One of the main stops during our trip to was my husbands home town Ritzville, Washington. It is small town about an hour and off outside of Spokane, Washington. If you have driven in Washington you more than likely have stopped there to get gas or get a quick bite to eat at McDonalds or a coffee at Starbucks along the interstate.
The town is so small that if I remember right there is only 1 street light. It is completely a farming community. Everything in this town is about farming. In the almost 22 years that we have been together this is only the 3rd time that I have made it back his home town as his family usually comes to visit us. Jim still has a T-O-N of family that lives in the area. When I mean a ton a mean he has his parents, at least 8+ aunts and uncles that live in the area which most had 4 or 5 kids which most are married and have kids and some of those kids have kids. Oh then let’s not forget all of his old high school classmates that still live in the area. Unfortunately, we were there only for a couple of days so we did not get to see everyone but we crammed as much is as we could.
Here is a quick tour of Ritzville!
Downtown Ritzville! Now this looks exciting, notice not a single traffic light.
The local visitor’s center. Now if you want too know what is all going on in town or things to do, this is the place to go!
They have more information about the area then you can imagine.
Inside the visitor’s center. How do you know it is a small town? When the lady in the red looks and looks at you and says, I know you. Then says I recognize you from TV and then only to learn she is a classmate of my husbands(the reason why she watched the TV show). When Jim walked in it was a mini high school reunion!
The local train and history museum.
The girls checking out the inside with one of the volunteers who help run it. He was a hoot and showed the girls all sorts of things.
Here the hubby is going through old high school yearbooks in the school part of the museum. We were able to find Jim’s dad’s in a few yearbooks which gave the kids a good laugh.
This is an old billy club that was used in the 1930′s by the local police. They had no budget so they made their clubs by hand.
The girls climbing through an old caboose.
LOVE this house in town!
It is not a town if there isn’t at least 1 playground.
Now this house has potential!
The old high school. A private person bought it years ago and was going to something with it but in the end didn’t and now it is just going to waste and falling apart.
During one of our walks we ran into this in someone’s yard. One word comes to mind – interesting.
If the town has an elevator then you know you are in a farming community.
This metal sculpture monument was made a few years ago in memory of a local lady named Sharon. Sharon was like a 2nd mom to my husband growing up. She died a few years back and so the city did this tribute to her as by the sounds of it she was a mom to lots of people in town.
Another metal sculpture in town. Several years ago the town starting putting up one metal sculpture a year. Since it had been many years since we have been back we had lots of catching up to do!
Just outside of the train museum is a neat display of old farm equipment.
The easiest way to see 40+ relatives in a short amount of time, a pizza party at a local pizza place. I finally got to meet my 13 day old niece.
This is one of the biggest cons of living overseas, missing family! It was great going back to Ritzville to see family and friends.
If you happen to be driving from Spokane to the Seattle area, there is more to Ritzville then just McDonalds and Starbucks, go to into the town and explore it! This actually goes for all small towns no matter where you are, you never know what hidden gems you might find.
What is the longest you have been away from seeing family?
I’m so glad you were able to come home and visit. Jimmy graduated with my daughter Kim Miller Yaeger. His mom and dad graduated from high school just a couple years ahead of me. Have Jimmy join the Ritzville High School Alumni group on FB. I have been posting pictures of the old high school being torn down. It is sad to see but hopefully something nice will take it’s place. https://www.facebook.com/groups/213086222057825/members/ This is the link to the alumni page. I hope you had a good visit while here and your pictures are great. Marilyn Miller Sielaff
Marilyn,
I met your daughter while we where there! We were waiting for Jim’s mom to eat dinner next door to your daughter’s new salon and Jim heard through the small Ritzville rumor mill she bought the place. So he looked in to say HI to her. If we would have had more time I so was going to have her give me a hair cut and highlights as it would be nice to have someone who speaks perfect English for change do my hair.
Small town America! Nice to see such a lovely place. Was everyone interested in your stories of Poland?
Just a bit