Located on the Touchet River in an rural area of Southeastern Washington, Waitsburg has long been tied to the agricultural economy of its surrounding region.

Prior to settlement by European American pioneers, the area that is now Waitsburg was home to the Palouse people.

The juncture of the Touchet River and Coppei Creek, where Waitsburg would eventually develop, was recorded in the journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition during their return trip in 1806.

Another early settler, Albert Gallatin Lloyd, helped settle persistent confrontations with the Palouse people by negotiating a treaty allowing the native population to camp on the land that he claimed.

[5] Early settlers raised cattle and horses and grew grain along the banks of the Touchet River and the creeks which feed into it.

During the 1860s, dryland farming of the adjacent hills led to expansion of wheat production around Waitsburg.

That development, along with the discovery of gold in the valley of the Clearwater River to the east, brought an influx of population to the area.

Due to the mining boom in the Clearwater region, a stagecoach line was established connecting Walla Walla in the west with Lewiston, Idaho, at the juncture of the Clearwater and Snake Rivers, to the east, passed through what would become Waitsburg, bringing travelers heading to and from the mines.

Willard convinced Wait of the potential to ship wheat flour down the Touchet valley and allowed him to establish a mill on his land that same year.

It was under the revised charter that official city services like police, fire and utilities came to the community.

[4] Despite the closure of the mill, Waitsburg remained relatively stable economically and in terms of population throughout the second half of the 20th century as a commercial center supporting the surrounding agricultural region.

Since the turn of the 21st century, Waitsburg's economic fortunes have been bolstered by the growth of the wine industry.

During the first two decades of the 21st century, numerous businesses were established catering to these tourists including specialty restaurants, bars and hotels.

[4][9] Waitsburg's culinary scene was recognized nationally in 2024 when Bar Barcello was one of 10 nominees for the 2024 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant.

[10] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.12 square miles (2.90 km2), all of it land.

[15] This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F (22 °C).