Pierce Courthouse

Pierce Courthouse is the oldest public building in Idaho

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Location:

46°29'24.76"N 115°47'53.24"W

Significance:

Oldest Public Building in Idaho

MANAGED BY:

J. Howard Bradbury Memorial Logging Museum and Idaho State Historical Society

Amenities

1 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

Visitors to the Pierce Courthouse see it as a reminder of the gold rush that swept through this region in the early 1860s, triggering a series of events that would have lasting consequences for the Nez Perce.

The namesake of the Pierce Courthouse, Elias Davidson Pierce, discovered gold in the creeks above Orofino. Mining was not allowed on reservation land, but the lure of riches was a stronger motivator than fear of breaking the law. Pierce discovered a rich vein of gold along the north fork of the Clearwater River, which triggered a gold rush. Within just a few months, hundreds than thousands of hopeful miners were tresspassing on the Nez Perce reservation. The chief settlement of the region, Pierce, became the county seat for Shoshone County.

Quarrels with miners and an inability to control the influx of miners led to new treaty negotiations, resulting in the Treaty of 1863.

Getting to Pierce Courthouse

The Pierce Courthouse is one block off Main Street (Idaho Highway 11) in Pierce, Idaho.

Driving to Pierce Courthouse

The Pierce Courthouse is located on Northeast corner of Court St. and 1st Ave. South in downtown Pierce, Idaho.

Things to Do at Pierce Courthouse

Explore the Site

The staff and volunteers of the adjacent J. Howard Bradbury Memorial Logging Museum operate the courthouse building under a cooperative agreement with the Idaho State Historical Society. The building is open on request and on summer weekends. Outside the courthouse is a wayside that summarizes the impact of gold mining on the Nez Perce and inside there are eight panels that detail the area’s history. At the north end of Pierce, there is a historical marker titled” Pierce Courthouse” which gives a brief history of the courthouse building.