Danville, Washington, United States

🇺🇸 Danville is an unincorporated community and place (CDP) in Ferry County, Washington, United States. Danville is located on Washington State Route 21 near the Canada–United States border, 31 miles (50 km) north-northeast of Republic, the Ferry County seat.

Early community Although the Nelsons are considered the pioneer merchants, the claim of operating the first store at the locality is unsubstantiated. Apparently, in the early 1890s, Dennis Peone ran a store from his home, which also provided accommodation for passing visitors. Some individuals envious of the family's farming success resorted to arson. The post office opened around 1896, storekeeper P. B. Nelson being the inaugural postmaster. By that winter, businesses included the William Clark butcher shop, Woodward & Bellow saloon, and Downs hotel.

In 1897, the townsite was laid out, and J.Y. Jaskulek opened a general store with a jewelry and watch repair section. McCarter and Hull published the Reservation Record newspaper 1897–1898, lasting less than a year, before relocating to Eureka camps (Republic). Around 1898, John Sucksmith opened a sawmill, but died in a boating accident about four years later. E.A. Garner, who bought the mill, died of heart attack in 1904.

In 1900, fire destroyed Peter Nelson's store. Rebuilding, he experienced serious financial problems a few years later. In 1905, a new syndicate bought the mill, which produced 30,000 feet of lumber daily. Retail relocations the next year were J. Jaskulek to Spokane, and P.B. Nelson to two doors from the post office store, which John H. Grunwell had acquired. J. Bell & Co appears to have bought the Jaskulek store. Arson was suspected in the 1907 fire that destroyed Wm. Sands' blacksmith shop.

About 1911, Danville Lumber & Milling opened a general store. By 1913, the mill, which produced 50,000 feet of lumber daily, was one of the three larger producers in the area.

Passenger transit and border crossing The community, which lies about 0.6 miles (1.0 km) south of the boundary, was served by two railroads.

The Danville–Carson Border Crossing connects the town of Danville, Washington with Grand Forks, British Columbia on the Canada–US border. Washington State Route 21 on the American side joins British Columbia Highway 41 on the Canadian side.

Roads, bridges, and waterways After upgrades to the Midway–Curlew road were completed in 1897, work began on the Curlew–Nelson (Danville) section. The Kettle Falls–Eureka camp (Republic) road was also built, providing a shorter route to Nelson. However, the poor springtime road conditions made more circuitous freighting by river the only option.

In 1902, residents petitioned the Ferry County commissioners to build a wagon bridge across the river to access the train station. In 1910, this structure was replaced by a steel bridge.

Mining The Alabama group, a local copper/gold mine, was owned by the Lucille Dreyfus Mining Co. In 1902, a syndicate led by Col. William Ridpath acquired and developed the claim. In 1903, shipments to the Granby smelter began, and the company filed a suit to cancel 982,000 fraudulent share certificates. The next year, the company went into receivership but resumed operations months later. Idle since 1910, the mine was acquired by Arthur Dunphy in 1916. In 1919, the Chatterboy Mining Co. acquired the inactive property and resumed operations. Prior to permanent closure in 1921, the Lucille Dreyfus was the largest producer in the vicinity. This grouping of mines operated as the Morning Star from the mid-1930s to the mid-1940s.