Asotin County is named for the Nez Perce word for “eel” being “hus-shu-tin”, which eels were found in the Asotin Creek.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Garfield County and Whitman County
E – Nez Perce County, Idaho
S – Wallowa County, Oregon
W – Garfield County
Created: October 20, 1883
County Seat:
Asotin 1883 – present
County Courthouse – Asotin
Location: 135 2nd Street / Fillmore Street
Built: 1905 – 1906
Style: Federal
Architect: Unknown
Contractor: Unknown
Description: The building faces south and is a three story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located in the center of Asotin. The building served as the Ayers Hotel when it became the courthouse in 1938 when the old courthouse burned down. The adjoining building which is two stories was built in 1907. It has arched windows on the second story. Both buildings have polished concrete facing on the first story and red colored brick on the stories above. In the interior, the County Superior Court courtroom is located on the north side of the second story. The building houses the County Superior Court, County Superior Court – Juvenile and the County District Court. An addition was added on the north side in 2002.
See: The Judicial District includes Columbia County and Garfield County.
History: The county was created in 1883 and Asotin was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was a two story structure erected in 1899 in Asotin. The building was burned down in 1936. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1905 to 1906 and became the courthouse in 1938.
County Courthouse Annex – Asotin
Location: 95 2nd Street / Cleveland Street
Built: Unknown
Style: Modern
Architect: Unknown
Contractor: Unknown
Description: The building faces south and is a two story yellow colored stucco structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds to the west of the courthouse in the center of Asotin. The roof line is flat. In the interior is the Commissioners Meeting Room.
County Courthouse – Asotin
County Superior Court courtroom
County Courthouse Annex – Asotin
Commissioner’s Meeting Room
Photos taken 2009 and 2016