Lincoln County Washington

Introducing Lincoln County

According to HistoryLink.com, the Washington Territorial Legislature created Lincoln County on November 1st, 1883. They used the western extent of Spokane County. They did not, however, confirm the new County’s borders until November 24th.  Then on the 28th, they split the new County to create Douglas County. Douglas County later lost land in the creation of Grant County. Lincoln County has stayed the same since the 28th. Roughly rectangular in shape, Lincoln County has three straight lines for borders on the west, south and east. Its northern border is the Columbia River in the west and the Spokane River in the east. With a land area of 2,311 square miles, it is seventh in size of Washington’s 39 counties. Its 2023 estimated population, 11,738, is 35th statewide, and its resultant population density is 37th.

Early History of Lincoln County

The native people of what is now Lincoln County were the Spokane Tribe.  An interior Salish people related to Bitterroot Salish and the Kalispel/Pend Oreille. As the tribe’s website says, they were a semi-nomadic river people.  They depended on the bounty of the Columbia and Spokane Rivers and their tributaries. Unlike other Washington tribes, they were not bound by Isaac Stevens’ treaties. They felt free to defend themselves when US Military came through their lands in the late 1850s. The Spokane Indian Reservation came into being in 1881.  It covers some 160,000 acres north of the Spokane River in Stevens County.

Lewis and Clark and their Corps of Discovery followed the Snake River, far to the south of Lincoln County. Their British competitor, David Thompson, did come through the area in 1811.  He established Spokane House, a trading post, near present-day Spokane. The presence of this outpost led fur traders to come through the area. Catholic priests followed and Protestant missionaries, and finally miners on their way to the Frazer gold strikes in Canada.

White Settlement in Lincoln County

The first white settlers arrived in the area in the late 1860s. The native bunchgrass made for good cattle ranching, but the winters of 1880-81 and later 1889-90 dealt devastating blows to the industry. The climate and soil that made the bunchgrass so lush was perfect for wheat farming. Soon wheat was the predominate crop grown in Lincoln County.

Fort Spokane

The U.S. Government built Fort Spokane at the confluence of the Spokane and Columbia Rivers in 1880. The base grew to 45 buildings but was abandonned when the six companies housed there were sent south to fight in the Spanish-American War. The Bureau of Indian Affairs used the site through the 1920s. From 1900 to 1908, it served as a residential school for Native American children. This was part of the U.S. Government’s attempt to turn Native children into “white” citizens—forbidding their language, their clothing, and their culture. Today, Fort Spokane is administered by the National Park Service.

Davenport, the County Seat

At the time the legislature created Lincoln County, it named Davenport the County Seat. This despite the fact that Sprague was the largest community in the new County, and only few people lived in the Davenport area. The County held a vote and Sprague won. Things got rather heated and guns were drawn on both sides. Eventually the county records were brought to Sprague and that town held the Seat until 1896 when Davenport won a new vote handily. It has been the seat of Lincoln County ever since. Close to the center of the County, Davenport today is a city of 1,703 residents (2020 Census).

U.S. Highway 2 runs through the center of the town, and state routes 28 and 25 connect it with points to the southwest and north. It is the economic hub of Lincoln County, but Spokane, Washington’s second largest city, is a mere 35 miles away. Davenport hosts the Lincoln County Fair each summer.

Other Lincoln County Communities

In addition to Davenport, there are two other incorporated cities in Lincoln County. There are also five incorporated towns spread around the County. As of the 2020 Census, three of the towns have greater populations than either of the two cities.

Volga Germans settled Odessa, a town in the southwestern portion of the County. It has had a post office since 1898. With a 2020 population of 896, it is the second largest community in Lincoln County. Each September, it hosts a Deutschesfest where locals and visitors celebrate all things German.

Wilbur, thirty miles west of Davenport and thirty-six miles north of Odessa, is almost a twin for the “German” town, at least as far as population is concerned. The 2020 Census counted 895 residents, making the town Lincoln County’s third largest community. In its early days, the town’s name was Goosetown, in honor of an early area resident called Wild Goose Bill, or officially Samuel Wilbur Condit. After Condit and another man killed each other in 1895, the town took Wild Goose Bill’s real middle name, Wilbur.

Reardan, the eastern most town in the County lies twenty-three miles west of Spokane and thirteen miles east of Davenport. With a 2020 population of 637, the town is Lincoln County’s fourth largest community. The town’s most famous native son is author Sherman Alexie and the town features in several of his works. Reardan celebrates Mule Days every June.

Sprague and Harrington

Sprague, second largest city and fifth largest community, sits on the southside of Interstate 90, the only Lincoln County community with Interstate access. The largest city in newly created Lincoln County, Sprague served as County Seat from 1884 to 1896. Observant drivers on I-90 will see a large church as they pass the city. Mary Queen of Heaven Roman Catholic Church was erected in 1902 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. The town is also home to what I call The International Graveyard. This is a vacant lot covering maybe one quarter of a city block and filled with old GMC, Dodge, and yes, International Harvester farm trucks. The city’s 2020 population was 495, down significantly from its original 1890 count of 1,689.

Harrington, fourteen miles south of Davenport via Washington Highway 28, had 429 residents in 2020. This is five more than the 2010 count, but less than half the 1920 count of 882. The Harrington Bank Block and Opera House opened in 1904 and housed not just the bank and the opera house, but also a barber, a cigar and confectionary store and the local newspaper. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places and is overseen by the Harrington Opera House Society. Of all the above named cities and towns, Harrington is the only one I have not visited. But after reading about the town in doing my research, I must get there soon.

The Topography of Lincoln County

Most of Lincoln County lies on the Channelled Scablands, a geologic feature caused by the Glacial Lake Missoula floods. Aerial views show the channels the water dug as millions of gallons poured across eastern Washington. Some of the most dramatic features are the craters left in the ground north of Odessa. Off the beaten track but definitely worth the side trip, these craters are large, round holes in the ground that are sure to capture your attention. Washington Trails Association lists trails for both the Odessa Craters and the Cache Crater. I have photos from the latter, but my photos do not do the site justice. Word of warning: should you go there, be prepared. There no facilities and bring your own water. Also, the signage at Cache Crater warns of rattlesnakes.

 Driving north from Reardon, you enter foothills as you approach the Spokane River. These are nothing to scare you. The highest point in Lincoln County is a mere 1,200 feet above the lowest point. It does make for a scenic view that is markedly different from the endless wheat fields you encounter in the rest of the County. 

Agriculture and Industry

Agriculture is the primary industry of Lincoln County. The website Choosewashingtonstate.com has this to say about the County: “Major industries include wheat production, crop support services, grains, grapes and berries,cattle, livestock processing and recreation.” HMMM, I’m not seeing much manufacturing there.

The 2017 Census of Agriculture notes that there are 783 farms in the County with an average size of 1,509 acres. Wheat is the main crop. Indeed, statewide, Lincoln County is second only to Whitman County in the amount of wheat sold. Cattle, which was the first agricultural commodity in the County, is still an important economic factor.

Government and health care are the two largest employers in Lincoln County. Government includes, of course, education, one of the few segments that is growing. Overall, the County falls well below state (and even national) averages in income, housing costs, and accommodations (grocery stores, gas stations, lodging, etc). That may be to the County’s advantage as Amazon has recently built a large facility just across the county line in Spokane County, and their workers may choose the lower living costs in Lincoln County.

Recreational Opportunities

Speaking of recreation, what draws people to Lincoln County? A small portion of the Columbia Plateau Trail State Park crosses the southeastern corner of Lincoln County. The easiest way to access the Trail is to exit I-90 at Sprague. Just west of Sprague is Sprague Lake. You see the lake clearly from I-90 and my perspective is that there are always lots of campers on the shore. Online reviews are mixed citing good fishing but algae blooms and lots of bugs.

The County’s northern boundary has a chain of campgrounds along the Columbia River’s Lake Roosevelt and the Spokane River. Here is also where you’ll find Fort Spokane Visitor Center and Museum.

If museums are your thing, Lincoln County has several. Davenport is home to the Lincoln County Museum, and Wilbur is home to the Big Bend Historical Society Museum. Odessa has the Odessa Historisches Museum, and yes, that is all in German. And as I said above, I’ve never been to Harrington, but in 2023 the Harrington Opera House Society announced plans to refurbish two buildings across the street. The Society’s goal is a new museum in an historic block: The Harrington Museum and Cultural Arts Center. I wish them well.

My favorite Lincoln County museum is one I visited while it was still under construction and not open to the public. Just a few miles east of Davenport is the Inland Northwest Rail Museum. What I first noticed was a lot of old rolling stock seemingly mothballed along Highway 2. When I got off the road to investigate, I found a space honoring the rail history of the Northwest. It was not, at that time, ready for visitors. Still I took a lot of photos and promised myself I’d be back.

My Visits to Lincoln County

I fear that my experience with Lincoln County probably mirrors that of most people traveling across Washington. Driving I-90 between Spokane and Ritzville, you see a sign ‘ENTERING LINCOLN COUNTY.” Thirty-six miles later you pass another sign “ENTERING ADAMS COUNTY.” If you are more adventurous and like to get off the interstates, you might take US 2 across the state. US 2 crosses the entire width of Lincoln County, passing through Reardan, Davenport and Wilbur before it enters Douglas County. I’ve done that a few times. And there are a few times I’ve taken a sidetrip to visit Grand Coulee Dam which meant crossing the northwestern corner of the County leaving Highway 2 at Wilbur.

On my first real visit to Lincoln County, I drove east on 2 from Spokane and turned right at Reardan. I drove north to the Spokane River visiting both Little Falls Dam and Long Lake Dam on the Spokane River. Returning to Reardan, I headed west on 2 stopping in Davenport after visiting the rail museum. From Davenport, I drove on to Wilbur, then turned south through the cratered area north of Odessa. I feel I’ve had a good introduction to the County, but as is so often the case, researching this article has left me wanting to return. There’s a lot to see and do in the rural parts of Washington, and I want to go back and spend more time there.

For more information on Washington and its thirty-nine counties, check out my Evergreen page here.