Nez Perce County is located in North Central Idaho. With a total land area of 855 square miles, it encompasses the cities of Culdesac (population 378), Lapwai (1,134), Lewiston (30,904) and Peck (186), and the communities of Lenore, Leland, Gifford, Myrtle, Waha, Cameron and Southwick. The total population for the county in 2000 was 37,410.

Though it was originally established by the Territorial Legislature of Washington in 1861, Nez Perce County quickly moved on to become one of the four original Idaho counties from which our current 44 were carved.

The county as we know it today was established February 4, 1864 by the Idaho Territorial Legislature with its county seat at Lewiston and present boundaries set by 1911.

Lewis and Clark were the first white men to enter the area in 1805 that would later be named for the Nez Perce Indians who occupied it. Lewiston served as the territorial capital for twenty-two months before the capital was moved to Boise. 

Nez Perce County would like to thank The University of Idaho Nez Perce County Extension Office for granting us permission to link directly to their document Nez Perce County Situation Statement 2009, which is an excellent source for information about our County.