Editing Curlew, Washington (section)

===Early community===
In 1896, two traders, Guy S. Helphry and J. Walters, set up a [[general store]] at an old ferry crossing near the junction of Curlew Creek and the Kettle River. The site around the store grew into a collection of log buildings and other stores. In 1898, a post office was established and the town was named "Curlew". Miners, railroad workers, natives, and others passed through the region and by 1901, a bridge was built across the Kettle River and the community had grown to a population of 200. Nearby mines such as Drummer, Lancaster and Panama grew. Curlew's population and expansion peaked at this time, and the town contained two general stores, two saloons, a hotel, two livery stables, a [[dry goods]] store and several other businesses.<ref>{{citation | author = N.L. Barlee | title = Gold Creeks and Ghost Towns of Northeastern Washington. Hancock House Publishers.| year = 2004 | publisher = Hancock House Publishers|isbn= 0-88839-452-7}}</ref>

The [[Curlew Air Force Station]], part of the network of [[Air Defense Command]] radar stations, was near the area and was operational in the 1950s. {{As of|2023}}, the radar site no longer exists, and the base, {{convert|10|mi|0}} northwest of Curlew up the Kettle River valley, is in use by Job Corps.