The Old Kootenai county Jail was built in 1890, when Rathdrum (formerly Westwood) was the seat of Kootenai County. The building served as the Sheriff’s Office and Jail until 1908 when, in a bitterly contested election that featured allegations of ballot box stuffing, impassioned town hall meetings and a secret midnight raid, the courthouse and jail were moved to Coeur d’Alene. The jail is built in a rough Romanesque style, of local brick and stone masonry. It includes a formal entry all, two flanking offices, a double height cage room and an upper mezzanine of five private cells and a jailer’s office. The building is being renovated to serve as a local museum and archives.