Individual Scholar Page

Personal Info

Photo

About Me

Emily F. Mahaney is a fifth-generation Boisean, born and raised in Southeast Boise near the Boise State University campus. Though she has spent much of her adult life traveling and working in both the public and private sectors, the university classroom is where she is most at home. She currently works as a full-time lecturer at Boise State University, teaching upper and lower-division courses in American History, Idaho History, and Ethical Decision Making.

After completing her B.A. in History with a minor in English from Boise State, Mahaney completed the Master of Arts in Public History program in 2020. Her research project, titled: “Finding Common Purpose: A History of Community Activism in Boise, Idaho” focused on the evolution of city neighborhood organizations in Boise, particularly as they relate to urban development, environmental conservation, and historic preservation. During her time as a student and professional, she has worked for all levels of the local and federal government, including the Idaho State Historic Preservation Office, the City of Boise, the Old Idaho Penitentiary, the National Park Service, Preservation Idaho, and TAG Historical Research Associates. After graduation, Mahaney opened her own historical consulting business, conducting oral histories, creating walking tours, designing exhibits, and completing historical research for both public and private entities.

Mahaney’s publications include: “Food of the Pharaohs,” (2017) featured in Half the World: Refugees Transform the City of Trees, and “Hammer and Drill” (2016) part of The Other Idahoans: Forgotten Stories of the Boise Valley. Her recent work as a consultant has been featured at Rock Creek Station & Stricker Homesite, Gowen Field, and through the City of Boise’s Oral History collection. Currently, she is working on developing a mobile walking tour of Boise’s River Street Neighborhood as part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s “Tell the Full Story” grant, awarded to Preservation Idaho in early 2022. She will also be serving as panelist at this year’s Idaho Heritage Conference breakout session: “How can Historic Preservation Be More Inclusive? Learning from Advocacy and Preservation Work in Under-Represented Communities in Idaho.”

Mahaney is passionate about story-telling and working with students from all walks of life. Her goal is to make history exciting, engaging, and interesting for everyone – both in the classroom on beyond.

Recent Publications

Media Coverage

Social Media

Country Focus

United States

Expertise by Geography

United States

Expertise by Chronology

19th century, Early Modern, Modern, 20th century

Expertise by Topic

Art & Architectural History, Local & Regional, Pedagogy, Public History, Race, Urban History