;
Bannock, Bear Lake, Benewah three;
Bingham, Blaine, Boise, Bonner,
Bonneville, Boundary, Butte make ten.
Then the next seven start with C:
Camas, Canyon, Caribou three.
Cassia, Clark, Clearwater, Custer,
Are the Idaho C’s we can muster.
Elmore, Franklin, Fremont, Gem,
Gooding and Idaho don’t forget them.
Flatlands of Jefferson,
Potatoes of Jerome,
Kootenai, Latah, we’re almost home.
Lemhi and Lewis,
Hurry, hurry, hurry!
Lincoln with its ice caves
Very very burry.
Madison, Minidoka, Nez Perce;
Our Indian accent grows worse and worse.
Oneida, Owyhee, a little faster please
Payette and Power are the only Ps.
Shoshone, Teton, Twin Falls, almost done,
Valley County and Washington.
Author unknown