Skip to main content Skip to navigation
Washington State University
The Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering

Pullman Community

Interesting Facts

Pullman is a small agricultural community with Washington State University as a major employer. Some interesting facts about the city:

  • About 25,000 people live in Pullman (approximately 17,000 students and 8,000 permanent residents)
  • Moscow Idaho is the home of the University of Idaho and is about seven miles east of Pullman
  • Pullman is located in a region called “The Palouse” (there is a town also called Palouse which is about fifteen miles north of Pullman)
  • Pullman is built on four hills. Locals usually give directions using the name of the hill – College Hill (NE), Military Hill (NW), Pioneer Hill (SE), and Sunnyside Hill (SW)
  • The town was originally named “Three Forks” because two streams and a river join downtown
  • Pullman is named for the man who invented the Pullman railroad cars, which are cars with small rooms and beds. The city changed its name to Pullman hoping that the inventor would donate money to the city. No money was received.
  • The Palouse region is noted for its hills, fertile soil, and crops of wheat, barley, peas, and lentils. The hills were formed in prehistoric times by volcanic ash that drifted from the volcanoes in the west. In 1980, the people of Pullman saw volcanic ash when Mount St. Helens erupted and ash drifted over to cover the area.
  • Visit Washington State University’s Community Life web pages to find out more about Pullman, it’s nearby schools, and the surrounding area.

Below are a few more links to websites that might be useful.

Pullman City Guide

The Pullman City Guide is not affiliated with Washington State University. It is a website that has a lot of useful links located in a central place such as a listing of: housing, food, things to do, employment, daycare, doctors, dentists, and many others.

Pullman Chamber of Commerce

The Pullman Chamber of Commerce is not affiliated with Washington State University. It is a website that has a lot of useful links located in a central place such as a listing of: interesting facts, things to do, important phone numbers, tourist or visitor information, and many others.

(front, l to r) Samantha Grover, Natalia Moroz, Thu Ly, Kevin Gray; (back, l to r) Mert Colpan, Dimitri Tolkatchev, Dillon Cooper
Alla Kostyukova’s group at the top of Kamiak Butte, overlooking the Palouse hills and Pullman, WA (front, l to r) Samantha Grover, Natalia Moroz, Thu Ly, Kevin Gray; (back, l to r) Mert Colpan, Dimitri Tolkatchev, Dillon Cooper