Pullman

Pullman is a university town in the southeastern corner of Washington State near the Idaho border The settlement spreads along the South Fork of the Palouse River in a valley surrounded by rolling hills covered with wheat fields

The settlement started in 1882 under the name Three Forks before being renamed after George Pullman who invented the railroad sleeping car The arrival of the Northern Pacific Railway in 1885 transformed the location into a major hub for grain trade

Rail road legacy remains visible through grain elevators and loading platforms clustered near the original tracks where farmers still deliver harvests during autumn months Brick storefronts along Main Street date from the early settlement period and now house coffee shops frequented by students between classes

The Washington State University campus occupies a large portion of the town and most shops and restaurants cater to students The town sits roughly 80 miles (130 kilometers) south of Spokane and roads wind through rolling landscape with wide views

The town sits in one of the driest regions of the Pacific Northwest with only around 21 inches (530 millimeters) of rain per year Yet wheat fields thrive all around thanks to fertile loess soils deposited during the ice age

Location: Whitman County

Inception: 1875

Elevation above the sea: 717 m

Website: http://pullman-wa.gov

GPS coordinates: 46.73333,-117.16667

Latest update: December 13, 2025 05:06