At the southern end of the Nez Perce Indian Reservation, it was founded by F.M.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.15 square miles (0.39 km2), all of it land.

Exiting town, old US-95 then resumed northward, following a descending tributary into Lawyers Creek Canyon.

Two miles (3 km) north of Ferdinand, the old highway passed underneath a 493-foot (150 m) timber railroad trestle, Bridge #40, 122 feet (37 m) high,[8][9] (photos) of the Camas Prairie Railroad, then descended into the canyon to cross the creek into Lewis County.

Before climbing a tributary up to Craigmont, the highway briefly paralleled a 1,488-foot (454 m) steel railroad trestle (Bridge #38) near its base, its track 287 feet (87 m) above the creek.

[15][16] The second subdivision of the Camas Prairie Railroad arrived in Ferdinand in 1909, branching off the main line at Spalding and ending at Grangeville.

[10][17] The line on the Camas Prairie has gone under several ownership changes since 1998; it is now operated by BG&CM Railroad and terminates in Cottonwood.

The racial makeup of the city was 98.62% White, 0.69% Native American, and 0.69% from two or more races.