Theodore Roosevelt Presidential LibraryPublic Lands Directory

Alerts and conditions

Information Phone Lines Currently Down

The Whitman Mission NHS phone lines are currently down. If you need to contact us, please email whmi_interpretation. For field trip scheduling, please email whmi_education@nps.gov

Overview

One moment can change the fate of many nations. After thousands of years of habitation by the Cayuse Nation, life in the Columbia River Plateau begins to change rapidly with the influx of missionaries, newcomers from the Oregon Trail, and diseases. A single violent act of desperation to protect a community ignites a series of events that will reshape the United States forever.

From the National Park Service

History

The designation history for this site (every law, proclamation and order, and the administration behind each) is being researched and checked by the Library’s historians.

What to see and do

Activities

  • Arts and Culture
  • Cultural Demonstrations
  • Food
  • Picnicking
  • Guided Tours
  • Self-Guided Tours - Walking
  • Hiking
  • Front-Country Hiking
  • Junior Ranger Program
  • Wildlife Watching
  • Birdwatching
  • Park Film
  • Museum Exhibits
  • Shopping
  • Bookstore and Park Store

Browse hiking, biking and paddling routes on AllTrails

Plan your visit

Hours

Whitman Mission National Historic Site: The grounds and trails at Whitman Mission National Historic Site are open daily from sunrise to sunset.

Getting there

The site can be reached from US Highway 12, 8 miles west of Walla Walla, Wa. Airports are located in Walla Walla (11 miles east of park), Pasco (43 miles west), and Pendleton, Oregon (46 miles south).

Visitor centers

  • Whitman Mission Visitor Center

Weather

Summers are hot. Hats, water and sunblock are recommended. Winters are mild and rainy with a few snow storms. Layered clothing is advised.

Phone: 5095226360

Whose lands these are

These lands are the ancestral and present-day homelands of Native nations. A section on whose lands these are is being prepared with tribal review. In the meantime, Native Land Digital offers a starting point.

Photos

View from above looking down at green fields, a pond, and mountains in the distance
The Mission Site from the Hill · NPS Photo
An array of animal furs, beaded bags, and woven baskets
Cultural Items · NPS Photo
A tree reflected in a pond with more trees and a field of golden tall grass in the background
Fall at Whitman Mission · NPS Photo
Cornhusk Flat Bag
Cayuse Woven Cornhusk Bag · NPS Photo

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