It served as county seat of Douglas County
Perhaps you believe the City of Okanogan is located about halfway up the Okanogan River and is the county seat of Okanogan County.
But that’s the Second City of Okanogan.
The first, the original Okanogan, was not situated in the Okanogan country at all. It was platted and built across on the Columbia River on the Douglas County plateau about six miles east of where Waterville is today. For 39 months, starting in early 1884, this original Okanogan City served as the first county seat of Douglas County.
Today, wheat fields and summer fallow cover the townsite. Not a trace of Okanogan remains. The problem, at least the main problem, was a lack of water. When a 225 foot well produced not a drop, the notion of forever hauling water to the county seat became intolerable. Eventually, the capital was moved to Waterville, whereupon Okanogan City passed out of existence.
The earliest mention we have found of Douglas County’s Okanogan appeared in the October, 1883, issue of The West Shore, a Pacific Northwest news magazine published for some years in Portland, Ore. The account states:
A new town is being laid out in the Big Bend country west of Grand Coulee about fifteen miles from the Columbia.
It will be called Okanogan (sic) in honor of the great river which empties into the Columbia twenty-four miles to the north.
The names of the founders of the new town are John W. Adams, Walter Mann, John Dickey, E.W. Hadley and Stewart Barnhart. They have made arrangements for establishing a store, a good hotel, a blacksmith shop, a land office and several other business houses there at once.
From the new town of Okanogan settlement many spread out for twenty-five miles in every direction in almost uninterrupted compactness.
The town site occupies a slight elevation from which is afforded a magnificent view of the surrounding country. One hundred and fifty miles directly eastward is Spokane Falls. Sweeping far around in the north is the Columbia River, into which empty the Okanogan and the Methow.
A few miles westward is the beautiful lake Chelan and little to the southwest is the mouth of the Wenatchee. Far off in the west may be seen the great snow clad peaks of the Cascade mountains and not far in the north lies the great mineral region recently surrendered by Chief Moses.
All things considered we shall expect to see the great new town and its surrounding country grow with great rapidity.
There seems little doubt that the founders named their town Okanogan in an effort to capitalize on the fame already attached to the Okanogan country by virtue of its long association with fur traders, its involvement in Indian affairs, its service as an important north-south corridor, and rumors of mineral wealth already in circulation, even though until 1886 whites, theoretically, were not supposed even to be prospecting there except in a 15-Mile Strip at the north of the Columbia (Moses) reservation.
Okanogan’s founders-another was named Plat Corbaley, evidently had visited the site in the summer or early autumn of 1883. In January, 1884, a second group arrived. One of its members was the John W. Adams who had been there the previous year. He became a key figure in the development of Okanogan City, and will appear later in our narrative as the "townsite boomer," i.e., promoter.
This second party also included Walter Henna, who had come from Springfield, I’ll., to look for farmland. Henne kept a diary. Here are the relevant entries:
1883
Dec. 3- I left Springfield for Wash. Ter. today, paid $53.85 for 3d class fare to Walla Walla.
Dec. 9- Arrived at Spokane Falls at 4 a.m. Clear and hazy.
Dec. 22- I started with J.W. Adams and W. Mann for Okanogan so did W. Hall, A. Lewis, A. Muellr and Wm. Darlington. Snow.
1884
Jan. 6- Sunday. We arrived at Okanogan. The weather was stormy and snowing since the 22 last. After the 3d day out one of our horses got away (Dec. 25 night) and we laid over at Lake Creek in camp until Darlington got another horse at Cottonwood. The 3d Jan we continued our journey. Camped in a dugout. The 4 we camped at Mineral Lake, the 5 at Round Prairie. I was sick most of the time. There is about 12 in of snow. The trip cost me $28.00.
Jan. 13- The weather, excepting the 8th which was drizzling, was pleasant. Hall the surveyor laid out the town site of Okanogan. H. Honer drove (sic) the stakes. Lewis and I carried the chain. It took about 3 ½ day. Today I helped ½ at house.
Jan. 16- Clear. I staked a claim on sec. 3 town 24, range 23. I board with Mann, and pay ½ expense.
Jan. 27- Snow and clouds. Sunday we had c. wheat for dinner, biscuit and peach pie for supper. Finished "Tiptoes Andronicus."
Jan. 28- Snow. I finished "K. Henry VI."
Though it was the middle of winter, a building boom started at Okanogan as soon as surveyor W. Hall had run his lines. By then, a bill creating Douglas County and naming Okanogan as its county seat had passed in Olympia or was about to.
The newly-appointed Douglas County commissioners held their first meeting at Okanogan-possibly in a tent-on February 28, 1884. The county was organized and in business March 1.
West Shore remained interested in the situation and in its April, 1884, issue reprinted a letter written by J. A. Donaldson, who had visited Okanogan City. Donaldson said it cost "a few thousand dollars" to get established in the Willamette Valley.
But for the man of moderate means, there lies a district 300 miles up the Columbia known as Badger Mountain country. It covers an area of forty by sixty miles. Badger Mountain proper lies along the Columbia, and has on the northern end about 12,000 acres of magnificent timber.
A sawmill is now in operation, and a Mr. Williams, of Manitoba, will have a saw and flouring mill ready for business by September. This will be on the east side, within an hour’s haul of Okanogan.
Douglas County has the coming city of plain, Okanogan, for the county seat. Okanogan is beautifully situated. She has a grand sweep of country all around her.
Looking away toward the east over a vast expanse of gently undulating prairie, the eye rests on the dark blue line of the now famous Gold Mountains of the Coeur d’Alene, 200 miles away.
Turning towards the north, you can track for 100 miles, through an equally rich mineral region, the slivery windings of the grand old Okanogan, looking toward the west you never tire of looking upon snow-clad peaks of the beautiful Cascade range, the foothills bare and sides covered with towering Douglas firs, running up 300 feet without a limb.
The grandest sight from the town is to the south, over a billowy prairie, the sunniest and richest I have ever seen...In regard to emigrating, I would unhesitatingly say, come at once and bring all your friends with you, and try and induce others to come. There are hundreds here already, but there’s room for millions more.
Donaldson’s letter continued with his version of the meaning of the word "Okanogan" and further details on the townsite:
This region was erected into a separate county called "Douglas" by the last Legislature, with the county seat located at the new town of Okanogan.
This word is of Indian origin and means "center of the circle," and while its orthography is unique, its meaning is wonderfully appropriate, as the town site is located in almost the exact center of the broad scope of prairie we have already described, and this prairie is nearly in the center of Washington Territory.
There are some twenty-nine different ways of spelling this name (Okanogan) as used by different writers, and its present orthography was adopted after a careful study of the various ways used by others, and after much thought and an inability to decide among the different modes of spelling.
Okanogan was adopted, principally for the reason that it saved a decision on the question by spelling it a still different way from any of the authorities at hand.
As the title of the whole country was in the United States, it became necessary to secure the town site by some means, and to do this the services of Judge W. Abbott Lewis, the leading land lawyer of this section, was secured, and through him title obtained to forty acres, which have been platted into a town site, regularly laid out, with all streets 100 feet wide, and twenty feet alleys through every block.
The plat has been surveyed and already some fifty odd business lots sold to parties who will improve them at once. The owners of the town have adopted the policy of not selling lots in large numbers to speculators, but preferring to sell to those who intend improving and occupying them. Business openings of all kinds will be found here.
Anticipating a rush to this locality during the coming year, the company through its agent in Portland, Mr. Paul Schulze, has not only prepared for it in the latter city, but has located a representative at Spokane Falls, who will guide newcomers to this land of promise.
Henne’s diary has one more entry related to Okanogan. This was dated March 31, when Henne went to town to buy a box of spikes. That day, he witnessed the arrival of the first stage. It came from Spokane Falls and was driven by Pard Cummings who later became a prominent Okanogan County merchant.
One of the passengers was J.B.Smith, doctor and newspaperman. Five years later, Smith launched a paper at Orondo, the Orondo Weekly News. In the first issue, he recalled details of his stage ride with Pard Cummings and his arrival in Okanogan:
We struck Okanogan in March 1884, the first passenger on the first stage ever run through from Spokane Falls to Okanogan. Mr. Adams the Okanogan townsite boomer was the route guide and Pard Cummins (sic), now keeping store on the Okanogan river, the proprietor of the route and driver to Wilson Creek.
Mr. Adams and "Pard" occupied the drivers seat and the writer, the back seat which was directly over a keg of powder for use in the Okanogan well.
"Pard" drove at a wonderful rate of speed through the slush of melting snow and softening mud. As darkness overtook us ten miles beyond Cottonwood (now Davenport) he increased the speed, dashing through a deep ravine filled with ice cold snow water bumpty bump till the center of the deep rut was reached by the front wheels when the motion changed to co-chuck, the back seat turning a somersault backwards, your humble servant going with it into the foaming brooklet, co-splash with his feet skywards and the bedding etc. all on top.
In an instant changed positions, rescued the floating traps, but fancy our dismay to behold "Pard" dashing up the hill with increased speed unconscious of our accident.
A good pair of lungs served us well to telephone the accident. We hurriedly loaded up again, our boots full of ice cold water, "Pard" promising to stop in a few minutes for the night. We cannot quite forgive "Pard" for driving ten (more) miles with our clothing drenching wet on a frosty night.
Fifty immigrants landed the same day at Okanogan. The boom was booming and town lots sold for $200 and $250 each. The house afterwards used as a county building was erected at once for immigrants home. Coyle’s Hotel, 40x60 feet was built. Ben Martin’s store was opened and other improvements were instituted such as setting out shade trees on the streets (and) planting a large orchard intended them for a city park.
The Ben Martin referred to above had come from Iowa. His store at Okanogan City also served as a post office and as a registration point for homesteads and/or mining claims.
Martin did much business with Indians and got along with them well. An account written by a great-grandson states:
Ben Martin’s store (at Okanogan) was on the Indian trail between Yakima and Colville reservations. He told me that old Indians were all honest.
One example of this was, an older Indian that lived on the Okanogan River, close to where Tonasket is now, owed him $9.00 and he died that winter. In the spring his son-in-law brought Uncle Ben a horse for payment of the bill.
During that first spring of 1884, things appeared to some to be going so well at Okanogan City that J.A. Donaldson, in his letter in The West Shore, even forecast the coming of a you-know-what:
A railroad running from Spokane Falls through the heart of Lincoln County to Okanogan, offering an easy outlet for the enormous bulk of grain and other products which Badger Mountain country in a few years will produce, is one of the energetic business men of Spokane Falls have in view.
Such a road will be absolutely demanded by the necessities of commerce, and if not constructed by the Northern Pacific as a feeder to its main line, will be built by private capitalists as an independent road.
Its ultimate extension through the vast timber, mineral and coal belt of the Cascades, to some harbor on Puget Sound, would be a natural sequence.
W.P. Gray arrived in Okanogan City on May 26, 1884. He was to become one of the most famous of the riverboat captains transporting settlers and freight from Wenatchee to the Okanogan country. His present visit, however, was part of a survey of navigability on the middle Columbia and prospects for steamboat trade he was conducting for Oregon Railway and Navigation company, long active on the lower Columbia.
Gray found a total of five buildings in Okanogan City. It is difficult to believe he was describing the same town which J.A. Donaldson predicted would soon have a railroad. Gray wrote in his report:
We followed the wagon-road up Moses Coulee 12 miles, then followed up Lord’s Creek 5 miles on to the plateau, on the top of which is the country surrounding Okanogan (sic) City but 100 miles from Okanogan mouth. Badger Mountain is crowned with timber and lies about 8 miles southwest from Okanogan City.
The city consists of one hotel, lined with rough timber, and sheathing on the roof, but no weather boarding or shingles on; 1 house, 16 feet by 16 feet, where the hotel man lives; 1 shanty, 10 feet by 24 feet; 1 store, 20 feet by 30 feet, with about $400 worth of stock on hand, which was taken in two wagons 10 days before we arrived; and 1 office, 12 feet by 10 feet, occupied by the town proprietors.
We arrived there Monday, 26th, at 11:30 a.m., wind blowing a gale from the west, clouds of dust flying.
The store is kept by Martin & Beason, and as they have just come in, do not know how many goods they will need to supply the fall trade, but intend to stay, and they are quite confident of the country being success in the near future.
There is another store, kept by Bracken & Kimball, 6 miles nearer Badger Mountain. The proprietors came into the country last September and are very much discouraged, say that two wagon-loads of goods would overstock them.
Gray also noted that Ellensburg had become a principal supply point for the Douglas County plateau. But it was a long haul from Ellensburg, and ferry service across the Columbia seems to have been less than deluxe. While the ferry could carry 1,500 pounds of freight, Gray reported, horses had to swim and their owners not only were charged $5 to ride the ferry but also were required to pull on the lines which enabled the vessel to cross.
Meanwhile, county government was beginning to function in Okanogan City. The original commissioner’s minutes books are still held by the Douglas County auditor.
Okanogan City had long since tried to bring in a water well. The result was a dry hole. There were, apparently, no resources for further effort. The notion of forever hauling water to the county seat had become intolerable.
Sometime in 1886 one of the county commissioners, R. Miles, moved that the capital be moved west and south 2 ½ miles to a lake. Commissioners F.H. Bosworth and Charles A. Wilcox voted him down.
On November 2, 1886, an election was held on the county seat issue. Waterville received 112 votes, Douglas City 56, Okanogan City 7, and a place called Oneida, 1.
This would seem to have been a decisive result. But nothing happened until a new board of commissioners convened on May 2, 1887. Its members were P.J. Young, H.N. Wilcox, and J.W. Stephens. Their first order of business was to canvass results of the November election. Sure enough, Waterville had won. Charley Kerr’s article in the Wenatchee World wrote:
The board declared Waterville duly elected, only to find that Auditor Steiner refused to move the county records to the new county seat.
At the meeting of May 23 one of the commissioners reported on his trip to Sprague to get a Fourth Judicial District court order directing Steiner to move the records.
The long trip, probably on horseback, resulted in the traveler finding that the judge was away on his judicial circuit. However, a sympathetic prosecuting attorney told Douglas County commissioner he didn’t need a court order.
All the commissioners had to do, legally, the lawyer told him, was adopt a resolution directing the sheriff to go and get the records. This seems to have been done.
Douglas County seat for 3 years and 3 months, Okanogan City, with removal of the county records and officials, swiftly faded. Two years later, in his Orondo Weekly News, J.B. Smith reported that little was left of Okanogan City except for a root cellar and the "well fenced grave" of Mr. Coyle, who had operated the hotel.
In time, both of these disappeared under wheat crops and summer fallow. Then, a single Box Elder, last of the Okanogan City shade trees, remained to mark the site of the first county seat of Douglas County.
At least, Herman Janssen recollected it as a Box Elder. Janssen was farming three miles southeast of the site of Okanogan City when Charley Kerr interviewed him in 1971. He showed Kerr the approximate location of the townsite, now owned by Robert Mittlestaedt, and recalled:
"Long after everything else was gone, people farmed around that tree. It finally died, was taken out. I’d say about 30 years ago."
And that was the end of the original Okanogan City.
The Original Okanogan City
until a dry well and Waterville done it in.
By Bruce A. Wilson
