If you exit the freeway and head into town, you'll see The Portico, a restored bed-and-breakfast Victorian Mansion featured in Victorian Homes Magazine. It was originally Nelson Greene's, a Ritzville banker. When he built it he put in a ballroom and a billiards room.
Today the townsite touts Victorian buildings and diagonal parking spaces on Main street, where surrounding landowners grow dryland winter wheat supplied with water from deep wells or no water at all. After an August or September planting the wheat overwinters and resumes growth in the spring. It's harvested in July.
Today's Ritzville is about the same in population as it was in the 50's, but it's home to clay artist Terri Cody. You may buy some of her wares at http://www.poppy.biz/clay/cody.htm .
There's a Blues Festival that's held every year in Ritzville, so the town's not all farming. Be sure to take a historical self-guided tour of the city at Ritzville's Chamber of Commerce Site: http://www.ritzville.com/chamber - funny what you will find if you wander off the freeway. The site offers business, event and historical information.
Since I have not been beyond Perkins, I can hardly wait to visit on one of my trips east. My curiosity will lead me there!
Ritzville folks: if you have something to share, please join me in the discussion area below. I'd love to hear from you!
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