Alpowa Whitman County, Washington

Mapped Location

Alpowa: The mapped location is an approximation and should not be used for navigation or wayfinding.

 

Information

General information on Alpowa

  • Feature Type: Place

 

Official, historical, colloquial and alternative toponyms for Alpowa

A brief list of names that this geographic feature has been named

Name Description
Alpowa Official
Alpowa City Historical

 

Origin Notes and History of Alpowa

References to Alpowa that document the origin of its place name

Title Cover Image: Origin of Washington geographic names

ALPOWA, a creek and a town in Garfield County. Originally a town was started under the name of "Alpowa City" where Silcott, Asotin County, is now located. The word Alpowa is from the Nez Perce language and means "a spring forming a creek," although Thomas Beal, an old pioneer, says it came from missionary experiences and meant that on Sundays they should go to church. The Nez Perces formerly had a village at the mouth of the creek where it flows into the Snake River. The name has also been spelled "Alpahwah" and "Elpawawe." (Fred W. Unfried, in Names MSS., Letter 322.)

Edmond S. Meany in Origin of Washington Geographic Names
Meany, Edmond S., Origin of Washington Geographic Names, 1923 University of Washington, pp 6  |  Origin of Washington Geographic Names

 

Whitman County

Political Boundaries

Last updated: 2017-02-04