Tokio, Washington

{{Infobox settlement

|official_name = Tokio, Washington

|settlement_type = Unincorporated community, Ghost town

|motto =

|image_skyline = File:Tokio, Washington - 3478440896.jpg

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|pushpin_map = Washington#USA

|pushpin_label = Tokio

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|subdivision_type = Country

|subdivision_name = United States

|subdivision_type1 = State

|subdivision_name1 = Washington

|subdivision_type2 = County

|subdivision_name2 = Adams

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|timezone = Pacific (PST)

|utc_offset = -8

|timezone_DST = PDT

|utc_offset_DST = -7

|coordinates = {{coord|47|12|35|N|118|16|11|W|type:city_region:US-WA_source:GNIS-enwiki|display=inlinetitle}}

|elevation_footnotes = {{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|accessdate=July 25, 2018|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=United States Geological Survey|date=October 25, 2007}}

|elevation_m = 593

|elevation_ft = 1,946

|founder =

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|postal_code_type = ZIP code

|postal_code = 99169

|area_code = 509

|blank_name = GNIS feature ID

|blank_info = [http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:1511567 1511567]

|website =

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}}

Tokio is a rural location and former rural community in Adams County, in the Palouse region of eastern Washington. It is located along Interstate 90 northeast of Ritzville.{{cite gnis|name=Tokio, Washington|id=1511567|accessdate=July 11, 2018}}[https://books.google.com/books?id=K-QDAQAAIAAJ&q=tokio+%22Adams+county%22 Japanese Vignettes], p. 16 (1939) ("There is a Tokio in the northeastern corner of Adams County in eastern Washington")

History

In 1888, Northern Pacific Railway railway officials named the railroad stop at this location "Iona." It was changed to Tracy in 1905, and then Tokio in 1906.[https://tacomalibrary.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p17061coll4/id/4683/ Washington Place Names], Tacoma Public Library

In the early 20th century the community had a rural school; its enrollment in 1917-18 was 10 pupils.[https://books.google.com/books?id=RcXlAAAAMAAJ&dq=tokio+%22Adams+county%22&pg=PA171 Washington High School Directory 1917-18], p. 171[https://www.washingtonruralheritage.org/digital/collection/ritzville/id/433/rec/1 Tokio school, two photos, circa 1907-08], WashingtonRuralHeritage.org Essentially the small community of that period has since dissipated.Turner, Steve [https://books.google.com/books?id=mBivLo526PQC&pg=PA29 Amber Waves and Undertow], p. 29 (2009) ("the freeways charting this new age can't leave all history behind: they have to acknowledge significant crossroads, routes names for municipal destinations, even though those towns have withered or vanished. Accordingly, they are intersections on the Adams stretch of Interstate 90 marked for Schrag and Tokio, sites now only of grain elevators.")

Several wheat fields in Tokio and neighboring areas were destroyed by a {{convert|20,000|acre|ha|adj=mid}} fire on July 31, 1998, which killed one farmer. His wheat crop was harvested by neighbors in a community celebration of life.{{cite news |last=Mapes |first=Lynda V. |date=August 6, 1998 |title=Sharing the burden: Neighbors harvest crop of farmer killed in fire |page=A1 |work=The Seattle Times}}

The freeway exit is adjacent to a weigh station, which inspired the name of a Spokane band.{{cite news |last=Jordan |first=Isamu |date=November 24, 2006 |title=Tokio Weigh Station falls into place |page=4W |work=Spokesman-Review}} The weigh station has a truck stop and restaurant, along with a recreational cannabis store that opened in 2016.{{cite news |last=Vestal |first=Shawn |date=January 7, 2018 |title=Tokio Weigh Station's cannabis shop a literal sign of the times |url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/jan/07/shawn-vestal-tokio-weigh-stations-cannabis-shop-a-/ |work=Spokesman-Review |accessdate=July 11, 2018}} The truck stop was also used as a filming location for The Promise, an independent movie released in 2004.{{cite news |last=Courtney |first=Ross A. |date=September 4, 2003 |title=Eight-year-old Prosser girl gets a starring role |page=V1 |work=Yakima Herald-Republic |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-9589419.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180712052734/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-9589419.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 12, 2018 |accessdate=July 11, 2018}}

References

Category:Ghost towns in Adams County, Washington

Category:Ghost towns in Washington (state)

Category:Geography of Adams County, Washington