Lapwai is a city in the

northwest The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sep ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...

, in Nez Perce County,

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyomi ...

. Its population was 1,137 at the 2010 census, and it is the seat of government of the

Nez Perce Indian Reservation The Nez Percé (; autonym in Nez Perce language: , meaning "we, the people") are an Indigenous people of the Plateau who are presumed to have lived on the Columbia River Plateau in the Pacific Northwest region for at least 11,500 years.Ames, ...

. Lapwai actually means "The land of the butterflies"

History

First Presbyterian Church - Lapwai Idaho

The area that is today Lapwai was the home of Hin-ma-tute-ke-kaikt, also known as Big Thunder and later as James. It was here that Henry Spalding established a Protestant mission among the

Nez Perce The Nez Percé (; autonym in Nez Perce language: , meaning "we, the people") are an Indigenous people of the Plateau who are presumed to have lived on the Columbia River Plateau in the Pacific Northwest region for at least 11,500 years.Ames, K ...

in 1836. This was also the general region that Bill Craig settled, since his wife was James' daughter. The city's predecessor, Fort Lapwai, operated on the site from 1863 to 1884. The village of Lapwai was incorporated in 1911, with a model rural school. The word "Lapwai" means place of the

butterflies Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The group comprises ...

, as the area had thousands in early summer in earlier years. Lapwai is part of the Lewiston, ID- WA

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...

Geography

Lapwai is located at (46.404388, -116.804376)., at an

elevation The elevation of a geographic location is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface (see Geodetic datum § V ...

above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''. The comb ...

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water. Lapwai is located on the floor of a valley carved by Lapwai Creek, roughly 3 miles south of its confluence with the Clearwater River. The hills to the east and west of the city rise dramatically more than 600 feet in less than a mile from the city. U.S. Route 95 passes through Lapwai.

Transportation

Highway

- US 95 - to Lewiston (north & west) and Grangeville (southeast)

Railroad

The city is served by the

BG&CM Railroad The BG&CM Railroad or Bountiful Grain and Craig Mountain Railroad is a Class III shortline railroad located in North Central Idaho. Summary The BG&CM operated a line between Spalding and Cottonwood, along the former Second Subdivision of the ...

, a freight carrier which operates on the former Second Subdivision line of the

Camas Prairie Railroad Camas Prairie Railroad Company was a short line railroad in northern Idaho jointly owned and operated by Northern Pacific Railway and Union Pacific. The Camas Prairie Railroad was known as the "railroad on stilts" due to the many wooden trestle ...

Education

The public schools in Lapwai are operated by Lapwai School District #341, led by Lapwai High School.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2010, there were 1,137 people, 369 households, and 272 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberP ...

was . There were 397 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 16.6%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 0.4%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ensl ...

, 78.1% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.7% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 4.1% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties form ...

or Latino of any race were 4.0% of the population. There were 369 households, of which 46.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 26.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 11.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 26.3% were non-families. 22.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.08 and the average family size was 3.58. The median age in the city was 30.8 years. 31.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.9% were from 25 to 44; 24.6% were from 45 to 64; and 9.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.7% male and 51.3% female.

2000 census

At the 2000

, there were 1,134 people, 339 households, and 270 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 364 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 16.14%

, 0.53%

, 81.39% Native American, 0.62% from

, and 1.32% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 4.32% of the population. There were 339 households, out of which 48.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.1% were

living together, 27.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.1% were non-families. 17.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.35 and the average family size was 3.68. In the city, the population was spread out, with 39.8% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 17.7% from 45 to 64, and 6.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $26,800, and the median income for a family was $30,417. Males had a median income of $31,382 versus $22,109 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $10,159. About 20.5% of families and 23.7% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 30.5% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.

Notable residents

Lillian Disney Lillian Marie Disney ( Bounds; February 15, 1899December 16, 1997) was an American ink artist at the Disney Studios and the wife of Walt Disney from 1925 until his death in 1966. Born in Spalding, Idaho, Disney graduated from high school in L ...

, wife of

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film pr ...

Chaske Spencer Chaske Spencer (pronounced ''Chess-Kay''; born March 9, 1975) is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Sam Uley in '' The Twilight Saga'' film series (2009–2012), Teddo in the acclaimed film '' Wild Indian'', and for his ...

, played Sam Uley in the Twilight series

References

External links

*
Lapwai School District #341

University of Idaho Library
- digital archives - Lapwai
University of Washington Libraries
- digital archives - Lapwai {{authority control Seats of government of American Indian reservations Cities in Idaho Cities in Nez Perce County, Idaho Lewiston–Clarkston metropolitan area 1911 establishments in Idaho