Silcott, Washington

{{Infobox settlement

|official_name = Silcott, Washington

|settlement_type = Ghost town

|image_skyline =

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|pushpin_map = Washington

|pushpin_label = Silcott

|subdivision_type = Country

|subdivision_name = United States

|subdivision_type1 = State

|subdivision_name1 = Washington

|subdivision_type2 = County

|subdivision_name2 = Asotin

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|unit_pref = Imperial

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|timezone = Pacific (PST)

|utc_offset = -8

|timezone_DST = PDT

|utc_offset_DST = -7

|elevation_footnotes =

|elevation_ft = 738

|coordinates = {{coord|46|24|56|N|117|11|52|W|region:US-WA|display=inline,title}}

|postal_code_type = ZIP Code

|postal_code = 99403

|area_code = 509

|blank_name = GNIS feature ID

|blank_info = 1533427{{GNIS|1533427}}

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Silcott is an unincorporated community and ghost town in Asotin County, in the U.S. state of Washington. The community is located on the south bank of the Snake River and U.S. Route 12 passes through the community.{{cite web |title=Silcott Island Quadrangle |url=https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/ht-bin/tv_browse.pl?id=8f804e5293bdcf0f2a2893415c17647b |website=usgs.gov |publisher=U.S. Geological Survey |access-date=10 October 2023}} Much of the townsite was inundated when Lower Granite Lake filled on the Snake River behind Lower Granite Dam in 1975.{{cite web |title=Ghost Town of Silcott Asotin County |url=http://www.ghosttownsofwashington.com/silcott.html |website=ghosttownsofwashington.com |publisher=Ghost Towns of Washington |access-date=10 October 2023}}

History

The area that became Silcott was inhabited by the Nez Perce since before recorded history. Lewis and Clark camped in the area during their expedition in 1805 and interacted with the native peoples. In 1837 the first orchard in the Snake River valley was planted in Silcott. The community was initially settled by white people in the mid-1800s and served as a river crossing with a mill and warehouses. In the late 1800s the community was badly damaged in a fire.{{cite web |title=Revisiting Washington — Silcott |url=https://revisitwa.org/waypoint/silcott/ |website=revisitwa.org |publisher=Washington Trust for Historic Preservation |access-date=10 October 2023}}

A post office called Silcott was established in 1883, and remained in operation until 1931.{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?state=WA | title=Post Offices| publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | accessdate=25 August 2016}} The community was named after John Silcott, an early settler.{{cite book|last=Meany|first=Edmond S.|title=Origin of Washington geographic names|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015027074981;view=1up;seq=286|year=1923|publisher=University of Washington Press|location=Seattle|page=270}}

Much of the former townsite was flooded when Lower Granite Lake filled behind Lower Granite Dam in the 1970s.

References

Category:Unincorporated communities in Asotin County, Washington

Category:Unincorporated communities in Washington (state)