1889 1941 2015 1910 1980

In 1889, workers drilling a well for the Palace Hotel on Main Street struck liquid gold when they discovered a pressurized water supply and dug the first of several artesian wells.

Every home in Pullman had clean running water by 1891, according to the Pullman Herald. Pamphlets touting Pullman’s “everflowing springs of pure, abundant cold water” were distributed to lure potential residents to the area.

By 1910, the college had more than doubled its enrollment, developed its campus, and continued to widen its offerings in both liberal arts and the natural sciences. Pullman, with an additional 2,600 permanent residents, was decidedly a college town. An influx of new residents came to join the growing faculty and administrative staff.

As the population grew, the town experienced an unprecedented boom in residential and commercial construction, which resulted in several new neighborhoods and the development of Grand Avenue, Pullman's main drag.

The lentil industry peaked in 1980, when 163,000 acres were harvested, yielding 163 million pounds of lentils, worth about $43 million. That constituted 98% of the nation's lentil crop. Since then, due to the introduction of additional rotation crops and increasing lentil acreage in other states, Washington's lentil production has steadily decreased.

grains as well. As the 20th century progressed, pulses, like peas and lentils, also gained popularity.

Lentils have ancient roots stretching back thousands of years to the Fertile Crescent. First cultivated by J.J. Wagner near Farmington, Washington, in 1916, the success and value of lentils was well known to Palouse farmers and seed companies alike. Production increased further with the introduction of new technologies developed by the Hume-Love Company in 1932 making it easier to harvest the lentils. By 1937, the first commercial crop of lentils was harvested and sold for $30,000. As prices and global demand fluctuated over the years, the lentil industry on the Palouse ebbed and flowed. Reaching its peak in 1980, 160,000 acres of lentils were cultivated.

Meanwhile, the City of Pullman continued to grow alongside the now named State College of Washington. World Wars I and II both slowed progress in the area, but after the introduction of the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, or G.I. bill, hundreds of veteran students came to the campus in Pullman. By 1959, the school graduated to the title of Washington State University (WSU) through technological advancement and expansion. WSU graduate, Edmund O. Schweitzer, made Pullman his lifelong home and founded Schweitzer Engineering Labs. After the tech boom of the 1980’s, Schweitzer Engineering has grown to employ nearly 2,000 Pullman residents, making digital relay equipment for power companies. By 2022, Pullman’s population clocked in at nearly 33,000 residents. five generations one

Although technology and research have become a driving force in the development and growth of the region, the agricultural roots of the Palouse have created a patchwork of color and culture across Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho. Pullman has always remained true to its agricultural history and celebrates one particular pulse each year. Since 1989, Pullman has hosted the National Lentil Festival. Although the region no longer produces 98% of the nation’s lentils, the community continues to come together and appreciate the agriculture around them. The Lentil Festival falls on the first weekend of the WSU academic year, bringing together all parts of the Pullman community.

It’s indisputable that the Palouse is a magical place. Few places can compare to the beauty, abundance and culture of the Palouse and Pullman. From an agricultural settlement in the late 19th century to a booming college hub, Pullman has not lost its small-town feel. Farmers, scientists, engineers, artists, scholars and countless others call the Palouse their home. Wheat, lentils, chickpeas and many other crops are sowed and harvested on the rolling hills of the Palouse. Washington State University continues to bring in thousands of new students and conducts invaluable agricultural research each year. While all of these unique aspects are special on their own, it’s the culmination of all of them that make the Palouse what it is today.

Meet the Mader family: committed to quality crops and sustainable farming.

The rolling hills of the Palouse are world renowned for their loamy soils, perfect for growing a variety of crops. In the late summer, you can drive through Palouse country and find golden green fields of wheat, garbanzo beans, and peas. The wheat’s whispy heads blow in the wind while bushy pulse crops stand solid. Have you ever wondered why and how farmers choose to grow one crop instead of another? We took a visit to Mader Farms in Whitman County to learn more.