Civic Building

These three lots were transferred from the public domain to the Wheeter Lumber Company on August 31, 1907. In 1921, the Gem State Lumber Company was here. The City of Rupert purchased the lots in 1937 from the Rupert Sales Corporation for $500 and back taxes. Then, with a $29,455 matching grant and labor from the Works Progress Administration, most of the present Rupert City Hall / Civic Building was constructed.

The structure featured a barrel-vault auditorium/gymnasium supported by eight internal arches with concrete buttresses. Its distinctive design employed "woven" internal arches created by overlapping straight, wooden beams — a technique borrowed from dairy barn construction.

The building served as the primary gymnasium for Rupert High School and hosted numerous regional tournaments, community dances with live bands, boxing events, and civic functions. Since opening in 1937, it has continued to serve the community as a venue for sports programs and social events.