Shoshone County is named for the Shoshone Native American tribe who resided in the region.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Bonner County
E – Sanders County, Montana and Mineral County, Montana
W – Latah County, Benewah County, Kootenai County and Bonner County
Created: January 8, 1861
County Seat:
Pierce 1861 – 1885 ( Clearwater County )
Murray 1885 – 1892
Wallace 1892 – present
County Courthouse – Wallace
Location: 700 Bank Street / 7th Street
Built: 1905 – 1906
Style: Neo-Classical Revival
Architect: Lewis R Stritesky and Robert C Sweatt of Spokane, Washington
Contractor: August Ilse
Description: The building faces north and is a three story white colored concrete block structure. The building is located in the center of Wallace. As the concrete is soft, the outer walls have been covered with stucco material. The north front has a center section which protrudes with the entrance on the first story and balcony supported by medallions and high arched window on the second and third stories. The building has non-derivative fluted pilasters, denticulated cornice and high parapet. The building was renovated in 1974. The architect was Walker / McGough / Fultz / Lyerla and the contractor was McKim & Kiser Company and Construction Development Corporation.
First County Courthouse – Pierce

Location: Court Street / 1st Avenue
Built: 1861 – 1862
Style: Wood Frame
Architect: R L Gillespie, who was the Sheriff
Contractor: K C Reed and W Keith
Description: The building faces west and is a two story wood frame structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Pierce. The west front has a one story porch with entrance towards the south front. The second story has two windows. The roof is pitched.
Note: When the first courthouse was built in Pierce, the building was located in Shoshone County. Later the county boundaries were changed and the old courthouse is now located in Clearwater County.
Second County Courthouse – Murray

Location: Pritchard Creek Road / Gold Rush Street
Built: 1884 – 1885
Style: Wood Frame
Architect: Stewart Fuller
Contractor: Stewart Fuller
Description: The building faces south and is a two story gray colored wood frame structure. The building is located in the center of Murray. The south front has a central recessed entrance on the first story with large windows on each side. The second story has a door. Along the west side is are two entrances with windows on the first and second stories. The county rented the building and in 1888 purchased the building as a courthouse until 1890.
Third County Courthouse – Wallace

Location: 424 6th Street / Bank Street
Built: 1890 – 1891
Style: Commercial
Architect: Unknown
Contractor: Unknown
Description: The building faces south and is a two story red colored brick and wood structure. The building is located in the center of Wallace and 50 feet by 75 feet with entrance at the southeast corner. The windows are vertical and the roof line is flat. The second story housed the courtrooms. The building was named as the DeLashmutt Building and is now the Smoke House. The building served as the courthouse from 1898 to 1906 and the courtroom was in the Masonic Opera House.
Note: From 1898 to 1906, the Masonic Opera House built in 1896, was used for the courtroom. The building was destroyed by fire in 1915.
History: The county was created in 1861 with the county seat being in Pierce where the first courthouse was built in 1861 to 1862 and is still standing. The county seat was moved to Murray in 1865. The second courthouse was built in 1884 to 1885 and is still standing. The county seat was moved to Wallace in 1892. The third courthouse was a commercial building constructed in 1890 to 1891. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1905 to 1906.

County Courthouse – Wallace















First County Courthouse – Pierce





Second County Courthouse – Murray






Third County Courthouse – Wallace

Opera House used a a courtroom – Wallace



Photos taken 2006 and 2016