After Idaho Gov. Moses Alexander left office in 1919, he returned to his earlier vocation, merchant. He built the structure at 9th and Main in 1925 to house Alexander's men's store.

Alexander's was known as the "one price clothier." Unlike other stores, where customers bargained for the best deals, Alexander's marked its prices clearly.

The building is the only historic commercial building in Boise with a white terra cotta veneer facade, a style popular in Chicago.

Its style is Second Renaissance. Traits of that style include simplicity of design, classical elements like columns and the continuous "belt course" or strong horizontal band between stories.

The Second Renaissance style was popular for courthouses, libraries and banks. This may say something about the gravitas with which Alexander approached his work. His name is still carved into the building's facade.

Earlier, in 1895, the Alexander family bought three lots at the corner of 3rd and State Streets. They hired local carpenters to build a Queen Anne-style house based on pictures and floor plans they saw in the newspaper. A descendent of Moses Alexander sold the house to the state in 1977.

Alexander didn't leave politics entirely after leaving the governor's office. He served as a delegate to the 1920, 1924 and 1928 Democratic National Conventions. He died in 1932.

Anna Webb: 377-6431