COEUR d’ALENE — The historic house at 627 N. Government Way has even more history than previously known.

A duo of local history enthusiasts is digging deep to save the home from demolition.

Deborah Akers Mitchell and Cindy Ackley Nunn have been combing old records for months to learn more about the house situated a mere stone’s throw from the Kootenai County Courthouse.

They recently discovered something interesting after searching 110-year-old census and map records: The house was moved. A long, long time ago. But it didn’t move far. Re-situated might be a better way to put it.

According to recent media accounts, it was believed the house dated to around 1916 when it was owned by Idaho Supreme Court Justice William McNaughton.

It goes back further: The house faced east, toward Government Way, when McNaughton owned it — just as it does today. But Mitchell and Nunn discovered through census and map records that the house originally faced south, toward what is today the courthouse campus.

That discovery opened a new page of history, they said, because it allowed them to learn more about the home’s history. And it goes back still further.

Mitchell and Nunn said it turns out the home had previously been owned by Coeur d’Alene’s second mayor, Boyd Hamilton, who served the city from 1909 to 1911. McNaughton was not the first owner.

“That told us it wasn’t just an ‘old house,’ but something with even more history worth saving,” Mitchell said.

Armed with that newly discovered data, Mitchell and Nunn have approached city and county officials in hopes of sparing the stately house from being razed.

Owned currently by Kootenai County, the house has been vacant for years.

County commissioner Leslie Duncan said last week that the county has no use for the house. If it retains jurisdiction, the house will be demolished.

But Duncan said she’s hopeful something can be worked out to keep it standing. She said county officials are working on different options.

As it sits, the house is of no use to the county “because rehab cost for any county use would be a waste of taxpayer money,” Duncan said.

Local officials are trying to find a saving solution.

“I’m still working very hard to find a way to preserve it,” she said. “And I believe I may have a solution by next month.”

She declined to elaborate, but said the county is working with the city on the issue.

Coeur d’Alene Mayor Steve Widmyer said he would also like to see the house saved.

“I’ve talked with commissioners and I believe there is a path to preserve the building at its current location,” Widmyer said. Whether that could mean the city’s eventual purchase of the house remains to be seen.

It’s much too early for that, the mayor said, and the council has not formally weighed in.

The mayor said preserving history is an important part of his administration.

He cites the recent relocation of the historic home on Sherman Avenue to the base of Tubbs Hill to be used as an extension to the Museum of North Idaho when it relocates next to City Hall.

“The council worked closely with Museum of North Idaho, ignite cda and the Tubbs Hill Foundation to save the white house and together we came up with a great plan for the museum,” Widmyer said. “I think we have to work hard to preserve all of the historical homes in Coeur d’Alene and that’s what we’re doing here.”

Mitchell said she would like to see the building preserved for education purposes.

“It would be nice to make it into a civic education center since a majority of the owners included a mayor, supreme court justice and attorneys,” she said.