Editing Curlew, Washington

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name = Curlew, Washington
|settlement_type = [[Census-designated place]]
|image_skyline = Ansorge Hotel Museum in Curlew (3946144792).jpg
|imagesize = 
|image_caption = Ansorge Hotel Museum in Curlew
|pushpin_map = Washington#USA
|pushpin_label = Curlew
<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name = United States
|subdivision_type1 = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[Washington (state)|Washington]]
|subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in Washington|County]]
|subdivision_name2 = [[Ferry County, Washington|Ferry]]
<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes = 
|government_type = 
|established_title = 
|established_date =
<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref  = Imperial
|area_footnotes = 
|area_total_km2 = 1.96
|area_land_km2 = 1.96
|area_water_km2 = 0.0
|area_total_sq_mi = 
|area_land_sq_mi = 
|area_water_sq_mi =
<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of = [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]]
|population_footnotes = 
|population_total = 118
|population_density_km2 = 60.1
|population_density_sq_mi =
<!-- General information -->
|timezone = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific (PST)]]
|utc_offset = -8
|timezone_DST = PDT
|utc_offset_DST = -7
|elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft = 1801
|coordinates = {{coord|48|52|30|N|118|36|17|W|region:US-WA|display=inline,title}}
<!-- Area/postal codes and others -->
|postal_code_type = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code = 99118
|area_code = [[Area code 509|509]]
|blank_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank_info = 2586732<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2586732}}</ref>
|blank1_name = [[FIPS code]]
|blank1_info = 53-16165
|footnotes = 
}}

'''Curlew''' is an [[unincorporated area|unincorporated community]] and [[census-designated place]] (CDP) located in northwestern [[Ferry County, Washington]], United States, between [[Malo, Washington|Malo]] and [[Danville, Washington|Danville]] on [[Washington State Route 21|State Route 21]]. The [[BNSF Railway]] ran through the town. The historic [[Ansorge Hotel]] is located in Curlew. As of the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]], the population of the community was 118.<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web| url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US5316165| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Curlew CDP, Washington| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| accessdate=October 21, 2016}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The settlement is named for the [[curlew]] birds once prevalent in the area.<ref>{{cite book | last = Phillips | first = James W. | title = Washington State Place Names | url = https://archive.org/details/washingtonstatep00phil | url-access = registration | publisher = University of Washington Press | year = 1971 | location = Seattle and London | pages = 34 | isbn = 0-295-95498-1}}</ref>

==Geography==
Curlew is located at the confluence of Long Alec Creek and the [[Kettle River (Columbia River)|Kettle River]]. Its elevation is {{convert|1800|ft}} above sea level.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> Via State Route 21, it is {{convert|21|mi}} north of [[Republic, Washington|Republic]], the Ferry County seat, and {{convert|10|mi|0}} south of the [[Canada–United States border|Canadian border]].

One of the most popular sites on the Kettle River in summer is "the Old Swimming Hole" near the center of town. Curlew was a pick-up point for [[moonshine]] that was dropped in the Kettle River. The tradition is still celebrated on the first Sunday in June each year during the Curlew Barrel Derby Days. A barrel is set adrift in the Kettle River at the Job Corps Bridge, and local citizens bet on when it will reach town.<ref name="Barrel">{{cite web |url=http://www.ferrycounty.com/barrelderbydays/index.html |title=FerryCounty.com Barrel Derby Days |accessdate=2009-02-20 |publisher=FerryCounty.com |date=1998-07-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090602172849/http://www.ferrycounty.com/barrelderbydays/index.html |archive-date=2009-06-02 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==History==

===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.

===Railroads===
In fall 1901, the [[Spokane and British Columbia Railway|Republic and Kettle Valley Railway]], and  [[Spokane Falls and Northern Railway]], a subsidiary of the [[Great Northern Railway (U.S.)|Great Northern Railway]], were building competing [[Grand Forks, British Columbia]] to [[Republic, Washington]] lines.{{sfn|Turner|Wilkie|2007|p=57}} About a mile north of Curlew, the Republic and Kettle Valley grade passed over the Great Northern one. In January 1902, Great Northern construction crews were unsuccessful in pulling down the Republic and Kettle Valley trestlework that crossed the Great Northern track.{{sfn|Turner|Wilkie|2007|p=57}} Law enforcement officers diffused a series of subsequent confrontations.{{sfn|Turner|Wilkie|2007|p=58}} Republic and Kettle Valley Railway, which began the Grand Forks to St. Peter's Creek passenger service in March 1902, extended the line to five or six miles north of Republic in April, and held a symbolic last spike ceremony.{{sfn|Turner|Wilkie|2007|p=60}} That July, the Great Northern [[Marcus, Washington]] to Republic via Grand Forks passenger service began.{{sfn|Turner|Wilkie|2007|p=60}} Great Northern began Curlew to [[Midway, British Columbia]] passenger service in December 1905.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xhedley/items/1.0179798#p0z-2r0f:%22passenger%22 |page=1 |title=Hedley Gazette, 7 Dec 1905 |website=www.library.ubc.ca}}</ref>

In 1919, the Republic and Kettle Valley Railway, then known as the [[Spokane and British Columbia Railway]] was officially declared bankrupt with all services ceasing that year, and the track being subsequently abandoned. In 1935, Great Northern abandoned the Curlew to Molson route.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.newspapers.com/search/#lnd=1&query=%22RAILWAY+ABANDONED%22&ymd=1935-03-05&t=11420 |page=15 |title=Vancouver Sun, 5 Mar 1935 |quote=The last train was run over the Curlew–Molson branch of the Marcus–Republic line of Great Northern Railway last week, the U.S. Railway Commission having given authority to tear up the tracks some months ago. | website=www.newspapers.com}}</ref> In 2006, the [[Kettle Falls International Railway]], the Great Northern successor, abandoned the {{cvt|28.5|mi|km}} San Poil Lake to [[Danville, Washington]] section, ending all railroad service through Curlew.{{sfn|Turner|Wilkie|2007|p=206}}

==Roads==
Curlew is the western terminus of county road 602, which travels over the {{cvt|4,600|ft|m}} [[Boulder-Deer Creek Pass]] between Curlew and [[U.S. Route 395 in Washington|U.S. Route 395]] south of [[Orient, Washington]].  The route is the northern-most of the Washington passes over the [[Kettle River Range]]. Just to the south of Curlews center, the road crosses [[Washington State Route 21|Highway 21]] and becomes the [[West Kettle River Road]], county road 50.<ref name="CWPP2006">{{cite web |url=https://www.dnr.wa.gov/publications/rp_burn_cwppferry.pdf |title=Ferry County, Washington Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) |date=December 8, 2006 |publisher=Washington state Department of Natural Resources}}</ref><ref name="CWPP2015">{{cite web |url=https://www.dnr.wa.gov/publications/rp_burn_cwpp_ferry_county.pdf |title=Ferry County, Washington Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) |date=2015 |publisher=Washington state Department of Natural Resources}}</ref>

==Notable person==
*[[Bud Podbielan]], professional baseball player

==See also==
* [[Ferry-Midway Border Crossing]]

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
*{{cite book|last1=Turner |first1=Robert D. | last2=Wilkie |first2=J.S. David |title=Steam Along the Boundary: Canadian Pacific, Great Northern and the Great Boundary Copper Boom |publisher=Sono Nis Press |year=2007 |isbn=978 1-55039-158-9}}

{{Ferry County, Washington}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Ferry County, Washington]]
[[Category:Populated places in the Okanagan Country]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1896]]
[[Category:1896 establishments in Washington (state)]]