The
Palouse ( ) is a region of the
northwestern United States, encompassing parts of
southeastern Washington,
north central Idaho and, in some definitions, parts of northeast
Oregon. It is a major
agricultural area, primarily producing
wheat and
legumes. Situated about north of the
Oregon Trail, the region experienced rapid growth in the late 19th century, and at one time, the population of the Palouse surpassed even that of the
Puget Sound area as the most populous region of the state. The region is home to two
land grant universities, the
University of Idaho in
Moscow and
Washington State University in
Pullman. Located just eight miles (13 km) apart, both schools opened in the early 1890s.