Republic is a city in Ferry County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,073 at the 2010 census, a 12.5% increase higher than the 2000 Census. It is the county chair 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 upon February 21. On March 5, 1896, the Republic affirmation 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 executive 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 subsequently via the Spokane Falls & Northern branch lineage for the remaining distance. Between 1899 and 1900 stamp mills were build up at the Mountain Lion mine in the Northwest portion of camp and the Republic Mine in the south resulting in a brief get older where whatever of the districts ore was milled in the camp. The Mountain Lion Gold Mining company 100-ton mill used a concentration of mercury plate engagement followed by MacArthur-Forrest cyanide leaching. However due to much demean gold and silver recovery rates, combined once 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 physical processed in October 1900. In July 1901 the Republic mine and mill both shut the length of due to milling cost, and a nonattendance of ample profitable ore bodily recovered. Ores in the Republic District were noted to have increasing percentages of silver engagement in the humiliate portions of the ore bodies, and the Republic mill did not manage to pay for more next a 50% return on assayed ore value, dooming the mill. The Republic mine remained inactive until 1902 subsequent to the dawn of railroads in the town made mining profitable again. From 1902 to 1909 ore was freighted north to British Columbia and then 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 when the juvenile geologist Joseph B. Umpleby visited, but included six townships as soon as a center “a little west of the south fall of Curlew Lake”. At the times of the visit Republic was the most important mining camp in the county and the largest subsequent to an population of on the order of 1,500.

In July 1897, Philip Creasor built a two-story hotel at the townsite, originally called Eureka. This town site was platted on April 29 1898, and the broadcast office name tainted to Republic, since there was already a proclaim office named Eureka in the let pass of Washington. On May 8 1900, a special election was held which approved incorporation of Republic, and J.J. Sullivan was elected mayor. The town was subsequently officially incorporated upon May 22 1900, and had a population of approximately 1800. Two cut off rail lines granted right of entry to the area, Great Northern Railways Spokane Falls & Northern branch descent and the locally owned Republic and Kettle Valley Railway, commonly called the “Hot freshen line” from Grand Forks, British Columbia.

The Spokane and British Columbia Railway, originally the Republic and Kettle Valley Railway, was a gruff lived standard-gauge private rail company based out of Republic keen between Republic, Grand Forks and Lynch Creek British Columbia. The descent was locally known as the “Hot Air line”. The origin began operation in 1902 as the Republic and Kettle Valley Railway, before visceral bought out in 1916. The company was initially incorporated in 1901 when J. Stratton as president, with construction of the line amongst Republic and danville, Washington at the United States-Canadian attach being established to the Republic and Grand Forks Construction Company, itself owned by Stratton. The rail lineage paralleled the Great Northern spur origin from Republic through Malo and Curlew, Washington to Danville. The northern line was initially surveyed by the Republic and Kettle River company, but they were provoked to build upon higher ground exceeding the Great Northern home boundaries. On January 2, 1902 the railroad was also official by the Secretary of the Interior to conduct surveying for a southern line while the Colville Indian Reservation along the Sanpoil River.