Attalia, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Attalia, Washington
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 Attalia, Washington
Location in Washington (state)
Attalia, Washington
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Walla Walla |
| Established | 1906 |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
Attalia was once a small town in Walla Walla County, Washington. Today, it is known as an extinct town or a ghost town. This means it used to be a lively place with people and buildings, but now it is empty or no longer exists. Attalia was located on the east side of the Columbia River. It was about 8 miles downriver from the town of Burbank.
What Was Attalia?
Attalia was a small community that appeared on maps and records for many years. It was officially listed by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). The GNIS is like a big dictionary of place names in the United States. It helps keep track of all the official names for towns, rivers, and mountains.
A Town's Official Name
The name Attalia might have come from a place in Italy. This is a common way towns got their names long ago. People often named new places after their hometowns or other famous spots.
The Post Office: A Town's Heart
A post office is very important for any town. It helps people send and receive letters and packages. It also connects the town to the outside world. Attalia had its own post office. It opened in 1906. This shows that Attalia was a real, active community at that time. The post office stayed open for many years. It finally closed in 1952. After the post office closed, the town slowly became a ghost town.
Trains and Growth
In the early 1900s, trains were a major way to travel and move goods. Towns often grew if they were on a train route. Attalia was a stop for two important railway companies in 1909. These were the Northern Pacific Railway and the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company. Being a stop on these lines meant Attalia was connected to bigger cities. It also helped the town's economy. Trains brought people and supplies, and they took away local products.
