Pataha City, W. T. (1889)

Pataha City, W. T. (1889)

Pataha City (Wash.) -- Aerial views -- Maps<br>Pataha City (Wash.) -- Pictorial works

1 view : col ; 30 x 42 cm.<br>Insets: Houser & Harford grain elevator, Harford & Son Bankers, Residence R. M. Smith, and the Residence Mrs. Lillie Stiles.<br>Scanned from: History of the Pacific Northwest : Oregon and Washington. Portland, Or. : North Pacific History Co., 1889. v. 2, p. 422 <br>In 1881, the newly formed Garfield County held its county seat at Pataha City for one year. It transferred the next year three miles away to Pomeroy, Washington, but the fact that Pataha City held the honor even temporarily shows that the town was strong and growing at that point in time. The name Pataha is a Nez Perce word that means "bushy creek". The town incorporated in 1875, as more and more people began to settle there. It became a popular spot after the arrival of three economies: the shipping/transportation industry, winter wheat farming, and flour production. The Pataha-Alpowa stage line stopped in the town, and a shipping business running the Snake River was also established some time after. Prior to 1870, Pataha was mostly a cattle raising region, but soon prospered as a farming town with the introduction of a hearty strain of wheat. The future looked bright for Pataha until 1886. In that year the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company built a track running up to the town of Pomeroy and greatly improved transportation methods in the area. However, Pomeroy had long been Pataha City's rival, and refused to extend the line into the next town. Pataha City withered away when more and more businesses and farmers switched from shipping transport to the rails. The gristmill business (the Houser Mill or Pataha Flour Mill for example) continued on for a number of years due to a high international demand for its quality product. However, it too closed down by 1940, when the federal government placed costly and rigid regulations on small businesses.

Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, WSU Libraries

Portland, Or. : North Pacific History Company

1889

Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections

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Is part of History of the Pacific Northwest : Oregon and Washington : embracing an account of the original discoveries on the Pacific coast of North America, and a description of the conquest, settlement and subjugation of the vast country included in the original territory of Oregon : also interesting biographies of the earliest settlers and more prominent men and women of the Pacific Northwest, including a statistical and graphic description of the climate, soil, productions, industries, improvements and occupations, as well as the natural advantages and resources and artificial acquirements of the great states of Oregon and Washington.

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English

Maps<br>Bird's-eye views

WSU 349<br>F852 .H67 1889 v. 2 c.2

United States--Washington (Territory)--Pataha City