Inyo County is named for a Native American word meaning “dwelling place of the great spirit”.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Mono County
E – Esmeralda County, Nevada, Nye County, Nevada and Clark County, Nevada
S – San Bernardino County and Kern County
W – Tulare County and Fresno County
Created: March 22, 1866 
County Seat:
Independence 1866 – present
County Courthouse – Independence
Location: 168 North Edwards Street / East Center Street
Built: 1920 – 1921
Style: Classical Revival
Architect: William H Weeks of San Francisco
Contractor: William McCombs & Son ( William McCombs and Paul Daniel ) of Bishop
Description: The building faces west and is a two story cream colored terra-cotta finish and concrete structure. The west front has a large portico with four high columns rising to a pediment at the roof line. The pediment contains a frieze. The recessed entrance has brass doors. A wide cornice runs below the flat roof line. The architect was and the contractor was . The building is located on landscaped grounds with large pine trees.
Note: The courtroom has seats with hat racks under the seat.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Inyo County Courthouse
County Courthouse Annex – Independence
Location: 168 North Edwards Street / East Center Street
Built: 1964 – 1965
Style: Modern
Architect: Calvin W Goss and Allan K Choy
Contractor: Colombo Constriction Company Inc.
Description: The building faces north and is a two story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The building is built into a slope along the south side of the courthouse. There are windows on the north and south sides. A passage way runs through the central part of first story. The eave extends from the building and the roof line is flat.
County Courthouse – Bishop
Location: 301 West Line Street / Warren Street
Built: 1913 – 1914
Style: Schoolhouse
Architect: Charles Wonacott of Bishop
Contractor: Charles Wonacott of Bishop
Description: The building faces south and is a one story buff colored stucco and concrete structure. The courthouse occupies the old Bishop Grammar School. The south front has a central entrance with a projecting section with framed entrance and recessed doors. Above, the section rises to a peak and has a square open tower on the west side. The windows are horizontal and the roof line is flat. The building is named as the Bishop Civic Center and was converted in 1974 for use as a courthouse.
Note: The cost of construction of the school was $15,000.
See: The county is located in the 4th Appellate District Court of Appeal – Santa Ana
History: The first courthouse was a two story brick structure built by J J Mankin in Independence in 1869. The courthouse was destroyed by earthquake in 1872. The second courthouse was a two story structure designed by G Stecker and built by E Chaquette at an approximate cost of $15,900 in 1873. The courthouse was destroyed by fire in 1886. The third courthouse was designed by W N Cancannoch and constructed by M E Gilmore in 1917 at a cost of $10,000. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1920 to 1921.
Note: The highest point in California is Mount Whitney at 14,495 feet ( 4418 meters ) which is located in the county on the border with Tulare County, and the lowest point is Death Valley at minus 280 feet ( -85 metres ) which is also located in the county..
County Courthouse – Independence
County Courthouse Annex – Independence
County Courthouse – Bishop
Photos taken 2013