Home of the Nez Perce Tribe
Year Established: 1863
Population: ~1,134
Elevation: ~955′
Average Temp: Summer 85F
Winter 39F
The Lapwai Valley is historically connected to the Nez Perce people, who have utilized the area for as long as can be remembered. The name Lapwai actually comes from the Nez Perce word “Thlap-Thlap” which refers to a butterfly and the sound that its wings make. As a result of the abundance of butterflies in times past, the area has been referred to as the “Land or Place of the Butterfly”.
The rich history continued in 1805 when Captain Meriwether Lewis and William Clark passed through the area on their way to the Pacific with the Corps of Discovery.
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