Ralston is a community in Adams County, Washington. The town is located along Washington 261.
History
Ralston was once a thriving town on the Milwaukee Road rail system and was named after the Ralston Purina brand. The community had many residents at one time, loyal ones at that, as its Post Office was discontinued in 1975 (zip code 99165). An old school has been torn down. The rail lines are gone now, and are part of a trail system.
Geography
Ralston sits at the edge of farmland and has the Channeled Scablands barren cover to the east. The community is north of Washtucna and south of Ritzville, which is where the nearest services are located.
The elevation is 1,663 feet above sea level.
Ritzville is to the north of Ralston while Hillcrest, Thavis and Marengo sit to the east. Pizarro, Paha, and Lind are west. Washtucna is to the south.
About
Ralston is a small community of homes, and storage warehouses for farmers. The old Ralston grain elevator and mill sits looming over the community in the north. It sits along an abandoned rail line which parallels the Lind Ralston Road for quite a ways. The abandoned rail line has been turned into a trail named the John Wayne Trail, and sometimes called the John Wayne Pioneer Trail.
Medal of Honor recipient, Reinhardt Keppler, was born in Ralston and the community park was dedicated in his honor in 2003.