History group shows off Pullman's past
Jul. 21—Many people wouldn't know how old Pullman's structures are just by walking through town, but by peeling back years of paint they'd realize many of its buildings are more than a century old.
Jason Radtke, assistant planner at the Historic Preservation Commission, pointed out some of downtown Pullman's dwellings were built in the late 1800s.
"Some of the buildings here may not look like it, but a lot of them have been here for some time," Radtke said. "Even though they've changed and been remodeled, it's important to remember what they represent."
The Historic Preservation Commission has brought back its walking tour for another year. The free event can be attended from 5-7 p.m. today.
Attendees will begin at the Pullman Depot Heritage Center to take a self-paced stroll through six historic downtown sites.
Commissioners will greet them at each spot and discuss the location's history. The tour should take at least half an hour.
Radtke said the tour is meant to educate community members about the town's beginnings, as well as introduce them to members on the commission.
The tour began in 2016, Radtke said, after the commission began looking for ways to engage the town's residents in historic preservation. He added the group saw other cities and towns were holding walking tours, and they fared well.
"We've got a decent amount of sites," Radtke said. "We like to switch it up every year to show people new things."
Other than during the COVID-19 pandemic, the commission has held its tour each year. Radtke said the group received a terrific community response, particularly from Pullman's senior population and Washington State University professors and students.
This year, attendees will visit the Pullman Depot Heritage Center, Native American cultural sites along the South Fork of the Palouse River, the Neill Public Library, Rico's Pub and the site of the former Oriental Cafe.
Participants are in for a treat, Radtke said. The commission will bring out an archaeologist who's studied similar sites and Indigenous heritage.
Radtke doesn't want to spoil the tour, but can speak to some of the buildings' history. He said tour members will learn about the Neill Public Library, which used to be the town's city hall, and Rico's Pub, which was established in 1960 after taking over a structure that was built in 1912.
The final destination on the tour, the former Oriental Cafe, will introduce attendees to the commission's recent research project, which studied the Chinese American population in Pullman and Whitman County.
Radtke said it's important to educate the community because it keeps the town's history alive.
"There's a lot of developmental pressure in Pullman," he said. "Everyone's building houses and amenities for housing. But it's important to keep in mind the buildings that have been here for a long time. It's a significant part to Pullman's history."
Radtke said that accomplishments of individuals within the city, and other forms of history, might be lost as time progresses. By sharing the town's stories, there's a chance they'll be remembered, he added.
One of the commission's goals is to register as many historic properties as possible, Radtke said. By hosting these tours, people may become involved and nominate structures to add to the list.
Radtke added that, though they'd like to share all of the town's history, it would be impossible to discuss it in one night.
He recommends people visit the Whitman County Historical Society, as well as view state and WSU archives. He added Pullman City Hall also has historical documents that are available to the public.
Pearce cam be reached at epearce@dnews.com.
