Ritzville offers parks, museums and more
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 7 months AGO
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves. | March 20, 2025 1:45 AM
RITZVILLE — For a town of about 1,800, Ritzville has a lot to do. There are museums, golf and a water park, as well as historic walks and buildings to explore.
Ritzville City Park, located on South Division Street between Seventh and 10th avenues, has playgrounds, a gazebo, barbecue grills, volleyball and a horseshoe pit. On the other side of Columbia Street are five recently refurbished tennis courts.
Ritzville City Park is also home to the Ritzville Water Park, with two water slides, a diving board, a lap pool and wading pools for the little ones. The water park opens as soon as school lets out and stays open through the summer.
On the other side of town is Veterans Memorial Children’s Park, a small neighborhood park with a jungle gym, swings, four-way seesaw and a basketball hoop. There’s also a small skateboard and scooter park with ramps and jumps. Across the street from Veterans Memorial Children’s Park is the Ritzville Little League baseball field.
Not many cities Ritzville’s size own their own golf course. The Ritzville Golf Course, built in 1934, has 18 holes for players of all skill levels. Tee times can be reserved at www.ritzvillegolf.com.
Once all the outdoor fun is explored, Ritzville’s downtown boasts two historical museums. The Frank R. Burroughs House at North Jackson Street and West Main Avenue was built in 1889 and has been preserved with vintage furniture and clothing representing the town’s early history.
A few blocks away is the Railroad Depot Museum, a relic of the town’s rich railroad history. The museum has a unique caboose and some of the original equipment used at the depot.
Ritzville has a treasure trove of unique and historical buildings, including its Carnegie Library at North Adams Street and West Main Avenue. A complete walking tour guide can be found at https://bit.ly/RitzvilleWalkingTour.
Ritzville’s Veterans Memorial Children’s Park boasts a small skate park as well as more conventional playground equipment.
The Ritzville Water Park opens as soon as school lets out in the summer.ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
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