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	We live in the Inland Northwest in Northern Idaho about 90 miles south of Spokane, Washington and 30 miles North of Lewiston, Idaho. Geologically this area is known as the Palouse. It is believed that this word comes from the French, la Pelouse, meaning grassy area. The appaloosa horse refers to the original spotted horses from the Palouse.
The Palouse

"When white settlers came to the Northwest Palouse region, they called the spotted horses 'Palouse horses' or 'a Palouse horse.' Over time the name was shortened and slurred to 'Appalousey' and finally 'Appaloosa.'" - Oklahoma State Horse Breed Information Site
	Appaloosa (name: Candandian Navajo)

The Palouse was a lake of lava about 17 million years ago. Repeated massive flows have built layers of slowly cooled lava thousands of feet thick. As the layers cool they crack much like drying clay cracks. The result is something called columnar fracturing (see picture). Over this bed of lava are what look to be sand dunes but are in fact dunes of fine clay dust that has blown in from unknown locations and built up to be 50 to 100 feet thick. This soil, called löss(sp?) is some of the richest agricultural soil in the world.

Columnar fracturing near Kendrick, ID

Becky the burger lady welcomes people to Colfax, WA, a town about 20 miles NW of Moscow. She stands in front of Becky's Burgers and her arm waves a hello. That is a basket of burgers in her other hand. By the way, the burgers are great there. (Update: I am sad to report that Becky's closed and she no longer stands waving at the people coming to town.)
	Becky the burger lady in Colfax, WA

	This is Dworshak Dam. It is a solid concrete dam 717 feet high and over 3200 feet long. It is near Orofino, ID, (not far from Moscow). It cost over $300M, backs up a lake over 50 miles long, and few people even know this dam is even there. Hoover Dam is 9 feet taller but 2000 feet shorter. All pretty odd, eh?
Dworshak Dam

The Palouse is steep rolling hills and very hard to farm without terracing. The problem was solved by the invention of the self-leveling combine. The wheels are hydrolically controlled so the cab and engine remain level while driving perpendicular to the gradient of the field.
	A Self-leveling Combine

	Some people think we are a little remote out here.
So were is Moscow Anyway?

Distances from Moscow, Idaho to...

How Do You Pronouce Those Funny Names?

Links

• Idaho State Facts
• Idaho State Trivia
• Idaho State Facts