Once a fort, Colville today is a quiet town near the Columbia River
Colville is a long-standing city near the Columbia River that offers prospective residents a quiet retreat between the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. “We’re up in northeast Washington, surrounded by lots of outdoor recreation,” says Realtor Ken House with Keller Williams Colville, who was born and raised in Colville. “The town started as a fort along the Columbia River, then moved to its present location in the mid- to late-1800s. Today, we’ve got a population of slightly more than 5,000, and we’re seeing an influx of people retiring from the west side of the state. There are so many people in Seattle that the sense of community here is really a breath of fresh air.”
Colville's housing stock reflects a century of steady growth
Colville has seen multiple stages of development through its history, resulting in a widely varied collection of home styles. “We have some historic brick buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s around Main Street,” House says. “From 1930 to the 1950s, a lot of small 2-bedroom, 1-bath homes were built. There was a boom in the ‘60s and ‘70s that added ranch-style homes and split-levels, and in the ‘90s a couple of neighborhoods east of town were incorporated. In the 2000s, though, growth slowed, and there hasn’t been much new development since 2016.” Depending on build year, number of bedrooms, square footage and status of renovations, prices can range from $145,000 to around $580,000.
Yep Kanum Park and nearby ski slopes support year-round recreation
The town’s central Yep Kanum Park is home to a small playground, a baseball diamond, a pair of tennis courts and the city pool, along with several picnic tables beneath the tall shade trees. Golfers can head to Dominion Meadows Golf Club, a public 18-hole course on the east side of town. Colville’s surrounding natural landscape provides plenty of other opportunities. “We’re about 40 minutes north of 49 Degree North Ski Resort, and about an hour from RED Mountain Resort across the border in Canada,” House says. “And there’s exceptional fishing near the Sherman Creek State Wildlife Recreation Area. People come from all over the state for the red band rainbow trout.”
Colville Public Schools offer consistent quality and college credits
Colville students attend schools in the Colville School District, which earns an overall B grade from Niche. Fort Colville Elementary, on the south side of town, receives a B-minus, while Hofstetter Elementary, on the north side, scores a B. Colville Junior and Senior High Schools are both rated B. Colville Senior High offers a College in the High School program, partnering with Central Washington University to allow students to earn fully transferable college credits.
Groceries, karaoke and coffee shops along the Main Street corridor
Residents can shop for groceries at Super 1 Foods, Safeway and Grocery Outlet, all located along Main Street and the northwest corridor of U.S. Highway 395. There is also a Walmart Supercenter on the north side of town. “When Walmart came in, a lot of the smaller local shops on Main Street began struggling,” House says. “Now, they’re starting to come back. There are quite a few restaurants and some shops, but it’s still catching up to where it used to be.” Long-standing restaurants like the Acorn Saloon and Feeding Station now sit across the road from Big Al’s Mercantile and Coffee. Other options include Cowboy’s n Angel’s, a billiards bar that hosts line dancing and karaoke nights.
Northeast Washington Fair draws visitors and vendors annually
Once a year, Colville becomes the focus of community organizations in the Tri-County area. “The annual Northeast Washington Fair takes place at the fairgrounds in Colville,” House says. “There’s a parade and a vendor fair, which always gets lots of support from local businesses.” Other events feature live music and celebrate the town’s long history. “Rendezvous Days is another big event, one that harkens back to the Fort Colville days,” House adds. “It’s come and gone through the years, and this year it’s back, so people are excited about that.”
U.S. 395 links Colville to Spokane and Canada
U.S. Highway 395 is Colville’s main thoroughfare, connecting the town north to Washington state Route 25 and south to Spokane. “Route 25 is the best way to get across the Canadian border for ski trips and such,” House says. “And, although people don’t tend to make the commute daily, Spokane International Airport is the closest place to catch commercial flights, so we do head there out of necessity.”
