Travel: Postcard from Walla Walla

Eastern Washington is worlds away from Seattle, the Evergreen State’s largest city.

Here in Walla Walla, the Oregon Trail and the missionaries associated with westward expansion still help define the small city of 34,060 people and the county seat of the same name, even as much of its modern identity is tied to the world-class wine produced by more than 120 wineries drawing from nearly 3,000 acres of vineyards.

The history runs deep here.

Long before pioneers arrived by wagon train, the broader region served as a crossroads for Indian tribes, explorers and traders. The expedition led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark between 1804 and 1806 passed nearby as the young United States began looking toward the Pacific Ocean and the vast possibilities of the West.

Two Protestant missionaries, Marcus Whitman and Narcissa Whitman, settled near present-day Walla Walla in 1836. Their mission became an important stop along the Oregon Trail during the height of westward migration, providing supplies, medical care and guidance.

The Whitmans remain central figures in the history of what was once called the Oregon Country — long before the creation of Oregon and Washington as states — in part because they were killed in 1847 during tensions heightened by a deadly measles epidemic among the Cayuse, who questioned Whitman’s medical treatment as deaths mounted within their community.

Modern Walla Walla still reflects the era when churches followed settlers westward across the continent. Several congregations remain prominent features of the city, including churches belonging to the Congregational (United Church of Christ), Presbyterian, Methodist and Episcopal denominations that once dominated much of American religious life. Their landmark edifices are reminders of how closely civic identity and church life were once connected.

The overall architecture reinforces the sense that Walla Walla feels more Eastern than Western. That atmosphere is strengthened by Whitman College, the private liberal arts college of roughly 1,500 students that takes its name from the missionaries. Its campus and surrounding neighborhoods contribute to the city’s vaguely Northeastern college-town feel.

These days, however, wine is increasingly the main draw.

The Walla Walla Valley ranks among the country’s premier regions for red wine, particularly cabernet sauvignon, merlot and syrah. Tasting rooms are everywhere, making it possible to spend several days exploring wineries without exhausting the options. Some operations remain small and family-owned, while others produce bottles found on restaurant lists across the country.

The best place to stay is Marcus Whitman Hotel & Conference Center, the restored downtown hotel that has operated in some form since 1928. The property has undergone extensive renovations in recent years that preserved much of its historic character while modernizing the guest experience. The lobby, in particular, is stunning and meticulously restored, recalling the era of grand downtown hotels.

That balance between preservation and reinvention defines Walla Walla itself.

The city has successfully embraced wine and the tourism that comes with it while preserving much of the history and small-town character that distinguish it from countless other destinations. For travelers interested in history, food and wine, Walla Walla is an ideal long-weekend destination this summer.

If you go

Walla Walla is located in southeastern Washington near the Oregon border. Walla Walla Regional Airport has daily flights to and from Seattle on Alaska Airlines. The closest major airport is Spokane, about a three-hour drive away. The drive, however, is part of the experience as it passes through small towns and the vast landscape of Eastern Washington. One such stop is Waitsburg, a small community worth exploring for its preserved historic character.

One of the region’s defining wineries is L’Ecole No 41, a third-generation, family-owned winery housed in a beautifully adapted former schoolhouse.

For restaurants, Brasserie Four, the Marc inside the Marcus Whitman Hotel and TMACS are recommended.

The Whitman Mission National Historic Site, operated by the National Park Service, is located where the Whitmans established their mission along a spur of the Oregon Trail. Through interpretive exhibits and the preserved grounds of the historic site, it explains the story of westward expansion and why Marcus and Narcissa Whitman remain such consequential figures in regional history.

For a broader overview of the area, visit Fort Walla Walla Museum. The museum covers everything from frontier settlement and agriculture to military history and the development of Walla Walla County.

Upcoming events and festivals include the Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival (June 4-26), Celebrate Walla Walla Valley Wine (June 19-20) and the Walla Walla Fair & Frontier Days (Sept. 2-6).

Dennis Lennox writes a travel column for The Christian Post.