Touchet, Washington — River Is Older Than Its French Spelling

Touchet sits west of Walla Walla near the river carrying the same name.

French-speaking fur traders helped give the waterway its modern spelling.

The river itself had organized Indigenous travel and life long before Europeans put that spelling on a map.

Agriculture later shaped the modern community.

Wheat, livestock and irrigated crops used the broad valley, while roads and rail connected farms with Walla Walla and the Columbia.

Touchet remained unincorporated, with homes and businesses spread along U.S. 12 and surrounding farm roads.

Names can change quickly.

Drainage is considerably more stubborn.