Lewis County, Idaho

Lewis County
County
State Bank of Kamiah
State Bank of Kamiah
Official seal of Lewis County
Seal
Map of Idaho highlighting Lewis County
Location within the U.S. state of Idaho
Map of the United States highlighting Idaho
Idaho's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 46°14′N 116°26′W / 46.24°N 116.43°W / 46.24; -116.43
Country United States
State Idaho
FoundedMarch 3, 1911
Named forMeriwether Lewis
SeatNezperce
Largest cityKamiah
Area
 • Total480 sq mi (1,200 km2)
 • Land479 sq mi (1,240 km2)
 • Water0.9 sq mi (2 km2)  0.2%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total3,533
 • Density7.4/sq mi (2.8/km2)
Time zoneUTC−8 (Pacific)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−7 (PDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitelewiscountyid.us

Lewis County is a county located in the north central region of the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,533,[1] making it the fourth-least populous county in Idaho. The county seat is Nezperce,[2] and Kamiah is the largest city. Partitioned from Nez Perce County and established in 1911,[3] it was named after the explorer Meriwether Lewis. Most of the county is within the Nez Perce Indian Reservation, though Native Americans comprise less than 6% of the county population.[4] Similar to the opening of lands in Oklahoma, the U.S. government opened the reservation for white settlement in November 1895. The proclamation had been signed less than two weeks earlier by President Cleveland.[5][6][7][8]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2020 Census was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "Lewis County one of state's youngest, and richest". Lewiston Morning Tribune. October 5, 1955. p. 11.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference QF was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Hamilton, Ladd (June 25, 1961). "Heads were popping up all over the place". Lewiston Morning Tribune. p. 14.
  6. ^ Brammer, Rhonda (July 24, 1977). "Unruly mobs dashed to grab land when reservation opened". Lewiston Morning Tribune. p. 6E.
  7. ^ "3,000 took part in "sneak" when Nez Perce Reservation was opened". Lewiston Morning Tribune. November 19, 1931. p. 3.
  8. ^ "Nez Perce Reservation". Spokesman-Review. December 11, 1921. p. 5.