Republic is a city in Ferry County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,073 at the 2010 census, a 12.5% increase on height of the 2000 Census. It is the county seat of Ferry County. It was the largest mining camp in the Republic mining District, and house to the “Hot Air Line” railway.

Republic was founded by gold prospectors in the late 19th century. Mining claims were first made along Eureka Creek upon March 1, 1896, after the northern half of the Colville Indian Reservation was vacated on February 21. On March 5, 1896, the Republic claim was staked by Thomas Ryan and Philip Creasor along Granite Creek, another branch of the Sanpoil River. The resulting Republic Mine eventually became the highest producer of gold in the county. On April 18 1896, the Republic Mining District, originally called the Eureka Mining District, was established. The first ore mill for admin low grade ore in the district was constructed in May, 1898, while highest grade ores were hauled 80 mi (130 km) east to Marcus, Washington partway by cart and after that via the Spokane Falls & Northern branch pedigree for the enduring distance. Between 1899 and 1900 stamp mills were build up at the Mountain Lion mine in the Northwest share of camp and the Republic Mine in the south resulting in a brief epoch where anything of the districts ore was milled in the camp. The Mountain Lion Gold Mining company 100-ton mill used a interest of mercury plate captivation followed by MacArthur-Forrest cyanide leaching. However due to much humiliate gold and silver recovery rates, combined behind the soon to arrive rail lines, the mill was soon shut down. The 200-ton Republic mill processed the ore by first roasting of the finely crushed ore, and subsequently cyanide leaching, with the first great quantity of ore creature processed in October 1900. In July 1901 the Republic mine and mill both shut alongside due to milling cost, and a nonattendance of plenty profitable ore instinctive recovered. Ores in the Republic District were noted to have increasing percentages of silver engagement in the belittle portions of the ore bodies, and the Republic mill did not allow more next a 50% return upon assayed ore value, dooming the mill. The Republic mine remained inactive until 1902 in imitation of the coming on of railroads in the town made mining profitable again. From 1902 to 1909 ore was freighted north to British Columbia and next west to smelters on the coast for processing, with periods where shipments going on to 1,000 st (6,400 kg) of ore a week were regular.

The Republic mining District encompassing Republic and the surrounding areas, had no defined borders as of 1909 as soon as the pubescent geologist Joseph B. Umpleby visited, but included six townships next a center “a Tiny west of the south halt of Curlew Lake”. At the become old of the visit Republic was the most important mining camp in the county and the largest taking into consideration an population of around 1,500.

In July 1897, Philip Creasor built a two-story hotel at the townsite, originally called Eureka. This town site was platted upon April 29 1898, and the reveal office name misused to Republic, since there was already a post office named Eureka in the own up of Washington. On May 8 1900, a special election was held which approved combination of Republic, and J.J. Sullivan was elected mayor. The town was after that officially incorporated upon May 22 1900, and had a population of not quite 1800. Two remove rail lines granted entry to the area, Great Northern Railways Spokane Falls & Northern branch heritage and the locally owned Republic and Kettle Valley Railway, commonly called the “Hot expose line” from Grand Forks, British Columbia.

The Spokane and British Columbia Railway, originally the Republic and Kettle Valley Railway, was a curt lived standard-gauge private rail company based out of Republic functioning between Republic, Grand Forks and Lynch Creek British Columbia. The line was locally known as the “Hot Air line”. The stock began operation in 1902 as the Republic and Kettle Valley Railway, before bodily bought out in 1916. The company was initially incorporated in 1901 bearing in mind J. Stratton as president, with construction of the line between Republic and Danville, Washington at the United States-Canadian affix being settled to the Republic and Grand Forks Construction Company, itself owned by Stratton. The rail extraction paralleled the Great Northern spur lineage from Republic through Malo and Curlew, Washington to Danville. The northern heritage was initially surveyed by the Republic and Kettle River company, but they were forced to build on higher ground more than the Great Northern home boundaries. On January 2, 1902 the railroad was also qualified by the Secretary of the Interior to conduct surveying for a southern line though the Colville Indian Reservation along the Sanpoil River.