Lewis

Formed March 3, 1911 (27^th county)

Lewis County (3,528), Nezperce (456), Kamiah (1,117)

The Modern style courthouse was built in 1974.  A former courthouse was also in Nezperce, the only county seat.  The current courthouse is on Oak Street between 5^th and 6^th streets.  Oak Street is Idaho State Highway 62.  William Parr provided the building designs for this white stone structure.  A liberty bell sits in front and veteran memorials are across the street.  The county is named for explorer Meriwether Lewis.  He is also the namesake for the county seat of Nez Perce County.  The county was established on March 3, 1911 as the 27^th county.  The county seat is named for the Native American tribe.  The tribe is also the name source for Nez Perce County. 

Lewis 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 Lewis, Clearwater, Idaho, Latah, and Nez Perce counties (judicial.) The county is in northwest Idaho and mostly consists of the Nez Perce Indian Reservation.  The county center is 10.1 miles West-Northwest of Nezperce nearer Craigmont.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Clearwater, Idaho, and Nez Perce counties. 

The area of the county is 479 square miles.  It is 41 out of 44 in the state.  It ranks 41 out of 44 in population in the state.  It has a density of 7.4 persons per square mile making it 25 out of 44 in the state.  Lewis County has 68.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 12 enters the county from the southeast, Idaho County, and exits north into Clearwater County.  United States Highway 95 crosses the western part of the county north to south from Nez Perce County into Idaho County.  The county’s shape might be described as a deer head and neck.  Nezperce is located in the eastern quarter of the county.  Kamiah is next to the eastern border and extends into Idaho County.  Nezperce is the county seat and Kamiah is the largest city.  Nezperce is 12.9% of the county population while Kamiah is 33.8% of the county population.  The county seat is pronounced NEZ PEERC.  The largest city is pronounced KA-MEE-A.