HOMEPAGE: THE CLAYTON/DEER PARK HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Who We Are & Where We Are

             Deep in the inland Pacific Northwest, just inside the eastern edge of Washington State, and a few dozen miles north of the city of Spokane, lies a remarkably beautiful valley — a valley enclosed to the north, east, and west by the eroded remains of once majestic mountains.  In the northwest corner of this valley, two small towns, four miles apart, drift through time.  One town, Deer Park, is rapidly growing, the other, Clayton, is slowly declining, but both share a common, sometimes sleepy, sometimes exuberant history.

            The Clayton & Deer Park Historical Society is composed of individuals who live, or once lived in this community.  The Society was originally organized as part of an effort to save the old Clayton grade school — built in 1915 — from sale or demolition.  While the Society fought to place the old school on the Historic Register, a group of dedicated educators fought to bring the old school back to life.  Because of everyone's efforts, this historic old building was extensively refurbished and returned to its glory as an active educational institution.

            Having achieved its original intent, the Society has turned its attention to saving what it can of the area’s history, before it dissolves from memory.

            At this time the Society has no physical structure — no office, no buildings, and no museum.  But we do have a presence in the community.  And, through our publications, and now our website, we are carrying out the primary mission of any historical society — the preservation, interpretation, and dissemination of history.