Eastern Washington - Washington State - page 344

it's known, offered ideal horse-grazing land. Horses had reached the Northwest
sometime after the Spanish conquered the southern regions of North America,
and by the time Lewis and Clark passed through the Palouse, the tribes of the
region had become well known for their horses, which they bred for stamina and
sure-footedness. On the site of present-day Dayton, there was even a Native
American horse-racing track. Today these native-bred horses are known as
Appaloosas for the Palouse Hills from which they came.
Although the Lewis and Clark expedition passed through this area in 1806, it
was not until the 1850s that the first pioneers began settling in the area. By the
1880s, the region was booming as a major wheat- and barley-growing region.
Throughout the Palouse, small towns that have long been out of the mainstream
of Northwest development are nestled along creek banks below rolling hills. Sev-
eral of these towns are classic examples of small-town America, with attractive
Victorian homes lining their shady streets. Between the towns, the roads wind
up hill and down, through a distinctive zebra-striped landscape that is created
by farming practices developed to reduce erosion on the steep hills.
ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE U.S. 12, which runs from Walla Walla to Clarkston, is
the main route through the southern part of the Palouse. From Lewiston, Idaho,
across the Snake River from Clarkston, U.S. 195 runs north through the heart
of the Palouse to Spokane.
VISITOR INFORMATION For more information on the Dayton area, con-
tact the Dayton Chamber of Commerce, 166 E. Main St., Dayton, WA 99328
( & 800/882-6299 or 509/382-4825; www.historicdayton.com). For more infor-
mation on the Pullman area, contact the Pullman Chamber of Commerce,
415 N. Grand Ave., Pullman, WA 99163 ( & 800/365-6948 or 509/334-3565;
www.pullmanchamber.com).
EXPLORING THE PALOUSE
Among the many little towns along the route from Walla Walla to Spokane,
Dayton is by far the prettiest. Its old-fashioned small-town American feel is as
genuine as it gets. Dayton was once one of the most important towns in this
region and is still the county seat of Columbia County. Its 1887 Columbia
County Courthouse is the oldest county courthouse still in use as such in the
state of Washington. It's open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm.
Here you'll also find the Dayton Historic Depot, 222 E. Commercial Street
( & 509/382-2026; www.daytondepot.org), the oldest railway depot in the state
(built 1881), which is open for tours Tuesday through Saturday from 11am to
4pm. Admission is by $3 suggested donation. All in all, Dayton has 90 build-
ings on the National Historic Register. On the second Sunday in October each
year there is a historic homes tour. In nearby Waitsburg, where there are more
Victorian homes, you can also tour the 1883 Bruce Memorial Museum ( & 509/
337-6582 ), which is open Friday and Saturday from 1 to 4pm and is filled with
Victorian-era furnishings.
About 44 miles northwest of Dayton, you'll find Palouse Falls State Park.
The spectacular falls here cascade 198 feet into a rock-walled canyon. South of
town 21 miles, you'll find Ski Bluewood ( & 509/382-4725; www.bluewood.
com), a small ski area in the Blue Mountains.
Pullman is the largest town in the region and is the home of Washington
State University. The university's Museum of Art, Fine Arts Center, Stadium
Way ( & 509/335-1910 ), is worth a visit. It's open Monday through Wednesday