Latah, Washington
Town in the United States in Spokane County
About Latah
Latah is a town in Spokane County, Washington, United States. The population was 185 at the 2020 census. It was named for the nearby creek, Latah Creek, from the native word for fish. The town was formerly called, Hangman's Creek and Alpha.
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How Latah is governed
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Residents of Latah
Registered voters elect the officials below.
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Mayor
Executive
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The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.
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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).
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Police Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the police department.
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Fire Chief
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Leads the fire and emergency services department.
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Public Works Director
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Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.
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Finance Director
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The budget, taxes, and city accounts.
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Planning & Zoning Director
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Land use, zoning, building permits.
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Parks & Recreation Director
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Parks, programs, and public facilities.
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City Council
Legislative
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The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.
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City Clerk
Administration & departments
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Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.
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City Attorney
Administration & departments
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The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.
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Boards & Commissions
Legislative
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Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.
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Municipal Court
Judicial
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Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.
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Municipal Judge
Judicial
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Presides over the municipal court.
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- Website
- latahwa.com
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Population over time
From 183 in 2010 to 185 in 2020 (+1.1%).
Show the numbers
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 185 |
| 2010 | 183 |
History
Latah Valley saw its first wave of settlers about 1872, which included Richard and Lydia Wimpy family, Hosea and Harriette Harvey family, and Henry and Julia Coplan family. In those days, the settlement took the name of the nearby stream, Hangman's Creek. The stream received its name from the tragic events of 1858, when Col. George Wright hanged several members of the local native tribes in retaliation for the defeat of Lt. Col. Edward J. Steptoe at the Battle of Pine Creek. The exact jurisdiction seems to have been of question in the beginning, as the first postmaster of "Hangman's Creek" was Richard H Wimpy, appointed March 19, 1873, in Nez Perce County, Idaho. The post office was transferred to Stevens County, Washington Territory, on May 5, 1873, with R. H. Wimpy still the postmaster. That section of Stevens County became Whitman County, and finally Spokane County. Meanwhile, Hangman's Creek changed to "Alpha" on April 25, 1881, under postmaster Emery H. Averill, so named because it was the first settlement in the area. Alpha changed to "Latah", on December 11, 1883, under postmaster David T. Ham, again naming it after the nearby stream, Latah Creek. The legislature had decided to rename the stream Latah, from the native word "lahtoo," which means "stream where little fish are caught."
This small farming community gained some fame a few years after the settlers arrived. The eldest sons of Henry Coplan/Copeland arrived in 1872, followed by the rest of the family in 1873. In May 1876, the Coplan brothers were examining a boggy piece of land near the creek when they discovered mammoth fossils, along with a collection of other animal fossils, and evidence of prehistoric human activity. The news attracted visitors and scientists to the area, and inspired another set of brothers, William and Thomas Donahoe, to search their own property on Pine Creek. The Donahoe brothers found a gargantuan mammoth skull and other fossils. After extracting a sizable collection, the Coplan brothers, Ben, Alonzo, and Lewis, took their prizes on tour through Washington, Idaho, and Oregon. The Donahoe brothers sent theirs on tour to California. After passing through various other hands, the Donahoe collection was acquired by the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, where it still resides. The Coplan collection eventually came into the possession of the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago where it remains.
Latah was officially incorporated on April 9, 1892, with Ben Coplan appointed as the first mayor in 1893. Ben's famous mammoth served as the centerpiece of the Washington Pavilion at Chicago's World Columbian Exposition of 1893.
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