Photo courtesy of Walla Walla Valley Chamber of Commerce

If you drive through southeastern Washington, you may have the pleasure of passing through the city of Walla Walla, located several miles from the Oregon border.  Walla Walla is the historic site of Marcus Whitman’s mission to the Cayuse Native Americans that laterdeveloped into a key trading post along the Oregon Trail.

Walla Walla is derived from a Nez Perce word meaning “running water.” When the word is repeated, the meaning is altered, and the new definition translates roughly to “many waters.”  Lewis and Clark had used the term to describe the valley and river and it was later applied to the county and city.

Walla Walla is renowned for its wineries. The city is a major destination for wine connoisseurs, with several of its wineries having received top scores from the respected publications Wine Spectator and The Wine Advocate.  The fertile Walla Walla Valley has facilitated the growth of more than 100 wineries and 1,800 acres of grapes. This has led some to call the area “the next Napa Valley,” though most wineries have remained family owned and operated.

Family owned wineries are not the only tradition in Walla Walla. The oldest bank in Washington State, Baker Boyer Bank, was started in Walla Walla and now includes nine branches across southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon.  And, of course, the region is known for its world-class onions and other crops, and the city is home to the state penitentiary.

You can visit Walla Walla’s city website here and its Chamber of Commerce website here.