In 1883, Stephen Boise placed a squatter’s claim
on the shrub steppe plateau in Eastern Washington, high above a big
bend in the Columbia River. Soon, he built a cabin and dug a
well. The well produced water, and lots of it…it was the only
available water for miles around. Before long, the site was
to become a county seat; the precious liquid would give the Town of
Waterville its name.
A.T. Greene bought the Boise land claim in
1885, with visions of building a town. He deeded and platted 40
acres for use as the original townsite, which he called
Waterville. Waterville boosters wanted the town to be the county
seat of newly established Douglas County. The problem was,
Douglas County already had a county seat, a small town named Okanogan,
six miles to the northeast. Okanogan, however, was dry… despite
several attempts, not a single well produced a drop of water. So
at a political convention in Okanogan, the Waterville contingent
produced a barrel of water and insisted on moving the county seat to
its source. Bowing to popular demand, the Commissioners did so on
May 2, 1887, declaring Waterville to be the new county seat. On March
22, 1889, Waterville became an incorporated town in Washington
Territory. That same year, town founder A. T. Greene built the
first Douglas County Courthouse in Waterville and sold it to the newly
formed county for one dollar.
Washington became the 42nd state in the union
shortly thereafter, so the Town of Waterville was re-incorporated under
the laws of Washington State on May 3, 1890. By 1892, the town
boasted several hundred residents, and a number of merchants to serve
them and the surrounding rural population.
Early dreams of cattle farming on the plateau were
dashed when the harsh winter of 1889-1890 killed most of the local
stock. Thereafter, potatoes and wheat vied for supremacy as the
dominant cash crop. Eventually, wheat farming won out and became
the mainstay of the local economy. Blessed with fertile soil,
plenty of winter snow and spring rain, dry summers, and high market
demand, local wheat farmers prospered in the early years, and the Town
of Waterville grew and prospered with them.
Fire wiped out many of the early wood frame
commercial structures in Waterville. The commercial street was
moved one block as new buildings sprang up, this time of fire resistive
masonry construction. The buildings in this district became a
lively and prosperous economic hub that served the entire
region. Today, the one hundred year old Waterville
commercial district is listed on the National Register of Historic
places, as are the nearby Waterville Hotel and the Nifty Theatre, other
buildings from the same era. In 1905, a stately brick courthouse,
still in use today and listed on the State Historic Register, replaced
the original wood frame courthouse built in 1889.
Over the decades, the economy of Waterville
adapted to the vagaries of wheat farming and changes of life
style. Farmers faced tough times when drought or disease caused
crop failures, or when market prices bottomed out. Thanks to efficient
machinery, labor intensive farming practices went by the wayside… but
with them, a traditional source of local employment.
Attracted to malls and big box stores in the valley, many local
residents started shopping elsewhere. Because of these
changes, sadly, Waterville’s business sector lost much of its former
luster.
Recently, some historic commercial buildings have
been lovingly restored and reopened, or converted to new uses.
Other buildings wait patiently for new opportunities to serve the
community. Today, fiber optics and cheap electricity show promise
of attracting more entrepreneurs and creating new jobs. Attracted
by clean air, sunny weather, and incredible local geography, visitors
are also discovering that there are plenty of fun things to do in the
area, away from crowds. Waterville is experiencing a revival as a small
American town, and a good place to live, visit, and do business.
For more information about the history of
Waterville, visit the following site:
Waterville Alumni Memories Website
or, visit the Douglas County Historical Museum in
Waterville. In addition to a wealth of displays and archived
material about Waterville, the museum sells several books about the
history Waterville and the surrounding area. www.museumsusa.org/museums/info/1158127
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