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Connell

Connell is a vibrant rural community in Eastern Washington that was established in 1883 as a railroad stop called Palouse Junction. The community later became known as Connell, named after Northern Pacific Station Agent, Joseph Connell. The Connell Post Office was authorized in January 1887. Much of the old town was destroyed by fire in the late 1890s and was rebuilt along the present Columbia Avenue.  A major portion of the business district again burned in July 1905. Connell was incorporated in 1910.

 

The primary industrial base is food processing, agricultural chemicals and minimum and medium security correction facilities. The community is also home to the North Franklin School District where there is a High School, Alternative High School, Junior High, Elementary School and Administration offices. Both Washington State and Franklin County have transportation facilities in the community.

 

Connell is very proud of the number of parks facilities and the care that is lavished on them. City athletic fields range from general purpose open space, to soccer and baseball fields. There is a broad choice of housing styles and prices for residents with a new housing development underway. The City has ample water rights for future growth in residential, commercial and industrial activities. An expanded wastewater treatment facility was completed in 2010 and new waterlines have been installed to replace aging pipes.

 

Connell is located just off U.S. Highway 395 in sunny Southeastern Washington and embodies the best of small town America. The vibrant, progressive community offers a quality of life that is rare today. Connell is a place where people know their neighbors, no one is a stranger and the entire greater Connell area comes out to support the local schools and athletic programs.

 

The population of Connell in 2024 is estimated to be 5,175, according to the Washington State Office of Financial Management. The last Census, conducted in 2020, recorded a population of 5,441. Fluctuations in the number of individuals housed at the Washington State Department of Corrections facility significantly impact Connell's population causing it to vary greatly from year-to-year, as shown by the figures in 2020 and 2024.