Eltopia, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eltopia, Washington
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Eltopia General Store
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 Eltopia, Washington
Location in Washington (state)
Eltopia, Washington
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Franklin |
| Elevation | 646 ft (197 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| Area code(s) | 509 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1512190 |
Eltopia (/ɛlˈtoʊpiːə/) is a small, unincorporated community in Franklin County, Washington, United States. It's located about 15 miles north of Pasco, right along U.S. Route 395. An unincorporated community means it's a place with a shared identity but doesn't have its own local government like a city or town.
Contents
Eltopia's Early History
First People in the Area
This dry area in southern Franklin County was first home to Native American tribes. They traded with the famous explorers Lewis and Clark when the explorers passed through the Columbia Basin in 1805.
Settlers Arrive in Eltopia
In the late 1850s, after some conflicts, new settlers began to move into the region. The first people to settle here were cattle ranchers. They were looking for the large open rangelands available for their animals. Others came hoping to find gold in the nearby Columbia River at a place called Ringold.
The Railroad and Community Growth
By the late 1870s, more serious settlement began in Ainsworth, which is now the city of Pasco. The railroad soon followed, bringing more people and goods. The Northern Pacific company set up a station in Eltopia in 1881.
At this time, peach orchards were very common in the Eltopia area. Wheat was also a major crop grown by farmers.
How Eltopia Got Its Name
By 1902, enough people lived in the area that a town site was officially planned. However, Eltopia has never become an official city. There's a story about how the community got its name. It's said that during the railroad construction, a big storm washed away some of the work. A worker with a Cockney accent supposedly commented, "There will be hell to pay." This phrase is believed to have inspired the name "Eltopia."
