Lewiston (Idaho)

Lewiston is the county seat of and largest city in Nez Perce County, Idaho. It is the second largest city in the Idaho Panhandle region behind Coeur d'Alene. It sits across the river from Clarkston, Washington. In 2020, Lewiston was hone to 34,000 people. Like Pocatello, Lewiston has a strong working-class heritage. Industries related to timber and logging pursuits have long been key to the city's economy. Because the Columbia and later the Snake River are navigable by some ocean-going vessels all the way to Lewiston, the city has the distinction of being Idaho's only port city, and the furthest inland port in the western United States.

Understand
Founded shortly after gold was discovered in the nearby Clearwater River in 1860, Lewiston played an important role in the state's early history. The city became the capital of the newly-created Idaho Territory in 1863, but lost the distinction to Boise shortly thereafter in what proved to be an enormously unpopular decision in northern Idaho. To this day it is not unusual to hear locals lament losing the capital to Boise.

It's easy for visitors to confuse Lewiston's two main rivers. The Clearwater River is on the north side, and runs straight into the Snake River. However, the Snake on the city's west side makes a left turn at this point, going into neighboring Clarkston, Washington.

Lewiston is the principal city of the Lewiston, ID-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of both Nez Perce County in Idaho and Asotin County in Washington.

By plane
The next nearest airports served by more airlines, including Alaska Airlines, Southwest and United Airlines, at more competitive fares are in Boise ( south) and Spokane Geiger Field  ( north).

By car
By car Lewiston is accessible by a series of US and state highways which becomes local streets. WA-Hwy 193/128 bypasses north of town, north of the river on a two-lane highway.
 * US 12.svg Comes in from Walla Walla, WA in the west and Missoula, MT  in the east through the Nez Perce National Forest. Goes through Clarkston as Bridge St and along the river as Dikes Bypass in Lewiston.
 * US 95.svg Connects Coeur d'Alene to the north and Ontario  to the south at its junction with I-84. If coming from Boise go north on SR-55 its junction with US Hwy 95 in New Meadows  ( north of Boise)
 * US 195.svg Comes in from Spokane, WA (the largest city in the region) from north through Colfax and Pullman in the Palouse country via the Memorial Bridge just east of town.