Colfax, WA travel information and attractions.

Visitor information for your visit to Colfax, WA and the surrounding area. The City of Colfax, WA is the county seat of Whitman County in southwest Washington State. Whitman County is shown in red on the map to the left.

Colfax, Washington is in the Palouse. The Palouse is an area in southwest Washington State made up of fast areas of steep rolling hills. The native plant to these hills was bunch grass and originally it was thought the best use for the land was cattle grazing.

This area only gets about 16 inches of rainfall a year so most crops won’t grow. However, the top soil here is deep, up to 100 feet thick and very rich. It was discovered that winter wheat will grow here. Wheat has been the main crop here for about 150 years.

Colfax is named after Schuyler Colfax. He was Vice-President of the United States under President Ulysses S. Grant. The city was incorporated in 1873.

Colfax is a small western town that truly maintains the western way of living. It is a close community proud of its farming heritage. However, Colfax is 60 miles south of Spokane and 15 miles north of Pullman. Within an hour residents can be in Spokane reaping the benefits a large city has to offer and within 15 minutes can be in a University atmosphere with its educational and social benefits.

The Codger Pole

The pole shown to the left was carved with chain saws by Johathan LaBenne of Idyllwild, CA. It is a cluster of five cedar logs up to 36 inches in diameter each. It is topped with an 18-food pine.

Etched into the poles are the 51 faces of the players in a 1938 football game between Colfax and St. John high schools who met 50 years later for a rematch of the football game.

You can’t miss the pole on the west side of US-195 in the south end of town.

Attractions we recommend in Colfax, WA

Antiques	Art Galleries

Gift Shops

Visitor Information
City of Colfax, WA web page http://www.ci.colfax.wa.us/
Colfax Chamber of Commerce http://www.colfax-wa.info/