The Dundee First Subdivision was platted in November 1890. The Dundee First Subdivision was triangular-shaped and bounded by the south side of Rossi Street on the north, Broadway Avenue on the west, and Boise Avenue on the south. The Idaho Daily Statesman noted the number of residences being built south of the river. The newspapers mentioned the E. P. Gibson residence being constructed in Dundee at a cost of $3000 and the J. R. Chitwood residence (1321 Denver Avenue) constructed at a cost of $2400.
Along with growth came neighborhood civic pride. In 1904 the Village Improvement Society was organized. The first meeting of the club was at the home of Mrs. Alvin C. DeMary.9 The club- women wanted parks in South Boise and they wanted roadsides, yards and school grounds to be weeded and kept free of trash. The members came from all areas of South Boise, but did a number of beautification projects in the Dundee First Subdivision.
Growth in the original South Boise neighborhood slowed during the Depression years as it did for most of Idaho. The 1929 stock market crash and the low price of farm commodities prevented many people from constructing or buying new homes. Federal relief projects and an influx of Dust Bowl refugees and displaced Idaho farmers brought many new residents to Boise in 1936. Throughout this difficult time Dundee residents continued to be involved in civic projects. Broadway Avenue was paved and WPA labor laid drain tile down the street. The end of the war brought new construction and new residents to the neighborhood as G.I.’s returned to Boise.
Over the last 40 years the neighborhood has developed into a medium- density community, ranging from 8 to 16 dwelling units per acre. The mix of housing types has remained relatively consistent during that time. Until recently, single-family, duplex and multi-family housing throughout the neighborhood was similar in scale, lending a dense, yet coherent “neighborhood feeling” to the area.
The Boise Comprehensive Plan in the early 1990s specifically targeted the triangle for redevelopment as multi-family housing because of its proximity to Boise State University. In 1999 the Comprehensive Plan modified this to protect areas that reflected the character of stable single-family neighborhoods.
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