History and General Research Page

If there is a certain subject concerning Kittitas County History or research in the Kittitas County area that you would like to know more about, submit a History or General Research Query (via email). Please put "History Query" in the subject window.

Because of the high volume of email I have been receiving I will now place the submitter's email address on the history queries - in other words, you will be emailing the person asking the question. Because this information is helpful to everyone, I hope that you will send a copy of your response to me to place online. Eventually, I plan to address each topic below in a history of Kittitas County.

BIOGRAPHIES - Looking for Kittitas County Biographies. Submit yours by visiting the biographies page.

BUSINESSES

MINER'S ECHO WEEKLY - In 1938, my great uncle Albert Smith, was the assistant manager for "Miners Echo Weekly" in Cle Elum. Can anyone tell me what sort of business the "Miners Echo Weekly" might have been? Submitted by Jeff Smith Oops! Address Unknown (if you are the submitter, please resend your email address - thanks) - email response to Sharon Bart, Kittitas County Sponsor
 
RESPONSE: "The Miner-echo was a newspaper published weekly by the Miner-Echo Publishing Co. in Cle Elum, WA from Aug. 4, 1922 (Vol. 25, no. 9) to Nov. 1, 1962 (Vol. 72, no. 44). It was formed by the union on the Cle Elum Echo and the Cascade Miner and was absorbed by the Northern Kittitas County Tribune.

I found this information while on a recent trip to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. It is from the Washington State Union List on Newspapers on Microfilm.

The following libraries have microfilm of issues of this newspaper: Central Washington University, Walnut Street, Ellensburg, WA (they have 1922-1960), University of Washington Library, Seattle, WA (they have 1922-1962) Washington State Library, Olympia, WA (they have 1922-1962)"

- - Submitted by Deena Caldwell

RESPONSE: Contact info for the Northern Kittitas County Tribune in Cle Elum:  P.O. Box 308, Cle Elum, WA 98922, (509)674-2511, or you can visit the office at 221 Pennsylvania Avenue.

- - Submitted byTerry Hamberg

RESPONSE: There is a young man (Shirk) buried up on Shirk creek in the Teanaway Valley. There is a stainless marker that someone placed there recently (60's), they were from Castle Rock, Wa. The date is around 1913. The creek is on the Southside of the river between Dickey Creek Road and the County Road going over Red Top.

There is also a grave with a wooden marker on the county road about a mile north from the Teanaway Road, just before you get to the Boise Cascade campgroud. The wooden grave marker is labeled Pops and is on the left ridge about 30' from the road at the top of a small hill. It is visible from the road.

There is also another grave up at Tamarack Springs, about 100' from the camp area. there is a small fence and a concrete slab that says "White woman buried here".... This area is on the east side of I-90 towards quartz mountain.

- - Submitted by Dan Bell


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Click on picture to enlarge

BIG BOULDER CEMETERY - We have cabins on Big Boulder [4 1/2 miles past Salmon La Sac off a logging road] that was a mining camp. There is a Cemetery on it with seven graves four as witch we can ID. but three we cannot. Fred Denney- Viola Denney Ida M. Denny-Winnie Faith Denney Batchelder Moor. Can you help to ID the other three?
Penelope Frances Brockman

THORP CEMETERY - Can you tell me something about the history of the Thorp Splawn Historical Cemetery - along the north side of I-90, west of Thorp? Jim Carpenter

RESPONSE: "Old Vantage is underwater. And, there is supposedly an older, smaller version of Kittitas a bit east from present day Kittitas. I don't know if this is really true though."

- - Submitted by Kelly Thielen

RESPONSE: I remember a little town South West of Easton. It was a logging town called Cabin Creek.. I was in high school in Easton in the 50's and I remember going there with my dad. There were several permanent homes, maybe numbering 10 -15. I also remember a large shed where they worked on logging trucks and other machinery.

- - Submitted by Ed Page

RESPONSE: As far I can tell Casland was located just west of were the Teanaway River crosses the Teanaway road. Cascade Lumber was located in that area, and the men worked for them.

- - Submitted by Vincent Abbott

RESPONSE: I have been looking for a description of where Jonesville was located and so far I've oly got the ones from "Spawn of Coal Dust."

They state on page 191 "The official name of the settlement was Beekman, but it was affectionately known and remembered as Jonesville, getting its name from Charley Jones, the first Superintendent and General Manager.

The Mine was located about three miles from Roslyn on the continuation of the railroad through Ronald that served the Patrick mines and terminated at the Lakedale mines, owned by Tom Wright."

On page 179 they say "The #1 Jonesville was the first mine opened in the Jonesville Coal Field, and started operation about 1906-1907 on the homestead of Mr. Brosius, joining the Dad Allen property on the northwest. Across the mai road (the road to Lake Cle Elum) right on the outcropping of the #1 seam, or Big Dirty as it was called, was the homestead owned by Joel Lynn."

- - Submitted by Carole

RESPONSE:  I'd like to get whatever information you may have available on Dutch Settlement in Kittitas County, Washington. This town is still listed on maps and is about 12 miles southwest of Wenatchee. There are some roads that come close to the community but apparently there are no current roads that go to the town.

I would like to know:
 

1) Is this is a town that was settled by Dutch immigrants (as was the case in NW Washington state communities like Lynden) or were these Germans (often misunderstood as "Dutch" in place names due to the German word "Deutch," as in "Pennsylvania Dutch" who are actually Germans).

2) Does the town still have any buildings standing, and if so, does anyone still live there?

3) Even though the map indicates there are no main roads leading there, is it accessible via back roads such as dirt or gravel, or are off-road
vehicles necessary to reach it?

4) What is the history of the town, what was its primary business (I assume mining or ranching) and why did it die?


Please email Darrell Todd Maurina
 

MARTIN - Does anyone know the history of "Martin" listed on the 1909 map of Kittitas County or how it was named?  My husband's maternal line of MARTIN settled in that general area before Washington became a state. They also lived in Thorp, Cle Elum and Ellensburg.  The parents were Atwell MARTIN and Elvira PURVIS and they were listed on the 1889 Washington Territorial Census along with their children.  Any help would be appreciated. Sharon Carnahan

INDIANS - Looking for information about the Indians which settled Kittitas County. Sharon Bart, Kittitas County Sponsor

RESPONSE:

"I don't know if you are interested in the Indian history/pre-history here, but there is a map of all the known Indian villages, prior to Euro-American contact. It's quite interesting. I think I know where one of the larger ones was located (west of Thorp). Also, the Nanaum was traditional Indian land. And, there is an Indian race track (still visible) out by the Colockum area. There was a great rendezvous held here for years. Camas root grounds."

LIBERTY GOLD RUSH

See Swauk Prairie

MAPS
 

I was hoping to find land use/property maps in the Hyac area. Submitter: Gyung Son

 I am looking for information on stagecoach roads and the Caribou Trail from Yakima to Ellensburg. Submitter: Bill Purdue.

MINES AND MINING ACCIDENTS
 

Looking for information on the mines and for accounts of mining accidents in Kittitas County and the people involved. Submitter, Sharon Bart, Kittitas County Sponsor

#9 Mine - My grandfather, John "Casey" MORRIS, was killed in an accident at this mine on 20 Dec 1946. Any information about this accident welcome. Shirley Walterhouse

#1 Mine - On the afternoon of 5/9/1892 an explosion in Roslyn's No. 1 mine rocked the town and killed 45 miners, including my GGFa, Joseph BENNETT. It tok 4 days to recover all of the bodies because the accumulating gas pockets threatened more explosions. the subsequent investigation determined that poor ventilation was the major cause and several suits were foled against the Northern Pacific Coal Company , operator of the mine. Details of this tragedy were told and retold in numerous places, including Bureau of Mines reports, and the History of Yakima, Kittitas and Klickitat Countyies (1904).

-- Submitted by Lee Bennett

NEWSPAPERS

Miner's Echo Weekly

OBITUARIES - Looking for obituaries of your Kittitas County ancestors. Sharon Bart, Kittitas County Sponsor

SALMON - I am seeking any information that people might have in family letters, photos diaries, etc. concerning salmon in Kittitas County. Bob Tuck

SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

        Looking for the history of the schools and colleges in Kittitas County. Does anyone know of schools which are no longer in use?

ELLENSBURG BUSINESS COLLEGE - My great grandfather, Seaman Van VLIET the buisness College in Ellensburg at the turn of the century. Someone has told me that it is now a State University. Is this so? Patty Moreland

WV SCHOOL - My Uncle, Kenneth KNIGHT went to a school with the initials of WV in Kittitas County. Does anyone know of this school? Cheryl Feeback

Looking for information about the railroad construction of Stampede Pass Tunnel. My great-grandfather, John A. HASKELL was killed on 6 October 1886 during construction. Nancy S. Shire

When was Northern Pacific passenger train service discontinued over Stampede Pass? When did Burlington Northern reopen the pass for freight service? Oops! Submitter Unknown (if you are the submitter, please resend your email address - thanks) - email response to Sharon Bart, Kittitas County Sponsor

My great-great Grandparents, Aaron and Eliza KINNEY and their two youngest sons, William A. KINNEY and James H KINNEY came to the Teanaway, Swauk Prairie area, in the 1880's and later moved to Ellensburg. Aaron died in 1898 and Eliza in 1894 at Ellensburg. what was going on in the Swauk Prairie, other than farming, that would induce a couple in their 70's to come out here from Iowa? Is this part of the Liberty Gold Rush? James Flexer

I would like any and all information on Page's Grove that is available. It was located around Thorp, WA, somewhere by the Torp Cemetery. Ed Page

See Stampede Pass

My gg grandfather worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad out of Yakima, WA in the 1910's. He was a railroad conductor on passenger 337. How might I get his work record information and learn more about him? His name was John MELLON. sudavis@home.com
 

RESPONSE: Anyone that had family that worked for the RR's can get that persons records at RAILDROAD RETIREMENT BOARD 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092. At the time that I got My Great Uncle's records there was a charge of $ 17.00 for his records. Sandy

I have a relative that was a trick rider in Ellensburg in the 1940's and later went on to become a World Champion. Her name was Bernice Blair, Haley, Bolen. Does anyone know anything about the early Rodeo days and this person in particular. Cathy Cadd