Bear Lake County is named for Bear Lake situate on the border with Utah.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Caribou County
E – Lincoln County, Wyoming
S – Rich County, Utah
W – Franklin County and Caribou County
Created: January 5, 1875
County Seat:
Paris 1875 – present
Former County Courthouse (demolished) – Paris
Location: 7 East Center Street / North Main Street
Built: 1884 – 1885
Style: Neo-Classical
Architect: Truman O Angell
Contractor: Wooley Brothers of Paris
Description: The building faced south and was a two story red colored brick structure. The building was located on landscaped grounds in the center of Paris. The south front had two high white colored columns with a recessed entrance on the first story, an enclosed second story and pediment at the roof line. The windows were arched and the roof was hipped. Steep stairs ascended to the courtroom on the second story. The building was remodeled in 1908 and 1936 and demolished on February 22, 2021. The courthouse was the oldest courthouse in Idaho still in use as a courthouse until demolished.
Note: The architect, Truman 0 Angell worked out of Salt Lake City and designed the Logan, Utah, L.D.S. tabernacle prior to planning this building. He also was the major architect involved in the designing of the Salt Lake City Tabernacle.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Bear Lake County Courthouse
County Courthouse – Paris
Location: 30 North Main Street / East Center Street
Built: 2018 – 2020
Style: Modern
Architect: Meyers Anderson Architects of Pocatello
Contractor: Big D Construction of Salt Lake City, Utah
Description: The building faces west and is a one story red colored brick, glass and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Paris. The center of the west front has a projecting section with glass walls and entrance and pediment above at the roof line. A white colored band runs along the flat roof line. At the center of the roof is a large white colored square drum. In the interior, the entrance lobby has glass walls. The County District Court courtroom is located at the center of the south side. The large courtroom has wood trim on the walls. The building houses the County District Court and County Magistrate Court of the 6th Judicial District.
See: The 6th Judicial District includes Bannock County, Caribou County, Franklin County, Oneida County and Power County.
History: The county was created in 1875 and Paris was selected as the county seat in 1875. The first courthouse was constructed in 1885 to 1886 and was demolished on February 22, 2021. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 2018 to 2020 at a cost of 5,800,000.
County Courthouse – Paris
County District Court courtroom
Former County Courthouse ( demolished ) – Paris
Former County District Court courtroom
Photos taken 2011 and 2025
Images 13*