Being that the Walla Walla Valley is more a destination for wine lovers than beer geeks, the search for unique handcrafted brew is one that will take the average Portander further than he’s used to for the next quaff.

After finishing up our early day visit with the nice lads at Walla Walla Brewers on the outskirts of town, we hit US-12 eastbound for our next landing-place. Passing through Waitsburg twenty miles from Walla Walla and onward another ten miles, we found ourselves in the historic town of Dayton, Washington. Founded in the 1860s and officially incorporated by its namesake Jesse Day in 1881, Dayton boasts the oldest train depot in Washington State (1881) as well as the oldest continuously used courthouse (1887).  Tucked between the foothills of the Blue Mountains and the bluffs of the Snake River, the quiet little town was once a somewhat bustling junction along the Lewis & Clark Trail. In fact, its population today (about 2700) is only slightly greater than it was at the turn of the 20th Century. Over 100 buildings in the town are on the National Historic Register including the Weinhard Hotel, founded by Henry Weinhard’s nephew Jacob in 1880.The beautiful site was constructed to house the Weinhard Saloon and Lodge.

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