History

As early as the 1880’s, long before the Port District was organized, steamboats carried orchard and grain products on the Snake and Columbia Rivers to coastal markets in the west.

On November 4, 1958, an election held in conjunction with the general election, approved the establishment of a port district in Whitman County to be known as the Port of Whitman County. There were 6,653 votes cast in favor of the district and 2,503 votes against. On November 20, 1958, the County Commissioners established a Port District in Whitman County.

The people of Whitman County formed the Port to do three specific things:

Provide access to slack water navigation on the Columbia/Snake River system,
Promote industrial development, and
Provide recreation opportunities on the Snake River.

The first meeting of the Port was held on January 15, 1959, in the County Commissioners’ room in the Courthouse at approximately 2:30 p.m. At that time the Port Commission (having been duly elected to the position the previous year) elected D. I. Hopkins as President, Walter N. Nelson as Vice President, and Lawrence Hickman as Secretary.

The actual development and improvement of the on-water sites started in 1969 at the Port of Almota. Since then, the Ports of Central Ferry and Wilma, Boyer Park & Marina, the Pullman Industrial Park and the Port of Whitman Business Air Center have been established and constructed. The Port is now primarily an industrial real estate developer, measuring part of its success in terms of new jobs created and new tax base developed rather than maximum return on investment. Although integral to the Port, the recreation provider aspect of the Port’s mission has become secondary to the industrial and economic development.

In 2008, the Port celebrates its 50-Year Anniversary. The link below provides a photographic view of our growth over the years.