Sprague, Washington: The Boomtown That Lost Everything | Car Show Town.

 

 

Step into Sprague, a small town in eastern Washington with a history far bigger than its population. 

On a road trip through the region, I took a different route and passed through Sprague—today best known for its annual Sprague Days Car & Bike Show, a lively small-town festival held every September. Classic cars, hot rods, motorcycles, a parade, vendors, and community gatherings bring life back into a town of just a few hundred people. 

But Sprague wasn’t always this quiet. 

 Founded in 1883 along the powerful lines of the Northern Pacific Railway, Sprague exploded into a booming railroad town almost overnight. At its peak, the population surged to around 1,800 people, complete with 13 saloons and a thriving wool shipping industry. 

It was even expected to become the county seat—until one of the most bizarre elections in Washington history unfolded. Allegations of fraudulent votes, including names pulled from tombstones and train passengers, temporarily gave Sprague the win. But the decision was overturned, and the county seat ultimately went to Davenport in 1884. That moment changed everything. 

A devastating fire in 1895 and the gradual decline of railroad dominance sealed Sprague’s fate, transforming it from a booming hub into the quiet rural town you see today. 

 Now, surrounded by endless wheat fields and open sky, Sprague feels frozen in time—but its story is still written in its streets, buildings, and rails. 

 If you're passing through on Interstate 90, take the exit and spend a few minutes… you might just discover something worth remembering. 

And if you're there in September—maybe I’ll see you at the car show. 

🎥 Filmed in Eastern Washington 

🚗 Featuring Sprague Days Car Show 

📍 Exit 245 off I-90 🔖 

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