Plaza, Washington | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 47°19′13″N 117°23′02″W / 47.32028°N 117.38389°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Washington |
County | Spokane |
Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
US | 99170 |
Area code | 509 |
GNIS feature ID | 1512567[1] |
Plaza is an unincorporated community in Spokane County, Washington, United States. Plaza is situated in a valley formed by Spangle Creek, located approximately 7 miles (11 km) north of Rosalia. U.S. Route 195, a major north–south highway in the Palouse region, ran through the settlement until it was relocated to a bypass in 1974.[2] The highway now passes a couple hundred feet west of the settlement. There are no services in Plaza, and the community itself is only a few square blocks in size, but the grain elevators in town make it a landmark for drivers on the highway.
Plaza was founded by Robert Patterson, a former Pony Express rider who had operated throughout Washington Territory. He built a general store along the rail line that ran between Spokane and Colfax, and a small community of farmers and tradesmen cropped up around it. Agriculture was the primary industry, but goods and services were also made available to railway passengers.