Old Fort Colville, originally near Kettle Falls, was the chief inland post for the Hudson's Bay Co. for 30 years before it became the target of a gold rush in 1855. Great quantities of ore, including silver and iron, were extracted from the Colville mining district, and mining remains one of the area's primary industries.
Fort Colville Monument on SR 20 commemorates the military post responsible for the area's development.
Today, Colville is the center for commerce in northeastern Washington. The area's economy is based on timber, agriculture, mining, recreation and tourism.