Loomis, Washington — Mine Left; the School Stayed

Mining gave Loomis the kind of early boom that can make a small mountain community look temporarily permanent.

Ore discoveries around Palmer Mountain drew prospectors, workers, hotels and stores into northern Okanogan County. When mining contracted, much of that population and commerce went with it.

Loomis survived because the surrounding rural district still needed institutions of its own. The school became especially important, connecting families spread across ranches, homes and long roads where the nearest larger town is not around the corner.

The mines explain why Loomis once boomed. The school helps explain why it remained a community after the boom stopped paying.