Spokane County, at the center of the "Inland Empire," includes parts of the Spokane Valley plains, Okanogan and Selkirk Highlands, and fertile Palouse Hills of eastern Washington. The Washington Territorial Legislature first created Spokane County on January 29, 1858, from the northeastern part of Walla Walla County. In 1864, Spokane was reorganized as part of Stevens County. In 1879, it was re-created again as Spokane County. Spokane, in the language of the Spokane Native-Americans, means "Chief of the Sun." It was derived from a famous chief of the Middle Spokane tribe, Illim Spokanee.