Latah

Formed May 14, 1888 (15^th county)

Latah County (39,518), Moscow (25,453)

The red brick courthouse building was built in 1958.  It replaced an 1888 courthouse also in Moscow, the only county seat.  It is located on Adams Street between 5^th and 6^th streets.  United States Highway 95 is two blocks west of the location.  Dropping, Kelley, Hosford & La Marche are the architects for this Modern style courthouse.  A Law Enforcement Center was built in 1973.  The county was created on May 14, 1888 from Nez Perce County as the 15^th county.  It is named for Latah Creek which comes from the Native American for “tooth.”  The county seat is jointly named for Moscow, Pennsylvania and Moscow, Iowa. 

Latah 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 Latah, Clearwater, Idaho, Lewis, and Nez Perce counties (judicial.) The county is in northwest Idaho on the border with Washington.  Spokane, Washington is northwest of the county.  The county center is 18.7 miles East of Moscow nearer Troy.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Benewah, Shoshone, Clearwater, and Nez Perce counties and Washington. 

The area of the county is 1077 square miles.  It is 30 out of 44 in the state.  It ranks 11 out of 44 in population in the state.  It has a density of 36.7 persons per square mile making it 11 out of 44 in the state.  Latah County has 75.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 95 goes north to south through the county from Benewah to Nez Perce counties.  The county looks like a hammer.  Moscow is located on the southwest border on the county.  Moscow is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 64.4% of the county population.  The county is pronounced LAT-UH.  This county is in the Moscow Micropolitan Statistical Area.