Naval training base

The park grounds were formerly the Farragut Naval Training Station, a major training base of the U.S. Navy during World War II.^[3] Over 293,000 sailors received basic training at Farragut during its 30 months of existence. The last recruit graduated in March 1945 and the facility was decommissioned in June 1946.^[4][5]

College

From 1946–49, it was the site of the Farragut College and Technical Institute,^{[6][7][8][9][10]} which had copious athletic facilities.^[11] It ceased operations prior to the fall term in 1949, due to decreased enrollment and financial difficulties.^[12][13]

State park

In 1950, the federal government transferred 3,854 acres (6.0 sq mi; 15.6 km²) of the former Farragut Naval Training Center to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, creating the Farragut Wildlife Management Area. In 1964, the department transferred 2,566 acres (4.0 sq mi; 10.4 km²) back to the federal government, which then deeded the land to the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation. That acreage became Farragut State Park by an act of the state legislature in 1966.^[14]

Scouting

Farragut State Park is significant in the history of Scouting in Idaho. It hosted the National Girl Scout Senior Roundup in 1965,^[15][16] the World Scout Jamboree in 1967,^[17][18][19] the National Scout Jamboree in 1969 and 1973, and the 2002 Star Northwest of the Boy Scouts of America. The world event in 1967 was the only time it had been held in the United States until 2019.^[20]

While traveling to the moon aboard Apollo 11 on July 18, 1969, astronaut Neil Armstrong extended a greeting to the Scouts attending the national jamboree in Idaho.^[21] Armstrong was an Eagle Scout from Ohio. Frank Borman, astronaut and commander of Apollo 8, addressed the Scouts, as did Lady Baden-Powell, the widow of Scouting's founder.^[22] At the Jamboree in 1973, Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, Chief of Naval Operations, and Gene Cernan, astronaut and commander of Apollo 17, addressed the Scouts.^[23]