Orchard Prairie, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Orchard Prairie, Washington
|
|
|---|---|
 Orchard Prairie, Washington
Location in Washington (state)
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Spokane |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
99217
|
| Area code(s) | 509 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1514847 |
Orchard Prairie is a small community in Spokane County, in the state of Washington. It is called an "unincorporated community" because it doesn't have its own city government. Instead, it is part of the larger county.
Geography
Orchard Prairie is located on a flat, open area known as a prairie. It sits just east of and above the city of Spokane. A road called Bigelow Gulch connects Orchard Prairie to the Hillyard neighborhood of Spokane.
To the south, on hills leading down to the Spokane River, you'll find many homes that have been built in recent years. Argonne Road links Orchard Prairie to these homes and other nearby towns like Millwood and the larger Spokane Valley area.
North and northeast of Orchard Prairie is another similar open area called Peone Prairie.
The roads, Argonne and Bigelow Gulch, have become very busy over time. They offer a quicker way for people to travel between north Spokane and Spokane Valley. Because of this, these roads have been made wider, from two lanes to four, to handle all the cars.
History
Orchard Prairie got its name from the fruit orchards that used to be common near where the community first started. Even today, the area still feels very rural, like the countryside.
However, because it's so close to Spokane, Orchard Prairie has seen a lot of growth recently. More people have moved there, and it has started to feel like a "suburban" area, which is a mix of rural and city life. This growth has sometimes led to disagreements within the community about how the area should develop.
Orchard Prairie has its own school district, which includes just one school. This school was built in 1894. It teaches students from kindergarten through seventh grade. All the students learn in four combined classrooms. Each year, about 65 to 80 students attend, making it the second smallest school in Spokane, Washington.
