Quote of the Month:
“Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own." - Charles Dickens
Population: 21,888
Area: 636 square miles
County Seat: Asotin
OVERVIEW
Asotin County is situated in the southeast part of Washington. The largest town is Clarkston with the population of about 8,000 people. Seven miles from Clarkston the town of Asotin is situated. Asotin is the county seat. With the territory of 636 square miles this county is the sixth smallest county in Washington. The territory of the county differs a lot, in the north and central regions there are agricultural areas, on the south the territory is rugged and is full of creeks and gullies.
HISTORY
It should be said that the Nez Perce tribes lived on this territory. Asotin County is named after the Nez Perce word, which means “place for eel”. History tells us that the Nez Perce tribes lived a roving life, they nomadised every season. It goes without saying that they were good hunters, they even hunt buffalo in the Great Plains.
First white settlers came in the 1860s. The first settler in this region was Sam Smith; he came here and opened a small hotel and a store. Basically, this hotel was built for people who went to the Orofino gold mines (Idaho). These gold hunters found little gold, and they didn’t bring prosperity to Mr. Smith.
It’s not a secret that in the nineteenth century fire was very common to the most of Western cities, but Asotin County was not destructed by it. But this county had its’ own problems – floods.
COUNTY SEAT
The town of Asotin is a small county seat with dynamic life and various recreational opportunities. The town is situated along the Snake River and borders with Oregon and Idaho.
Asotin has an elevation of 801 feet and is characterized by sunny summers and mild winters.
The population of the town is less than 1.5 thousand people.
TOP ATTRACTIONS
Hells Canyon
Asotin is situated along the Snake River and it is the last town on the way to Hells Canyon. It should be noted that Hells Canyon is 5,500 feet deep and it is the deepest canyon on the American Continent. The Territory of the Hells Canyon Wilderness is 216,981 acres. Here visitors will enjoy mountain peaks, canyon rim-rocks, the waters of the Snake River, etc.
On the canyon walls visitors will surely see the way of the Nez Perce tribe from their summer home in the Wallowa Mountains to their winter Asotin. On the rock outcroppings tourists may also find different pictographs and other figures of deer, black bear, elk and bighorn sheep.
Asotin County Fair
Asotin County Fair and rodeo is very popular event among the residents of the county. Since 1942, the theme of the fair has been changing annually. Here tourists will find different horse shows, BBQ, kids’ entertainment games, three day rodeo, cowboy breakfast and other interesting events.
Website: http://www.asotincountyfairandrodeo.org/
Information: Marina Petrova
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