Elberton, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elberton
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Abandoned United Brethren Church building in Elberton
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 Elberton
Location in Washington (state)
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| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Whitman |
| Incorporated | April 24, 1896 |
| Disincorporated | January 14, 1966 |
| Population | |
| • Estimate
(as of unknown date)
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15 |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
Elberton is a small, quiet place in Whitman County, Washington, USA. It's located near the Palouse River, not far from towns like Colfax and Palouse.
Elberton is known as an unincorporated community. This means it's not officially a city or town with its own local government. It's also called a ghost town because most people have moved away, and many buildings are gone or falling apart.
Contents
Where is Elberton Located?
Elberton is in the state of Washington. It's part of a beautiful area called the Palouse, which is known for its rolling hills. This region is part of the larger Columbia River Plateau.
The closest big cities to Elberton include Spokane and Pullman in Washington. You can also find Moscow in Idaho nearby. The Lewiston/Clarkston area is also close, spanning both Washington and Idaho.
The Story of Elberton
How Elberton Started
Elberton was first settled by a person named C.D. Wilbur. The town was officially planned out in 1886. S.M. Wait named the town "Elberton" to honor his son, Elbert, who had passed away.
Growing into a Town
Elberton became an official town on April 24, 1896. At its busiest, about 500 people lived there. The town had important businesses like a sawmill and a flour mill. A railroad, the Oregon-Washington Railroad and Navigation Company, even passed through Elberton. It was also home to what was once the world's largest prune dryer!
Challenges and Decline
In the 1930s, a big fire swept through Elberton. Many homes and businesses were destroyed. At the same time, the Great Depression was happening across the country. This made it very hard for people to afford to rebuild.
Because of the fire and the tough economic times, many people left Elberton. They packed up what they could and abandoned their homes. The town's population quickly started to shrink.
Becoming a Ghost Town
In November 1966, the people still living in Elberton voted to give up their town's official status. The vote was 15 people in favor and 5 against. This process is called disincorporation.
Within four years, Elberton officially became part of Whitman County, Washington again, meaning it was no longer its own town. As of 2005, Elberton was the last town in Washington state to vote to disincorporate itself.
Elberton Today
Today, only about 15 people live in the area that was once Elberton. Many of the old homes and buildings are gone, or they are partly collapsed.
However, some important landmarks still remain. These include the United Brethren Church, which was built in 1913, and the Elberton Cemetery. These places help tell the story of what Elberton used to be.
See also
In Spanish: Elberton (Washington) para niños
