Govan, Washington

{{Short description|Unincorporated community and ghost town in Washington, United States}}

{{Infobox settlement

|official_name = Govan, Washington

|settlement_type = Unincorporated community and Ghost town

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|image_skyline = File:Govan Schoolhouse 2011.jpg

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|image_caption = Govan Schoolhouse in 2011

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|subdivision_name = United States

|subdivision_type1 = State

|subdivision_name1 = Washington

|subdivision_type2 = County

|subdivision_name2 = Lincoln

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|timezone = Pacific (PST)

|utc_offset = -8

|timezone_DST = PDT

|utc_offset_DST = -7

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|elevation_ft = 2100

|coordinates = {{coord|47|44|20|N|118|49|23|W|region:US-WA|display=inline,title}}

|postal_code_type = ZIP code

|postal_code = 99185

|area_code = 509

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|blank_info = 1511003{{gnis|1511003}}

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Govan is an unincorporated community in Lincoln County, in US state of Washington. An abandoned school house, post office and grain elevator, along with a few houses both deserted and occupied, are all that remains of the town. It is considered to be a ghost town.{{Cite web|url=http://ghosttown.com/|title=Ghosttown.com|website=ghosttown.com|access-date=July 26, 2016}}

History

The school house in Govan was built in 1905 and shut down in the 1940s. The steeple on the building toppled over in 2019. Two fires came through Govan, the most recent in 1974, that ultimately led to the town's abandonment. As of 2019 the population of the area totaled three people.{{cite news |last1=Erickson |first1=Anne |title=Govan Schoolhouse tells stories of Washington ghost town |url=https://www.king5.com/article/news/history/govan-school-house-ghost-town-abandoned-wilbur-eastern-washington-photography-spooky-joe-sullivan/281-919e4575-acf1-4440-b6f9-2a8f5c3f75b6 |access-date=October 26, 2021 |work=KING 5 |date=November 1, 2019}}

Multiple unsolved murders took place in Govan before it was abandoned. In December 1902, Judge J.A. Lewis and his wife were murdered with an axe at their home in Govan. As the couple were quite wealthy, robbery was considered to be the motive. It was referred to at the time as "one of the most atrocious murders in the history of the state".{{cite news |title=A Horrible Murder |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15497771/judge-and-wife-ae-killed-her-will-ils/ |access-date=October 26, 2021 |work=The Washington Standard |date=December 26, 1902}} In 1941 a woman was found murdered on her farm in Govan around the same time that her son went missing. The son's body was found in nearby fields eight years later.

Gallery

School side view in Govan.jpg|Side of abandoned 1906 schoolhouse in Govan

Govan 1.jpg|Abandoned 1906 schoolhouse in Govan in 2019

References

Category:Lincoln County, Washington

Category:Ghost towns in Washington (state)

Category:Ghost towns in Lincoln County, Washington

Govan, Washington

History

Gallery

See also

References