Mountain Home Basque Fronton

Mountain Home Basque Fronton (Pedro Anchustegui Pelota Court)
Mountain Home, Elmore County

  • Grants: 1997, 2000

Location: West 2nd North Street, Mountain Home, Idaho 83647

The Pedro Anchustegui Pelota Court is the finest existing outdoor Pelota court in Idaho. The Basque traditional forms of recreation were dancing and Pelota, a form of handball. The game is played barehanded, with bats or basket-like cesta. The ball is similar in size and hardness to an American baseball and features a hand sewn goatskin cover. The majority of Idaho’s Basque population immigrated between 1890 and 1925. Concentrating in the Boise-Mountain Home area, many found initial employment in the sheep industry. When not tending the herd the men came to town and lived in Basque boarding houses. The fronton, or pelota court, was one of the major features of several boarding houses. This court, built by Pedro Anchustegui, is the only outdoor court remaining in the state.

Scroll to Top