Get to Know Idaho: The history of Julia Davis Park More than 100 years after the park was established, it has become a must-see destination in the City of Trees. Author: Brian Holmes Updated: 5:34 PM MDT July 26, 2021 BOISE, Idaho — Before the city of Boise was founded in 1864, two early pioneers turned what was once a thriving apple orchard into a downtown park that would eventually be known as Julia Davis Park. Boise's oldest park is the first of what is known as the Ribbon of Jewels, a series of parks named after prominent local women, such as Ann Morrison and Esther Simplot.