We are grateful to the nearly 130 years of stewardship of the previous owners, tenants, and guests of 1502 W. Franklin Street—a home first built in 1896, when the North End was just beginning its rise as Boise’s most storied neighborhood. Over the decades, this address has quietly witnessed the city grow from a frontier settlement into a thriving, modern community. The North End itself became the beating heart of Boise’s historic identity: tree-lined avenues, lovingly preserved architecture, and a deep sense of neighborliness that has defined life here for more than a century.
Long before Assemble Boise existed, this property served as a women’s birthing center, offering care, safety, and comfort to mothers at a time when home births were the norm. Generations of Boise families took their very first breaths within these walls—making this place not just a structure, but a cradle of local history. We carry profound respect for that legacy of nurture and intimacy, because it mirrors the spirit of belonging we hope to create today.
In more recent years, the home evolved into the Franklin House, a beloved bed & breakfast and neighborhood beer garden. It became a gathering place for travelers, cyclists, residents, and friends—a hub of connection and joy where countless conversations, celebrations, and stories unfolded under the North End’s canopy of old-growth trees. The Franklin House team cared for this building with passion and intention, creating a community landmark that reflected the neighborhood’s warmth.
As we stepped into our role at Assemble Boise, we made it a priority to honor the historic district that this property is part of. We maintained the architectural context and integrity of the home—both inside and out—preserving its original character while thoughtfully updating it for modern comfort. Every choice, from materials to design elements to exterior preservation, was made with deep respect for the North End’s heritage and the responsibility that comes with being a caretaker of one of its iconic homes.
As its newest stewards, we are deeply humbled to follow in the footsteps of everyone who has shaped this address for the last thirteen decades. We don’t take lightly the responsibility of inheriting a property—and a neighborhood—with such a rich and textured past. We view our role not as owners, but as caretakers ensuring that the spirit of welcome, gathering, and human connection continues here for the next generation.
And now, as Assemble Boise, we hope to honor this history by building a new chapter that is worthy of the ones that came before it. Our boutique hotel stands on the shoulders of the midwives, innkeepers, neighbors, and community-builders who brought this place to life long before we arrived. We simply carry the torch forward.
