Sprague, Washington — Town That Lost the Courthouse After the Fire

Sprague once had both the railroad and the Lincoln County courthouse.

The Northern Pacific made it an important division point during the 1880s, bringing shops, yards and workers. The county chose Sprague as its first seat of government.

Then a major fire devastated the business district in 1895.

Sprague rebuilt, but Davenport was already challenging it for the county seat. Voters moved the government, litigation followed and Davenport ultimately kept it.

Railroad operations later declined as well.

Agriculture and highway transportation gave Sprague reasons to survive after both institutions that once made it unusually important had diminished.

Historic buildings still reveal the larger town residents expected.

Sprague did not merely lose population.

It lost two different versions of its future.