Central & Eastern Washington - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 390

to the massive Stateline Wind Energy Center, a groundbreaking environmental project
that is a vital source of Washington's renewable energy.
Sights
With its laid-back, small-town feel, excellent reds and plethora of unpretentious local
wineries, Walla Walla is the best place in the state to indulge in a bit of wine touring. Ex-
pect tasting fees of $5 to $10. Meander the town's rural outskirts to taste wines in the
fresh air, or stop by at an ever-expanding number of tasting rooms in town.
Historic Downtown HISTORIC SITE
You don't need to be sloshed on wine to appreciate Walla Walla's historical and cultural
heritage. Its Main Street has won countless historical awards, and to bring the settlement
to life the local chamber of commerce has concocted some interesting walking tours,
with a leaflet including maps and numbered icons.
The 1.5-mile 'Downtown Walk' starts at the 1928 Marcus Whitman Hotel and pro-
ceeds in a loop around the historic buildings of Main and Colville Sts. A couple of other
walks showcase the historic homes that dot the suburbs with Queen Anne, neoclassical
and Gothic Carpenter-style architecture. Also be sure not to miss the gorgeous Whitman
College campus and the lush confines of Pioneer Park nearby.
Fort Walla Walla Park HISTORIC SITE
This fine historic site showcases the original buildings from a US Army installation that
existed here from its inception in 1858 until 1910 - everything from the officer's quarters
to the quartermaster's stable. The grounds now house the Department of Veterans Affairs
Medical Center. Slightly west of here is the Fort Walla Walla Museum (755 Myra Rd;
adult/child $7/3; 10am-5pm; ) , a pioneer village of 17 historic buildings, including a
blacksmith shop, an 1867 schoolhouse, log cabins and a railway depot, arranged around a
central meadow. On a hill above the village, the fort's old cavalry stables house the mu-
seum proper, with collections of farm implements, ranching tools and what could be the
world's largest plastic replica of a mule team.
Whitman Mission HISTORIC SITE
( www.nps.gov/whmi ; Swegle Rd; 9am-4pm) An erstwhile stop on the Oregon
Trail and infamous site of the 1847 Whitman 'massacre,' when white missionary Marcus
Whitman and a dozen others were murdered by Cayuse Indians, this potent historic site 7