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Palouse
The Palouse area
in southeast Washington State is a photographer’s dream. The area is
depicted in the book The Most Beautiful Place in the World,
Impressions of 10 Master Photographers edited by Jay Maisel, as the
“Lourve of Farmlands.” The Palouse has also been the subject of a
National Geographic Magazine cover story entitled “A Paradise Called
the Palouse.”
The Palouse represents idyllic America - a land of amber waves and warm-hearted people. The long, peaceful roads are perfect for scenic
driving. Rolling fields, punctuated with historic towns, 19th-century
architecture and remnants of pioneer farms create a photographer's
dream. It is one of the richest wheat-growing regions in the world, but
the Palouse is far more than just picturesque farm country.
Ride a raft down, and a jet boat up, the Snake River through Hells
Canyon, the deepest gorge in North America. Nearby, take in spectacular
Palouse Falls, where the Palouse River tumbles 198 feet over layers of
basalt lava deposited here during the last Ice Age. Keep your eyes open
for Rocky Mountain elk, bighorn sheep, deer, cougar and black bear. If
skiing is your passion, shoosh through deep powder (300 annual inches)
on the slopes of the nearby Blue Mountains. The second-highest base
elevation in the state is found here along with clear skies and
luxuriously short lift lines.
In addition to the mountains, gorges and sprawling agricultural beauty,
the Palouse is a place rich in history, dating back more than 10,000
years. Native Americans were here first, then Lewis and Clark passed
through nearly two centuries ago on their journey to the mouth of the
Columbia. They were likely the first non-indigenous people to set foot
in Washington. In the fall of 1805, when westward bound, the Lewis &
Clark Expedition arrived at the junction of two great rivers. One was
the mighty Snake and it seems they established a camp on the bank of the
other, the Clearwater. The expedition also camped on the banks of Patit
Creek, a short distance from the Columbia County Courthouse, now newly
restored, which remains as the oldest courthouse in the state. Take a
walking tour of 83 houses on the National Historic Register or visit the
Boomerang Newspaper and Printing Museum, which maintains equipment used
by early-day printers. This fully operational, antique equipment and the
extensive collection of county newspapers provide a unique opportunity
to explore and research letterpress printing methods as well as local
history.
The Palouse is the area where settlers first stepped foot in Washington.
Native peoples had been fishing for salmon and eel in the rivers and
cultivating the soil, rich with volcanic ash, for millennia. This is the
wheat belt, but it's also the lentil capital of the world. From this
quaint corner of Americana, literally millions of pounds of lentils are
shipped to Europe, South America and the Middle East. Visit the National
Lentil Festival in August. But whenever you come, explore the varied
beauty and pioneer history of the Palouse.
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Palouse
