In early 1896 Tommy Ryan and Phil Creasor, both tramp prospectors were persuaded by three businessmen to check out rumors that somewhere on the upper San Poil was bonanza gold. As the two prospectors traversed into the area they followed the Kettle River from its mouth as it loped back into Canada. It was a long route but it skirted the Kettle River Range, a obstacle of high wilderness and deep snow.

Finally after some tuff times on February 28 they had reached there destination, and started searching for that bonanza gold. Suddenly they noticed a promising looking draw, and a short time later after entering it they discovered a massive and continuos mineralized ledge. They soon staked out over ten claims just in this area alone.

When rumors of the great strike got out, a swarm of prospectors began to flow into the area. A mining camp gradually began to develop. The area here was soon referred to as Eureka Gulch, with its collection of tents and log cabins. Like so many other mining camps of Northeastern Washington it was christened "Eureka."

Then late in the same year, when the Republic Mine hit a bonanza vein of fabulous ore, the camp was on its way.

Soon the entire area was being overridden by hordes of prospectors and miners who swarmed into the new district. When high-rollers like Patsy Clark, and others began buying up mines and shares in the area, it was the making of a boom town.

Soon the new El Dorado changed its name from Eureka to Republic. Late in the 1890s it was quite a town, with a population approaching the 2,000 mark, it had an impressive and booming business district.

By 1900 it had more then 20 saloons, seven hotels, nine general stores, three newspapers, bank, opera house, and many other businesses. There were numerous games of chance that the prospectors would play, like roulette, faro, and stud poker that were played in many of the local saloons and emporiums. These establishments were designed to remove the hard worked for wages from the pockets of the unlucky. Even well known gamblers like Patsy Clark, on more then one occasion lost hefty stacks of gold coins.

On June 3, 1899, a great fire of grand proportions swept along Clark Avenue and left more than half of the business district in ashes. By 1910 Republic was still a busy boom town but the time for its decline seemed to be approaching with the ore trade slowly declining in volume and threatening the very existence of the town. In that same year however, an event took place.

A virtually unknown mine called Knob Hill came into production. The Knobb Hill Mine became the greatest gold mine in the entire state of Washington and one of the most famous producers in the United States, yielding a staggering total of close to 2,400,000 troy ounces of gold during its lifetime. At today's gold prices that would be around $710,400.00.

Today the boom town of yesteryear has changed. Clark Avenue isn’t as imposing as it once was, much of its once splendid buildings are gone. But take a venture up Eureka Gulch past the old remnants of yesteryear or along Clark Avenue at sunrise, and some of the old splendor seems to come back. This is Republic today.