Latah, WA

Latah is a town in Spokane County, Washington, United States. The 2020 census counted 185 residents. Latah was named for the nearby creek, Latah Creek, from the native word for fish. The town was formerly called, Hangman's Creek and Alpha. The through line in Latah is the way its history and present-day settings remain visible on the same map. Latah makes the most sense through those concrete details, with its history still visible in the settings people use today. Latah Valley saw its first wave of settlers about 1872, which included Richard and Lydia Wimpy family, Hosea and Harriette Harvey family, and Henry and Julia Coplan family. In those days, the settlement took the name of the nearby stream, Hangman's Creek. Latah includes the Coplan collection eventually came into the possession of the Field Museum.