Curlew, Washington

How Curlew is governed

Curlew appears to be an unincorporated community or a census-designated place, so it may have no city government of its own — services usually come from Ferry County and its elected officials. The chart below is a generic template; readers can correct it if Curlew does have local officials.

Form of government not yet listed.

0 of 14 positions listed. Gray dashed boxes are placeholders waiting for a name.

• Mayor

  Executive

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  The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.

  • City Manager / Administrator

    Executive

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    The professional administrator who runs day-to-day operations (in some cities appointed by the council instead of the mayor).

    • Police Chief

      Administration & departments

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      Leads the police department.

    • Fire Chief

      Administration & departments

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      Leads the fire and emergency services department.

    • Public Works Director

      Administration & departments

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      Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.

    • Finance Director

      Administration & departments

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      The budget, taxes, and city accounts.

    • Planning & Zoning Director

      Administration & departments

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      Land use, zoning, building permits.

    • Parks & Recreation Director

      Administration & departments

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      Parks, programs, and public facilities.

• City Council

  Legislative

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  The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.

  • City Clerk

    Administration & departments

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    Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.

  • City Attorney

    Administration & departments

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    The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.

  • Boards & Commissions

    Legislative

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    Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.

• Municipal Court

  Judicial

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  Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.

  • Municipal Judge

    Judicial

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    Presides over the municipal court.

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Population over time

From 118 in 2010 to 105 in 2020 (−11.0%).

History

Early community

In 1896, two traders, Guy S. Helphry and J. Walters, set up a general store at an old ferry crossing near the junction of Curlew Creek and the Kettle River. The site around the store grew into a collection of log buildings and other stores. In 1898, a post office was established and the town was named "Curlew". Miners, railroad workers, natives, and others passed through the region and by 1901, a bridge was built across the Kettle River and the community had grown to a population of 200. Nearby mines such as Drummer, Lancaster and Panama grew. Curlew's population and expansion peaked at this time, and the town contained two general stores, two saloons, a hotel, two livery stables, a dry goods store and several other businesses.

The Curlew Air Force Station, part of the network of Air Defense Command radar stations, was near the area and was operational in the 1950s. As of 2023, the radar site no longer exists, and the base, 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Curlew up the Kettle River valley, is in use by Job Corps.

Railroads

In fall 1901, the Republic and Kettle Valley Railway, and Spokane Falls and Northern Railway, a subsidiary of the Great Northern Railway, were building competing Grand Forks, British Columbia to Republic, Washington lines. About a mile north of Curlew, the Republic and Kettle Valley grade passed over the Great Northern one. In January 1902, Great Northern construction crews were unsuccessful in pulling down the Republic and Kettle Valley trestlework that crossed the Great Northern track. Law enforcement officers diffused a series of subsequent confrontations. Republic and Kettle Valley Railway, which began the Grand Forks to St. Peter's Creek passenger service in March 1902, extended the line to five or six miles north of Republic in April, and held a symbolic last spike ceremony. That July, the Great Northern Marcus, Washington to Republic via Grand Forks passenger service began. Great Northern began Curlew to Midway, British Columbia passenger service in December 1905.

In 1919, the Republic and Kettle Valley Railway, then known as the Spokane and British Columbia Railway was officially declared bankrupt with all services ceasing that year, and the track being subsequently abandoned. In 1935, Great Northern abandoned the Curlew to Molson route. In 2006, the Kettle Falls International Railway, the Great Northern successor, abandoned the 28.5 mi (45.9 km) San Poil Lake to Danville, Washington section, ending all railroad service through Curlew.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Other cities in Washington

• Seattle 737,015
• Spokane 228,989
• Tacoma 219,346
• Vancouver 190,915
• Bellevue 151,854
• Kent 136,588
• Everett 110,629
• Renton 106,785

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