Idaho's Only Historic "Company Town"
The City's name of Potlatch is derived from a Chinook term for a spring ceremonial gathering.
The community of Potlatch began as a company town for Potlatch Forest,
Inc., once boasting the largest sawmill in the United States (1906) and a
booming forest industry.
The City of Potlatch has a population of over 800 people. The City is
located two miles off of State Highway 6 and is 18 miles NE of Moscow
and 51 miles NE of Lewiston.
Potlatch offers two walking tours for history buffs: "A Walking Tour of the Potlatch Commercial District" and "A Walking Tour of Potlatch Neighborhoods". Pick up your free tour guide document at City Hall. These publications are offered by the Potlatch Historical Society.
A brochure, "The Palouse Country", which offers directions for driving tours of Latah and Whitman Counties, is also available at City Hall.