Visit Pullman, Washington

Fertile, rolling hills perfect for the cultivation of wheat led to the settlement of Pullman, originally known as Three Forks because of its location at the confluence of three streams. The town was renamed in 1884 in honor of railroad sleeping car manufacturer George Pullman, in what turned out to be a futile attempt to attract an endowment. In 1890, when state officials visited Pullman while scouting out a site for the state's new land grant college, residents dressed in their Sunday best and congregated on the main street to create an air of prosperity and civic bustle. The ploy worked, and Washington Agricultural College opened its doors in 1892.