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The Walla Walla Valley has always played an
important role in the Northwest's history. The Lewis and Clark
expedition passed through in 1805, fur trappers began traveling up the
Columbia River from Fort Astoria in 1811 and set up a fort in 1818, and
in 1836 missionary Marcus Whitman built a medical mission west of the
present town. The excellent interpretive center
at the Whitman Mission National Historic Site sketches out the
story of the mission and the region's dramatic history; there aren't any
historic buildings, but the simple outline of the mission in the ground
is strangely affecting. A hike up an adjacent hill to an overlook offers
the best impression of what the area looked like to the Whitmans and
their fellow settlers. Fort Walla Walla on the Dalles Military
Road has a museum featuring 14 historic buildings and a collection of
pioneer artifacts.
The town of Walla Walla sits just north of the
Washington-Oregon border, and is the valley's main community. Downtown
Walla Walla-one street, circa 1870-is considered one of the nation's
best examples of a restored downtown. Appropriately named Main Street,
this is where you'll find a vibrant stretch of
restaurants, galleries, a department store, and even some
wine-tasting rooms. In summer the street hums with Summer Sounds on the
Plaza and the Farmers Market.
The community is also strong on the arts, and
the Walla Walla Symphony is the oldest symphony orchestra west of
the Mississippi. Performances are held in Cordiner Hall on the grounds
of private Whitman College, which anchors the town and has a
lovely campus.
Agriculture is important to the namesake county, known
worldwide for its onions—Walla Walla sweets are usually in season
mid-June through mid-July—and fine wines. In fact, Washington is the
second largest wine-producing state in the nation, and more than half
its wineries are located in eastern Washington. |
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