Palouse Scenic Byway panel plans tours in June

Jana Mathia, Gazette Reporter | Dec 07, 20170

While discussing ideas to attract tourism at their November meeting, the Palouse Scenic Byway committee came up with a new draw idea: a month-long Palouse Scenic Byway Historical and Art Tour for next June.

According to Carol Cooper, tourism director from Pullman Chamber of Commerce and co-chair of the byway committee, several ideas were going around the meeting and this was the one that gained the most traction. Cooper has stopped advertising to draw photographers to the area, so they were trying to look at a different angle to attract tourists.

“There was a lot of excitement about this idea,” she stated.

The plan is to build on events already going on in June and invite the scenic byway communities to add more. Several annual events go on in June including Slippery Gulch in Tekoa, Farmers Fest in LaCrosse, Flag Day in Fairfield and Battle Days in Rosalia, which will celebrate the 160th anniversary of the Steptoe battle.

“There are just a lot of things going on in June,” Cooper said.

The group talked about different businesses and organizations that could easily get involved such as The Budding Rose Gallery in Rosalia, the Dahmen Barn in Uniontown, the Left Bank Gallery in Palouse, The Center in Colfax, historical societies, museums, WSU professors, the Ice Age Institute and libraries.

Cooper said she will focus on the advertising, but needs communities and businesses to support the project.

“People have to get on board, I can’t pull this off by myself,” she said.

“If communities want to come up with something, there is certainly time for that.” She invited anyone wanting to get involved or include an event in the tour to email her at [email protected]