Blaine

Formed March 5, 1895 (20^th county)

Blaine County (24,275), Hailey (9,169)                

The red brick and stone courthouse for Blaine County was built in 1883 in Italianate style.  It is situated at 1^st Avenue, Croy Street, 2^nd Avenue, Walnut Street.  Idaho State Highway 75 is two blocks west of the courthouse.  Joseph Hawkins is the building designer.  Veterans memorials are on the grounds.  A Justice Center was added in 1986 and an Administrative Center in 2004.  The county was created on March 5, 1895 by combining Alturas and Logan counties as the 20^th county.  Hailey has always been the county seat.  It later provided the land for Camas County.  The county is named for United States Congressman James G. Blaine.  The county seat is named for settler John Hailey. 

Blaine County government consists of a sheriff, a prosecuter, a coroner, a clerk, a treasurer, and an assessor (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  Six Circuit Court Judges and a Magistrate Court Judge serve Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka, and Twin Falls counties (judicial.) Blaine County is in south central Idaho.  It touches the Snake River on its far south east border.  Boise, Idaho is west and Pocatello, Idaho is east of the county.  The county center is 25.8 miles East-Southeast of Hailey nearer Bellevue.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Butte, Bingham, Power, Cassia, Minidoka, Lincoln, Camas, Elmore, and Custer counties. 

The area of the county is 2645 square miles.  It is 7 out of 44 in the state.  It ranks 16 out of 44 in population in the state.  It has a density of 9.2 persons per square mile making it 24 out of 44 in the state.  Blaine County has 73.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 20 goes east to west in the county from Butte County to Camas County.  United States Highways 26/93 enter joined with United States Highway 20 from Butte County, split, and travel south into Lincoln County.  The county has many shapes but it overall can be described as a blender.  Hailey is in the northwest quarter of the county.  Hailey is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 37.8% of the county population.