Welcome to Harrington, Friends! I thought I’d give you a glimpse of my Memorial Day weekend. Harrington is a tiny little town in Eastern Washington. When I say “tiny” I really mean that it’s the smallest town that I have ever seen in my entire life. My husband’s grandma lives there. She’s been there for her entire life, and at 89 years old, has no intention of leaving. I love visiting because it’s such a different life than we are used to. It’s a slower pace, where everyone knows everyone, and friends stop by just because they see your car is there.
Here’s the town. Sadly, the town is virtually deserted. People still live there, but the stores are empty and boarded up. It breaks my heart to see this beautiful town grow into a ghost town.
It’s the kind of town where kids push dump trucks around in their yards.
It’s the kind of town where there are more churches than stores.
Everywhere you look, there are cool old windows, beautiful arcitechture, and amazing brick buildings.
Faded murals adorn the sides of the old buildings.
At one time there was a theater, hotel, opera house, and town hall. Now, all that is left is a small mini-mart and tavern.
The cemetary is the place to go over Memorial Day weekend. It’s the destination place for everyone who has a loved one who has been laid to rest in Harrington.
People spend time catching up with old friends, wishing them well, and telling them that they’ll see them again next year. “Same time, same place.”
The houses are beautiful and come with a history of their own.
It’s farmland, as far as you can see in Harrington.
My kids love this little town and love visiting Great Grandma.
It really makes you slow down and think… in so many ways.
I'm ready to move!! Love small towns; I grew up in one and I miss that way of life. Now living in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex…..yeah.
It's a sad kind of beauty to think about what this little town used to be and how it is fading away. We have some small towns like that in our area as well, but the desert climate is even less kind than the rain would be. So glad you can share this kind of history with your children.
CAS