Mission Statement
The Palouse Community Center strives to enrich the lives of Palouse and surrounding area citizens by reinforcing a sense of community, providing an opportunity for all ages to interact, and enabling people to share their perspectives, talents, and skills.
Your Local Event Center
Committed to building & developing the community of Palouse
The Palouse Community Center is available to rent 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Please consult the website “Calendar” page for availability or call reservation coordinator Mark Wilcomb 509-330-0744. The Center is licensed to hold 112 people and features a fully stocked, certified kitchen, and a variety of table options and chairs. Free wi-fi is provided, and a sound system is available for optional rent. To see our rental policy and pricing, click here.
Our History
In the 1980s, the former Palouse Opera House (built in 1893) was purchased for use as a community center. Many hours of labor were donated by the Palouse Lions Club and others to renovate the building into a Center. The Senior Citizens of Palouse, and other organizations and individuals, held fundraisers and donated money to complete the job and provide ongoing maintenance. The Palouse Community Center opened in 1984 and hosted many years of family and community events.
In 2002, Needful Things thrift store was established as a supporting enterprise for the Center. It continues as a stable source of funding for basic operations.
The need for extensive repairs to continue its use as a Community Center led to the decision to sell the building in 2007 and begin a fundraising campaign to build a new building next door. In just three years, many dedicated volunteers worked together to design a building that would serve Palouse’s needs at a price it could afford and raise funds to build it.
The Beyer and Willcox families donated the property to the City of Palouse, which leases it to the Community Center for $1 per year. Special acknowledgements go to the family of Raymond Hanson, who donated $100,000 to the project, and the Inland Northwest Community Foundation, which donated $20,000 for the heating and air conditioning system. Friends of Palouse (individuals, businesses, and organizations) donated the rest, and supported numerous fundraisers, making this facility truly a “COMMUNITY” Center.
The Center’s electrical needs are supplemented by rooftop solar panels, provided funding from the “So Happy It’s Tuesday” renewable energy group and the Mike Carlton Memorial Fund.
A $150,000 loan was secured to complete construction. On Jan. 14, 2012, the new building was dedicated and opened for use. Volunteers are proud that no government funding was used to build this facility. As of November 2021, the loan on the building has been paid off and it was paid off early.
The Palouse Community Center is a 501(c)3 organization, and as such, donations are tax-deductible. We appreciate and need your continued support, and encourage your use of the Center.