Payette

Formed February 28, 1917 (41^st county)

Payette County (25,385), Payette (8,123)

A tan brick and concrete structure is the courthouse for Payette County.  It was built in 1972 to replace a more classic 1912 courthouse and remodeled in 2000.  Johnson, Probart, and Gowland were the architects.  The facility is on a square created by 3^rd Avenue, 11^th Street, 2^nd Avenue, and 12^th Street.  United States Highway 95 is five blocks east of the location.  Payette County was established on February 28, 1917 from Washington County as the 41^st county with Payette as the only county seat.  The county and county seat are named for the river which is named for trapper Francois Payette. 

Payette 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 Two Magistrate Court Judges serve Payette, Adams, Canyon, Gem, Owyhee, and Washington counties (judicial.) The county is in western Idaho on the border with Oregon.  Boise, Idaho is southeast of the county.  The Snake River forms its western border with Oregon.  The county center is 13.2 miles East-Southeast of Payette nearer New Plymouth.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Washington, Gem, and Canyon counties and Oregon. 

The area of the county is 408 square miles.  It is 44 out of 44 in the state.  It ranks 14 out of 44 in population in the state.  It has a density of 62.2 persons per square mile making it 7 out of 44 in the state.  Payette County has 61.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 84 crosses the county from northwest to southeast, Oregon to Canyon County.  United States Highways 20/26 cut the southwest corner of the county from Canyon County, south, to Oregon, west.  United States Highway 30 is joined with Interstate Highway 84 from Oregon to Canyon County.  The county is shaped like a pistol facing east.  The City of Payette is located in the extreme northwest part of the county on the border with Oregon.  Payette is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 32.0% of the county population.  The county and county seat are pronounced PAE-ET.  This county is in the Ontario Micropolitan Statistical Area.