The building houses two pumps that circulate geothermally heated water from wells installed in 1890.

Natural hot water from the pumphouse was piped to residential and commercial customers beginning in the 1890s.

[4][5] In 1888 Boise City pioneers Christopher W. Moore, Nathan Falk, and John Broadbent began promoting a plan to fund an artesian water company.

[6] The Boise Water Works was organized in 1890 with $200,000 in capital stock, with directors George L. Shoup, William H Ridenbaugh, Christopher W. Moore, Timothy Reagan, Peter Sonna, Alfred Eoff, George Ainslie, Richard Z. Johnson, and Hosea B.

Officers of the company were David Heron, Auren G. Redway, Samuel H. Hays, Nathan Falk, John Case, Lazare Weil, and Frank R.