<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001181431-09-001446
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20090102
<FILING-DATE>20090106
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20090106
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>GILLIS RUTH ANN M
<CIK>0001185158
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-32729
<FILM-NUMBER>09509610
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>10 SOUTH DEERBORN STREET
<STREET2>37TH FLOOR
<CITY>CHICAGO
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>80603
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>POTLATCH CORP
<CIK>0001338749
<ASSIGNED-SIC>6798
<IRS-NUMBER>820156045
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>601 WEST FIRST AVENUE
<STREET2>SUITE 1600
<CITY>SPOKANE
<STATE>WA
<ZIP>99201
<PHONE>(509) 835-1500
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>601 WEST FIRST AVENUE
<STREET2>SUITE 1600
<CITY>SPOKANE
<STATE>WA
<ZIP>99201
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>Potlatch Holdings, Inc.
<DATE-CHANGED>20050914
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd228773.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-01-02</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001338749</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>POTLATCH CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PCH</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001185158</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GILLIS RUTH ANN M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>601 W. FIRST  AVENUE, SUITE 1600</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SPOKANE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>WA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>99201</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Phantom Stock Units</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>25.48</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-01-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>745.68</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>25.48</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2015-01-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-01-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>745.68</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2167.41</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Phantom stock units are credited to the reporting person's account on the transaction date in accordance with the provisions of the Potlatch Corporation Deferred Compensation Plan for Directors II and will be converted to cash and paid on a 1-for-1 basis with the issuer's common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Phantom stock units will be converted to cash and paid on the date previously elected by the reporting person in accordance with the provisions of the Potlatch Corporation Deferred Compensation Plan for Directors II.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Phantom stock unit beneficial ownership represents phantom stock allocated to the reporting person's Deferred Compensation Account since the reporting person's last report.  These phantom stock allocations represent meeting attendance fees and a quarterly retainer fee.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Includes phantom stock allocated to the reporting person's Deferred Compensation Account since the reporting person's last report that represents a quarterly dividend and dividend equivalents and an anti-dilution adjustment made in connection with the December 16, 2008 spin-off of Clearwater Paper Corporation.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Pamela A. Mull, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-01-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
