OMAK, Washington | Walking & Driving Tour Through History #Omak #WashingtonState #OkanoganCounty #4k

 

Explore Omak, Washington, on a walking and driving tour through the largest city in Okanogan County. 

Located along the Okanogan River in north-central Washington, Omak has grown into an important commercial center for the surrounding Okanogan Valley. But just over a century ago, much of what we see here today was farmland. 

In this video, we'll walk through Omak's commercial district while exploring the story of how the town began in 1907, when Ben Ross divided 20 acres of his alfalfa field into town lots. 

We'll look at Omak's connection to neighboring Okanogan, the Okanogan Irrigation Project, the arrival of irrigation water, the growth of the region's orchards, Omak's incorporation in 1911, and the arrival of the Great Northern Railway in 1914. 

Then we'll finish with a drive through modern-day Omak. 

There's much more to Omak's story than we can cover in a single video. The Omak Stampede, lumber industry, Colville Indian Reservation, historic businesses, buildings, and the people who shaped this community all deserve stories of their own—and we'll explore more of them in future videos. 

If you enjoy the history of Washington's small towns, forgotten places, historic buildings, and backroads, subscribe and come along as we continue exploring the communities and stories of the Pacific Northwest. 

My trip to Okanogan on the same trip: https://youtu.be/c64NgdFUaI8 

My visit to Molson, Washington: https://youtu.be/PSeNseDsPUo 

My inspection of Tonasket, Washington: https://youtu.be/M7VGYkEUkqo 

Thanks for watching, and until the next one—Cheers! 

 #Omak #WashingtonState #OkanoganCounty #4k

Exploring Okanogan, Washington | Courthouse, Downtown & Local History #Okanogan #WashingtonState #4k

 

Explore Okanogan, Washington, a historic small town along the Okanogan River and the county seat of Washington State's largest county by area. 

In this video, we'll travel through downtown Okanogan and discover how this small community grew from a frontier settlement known as Alma into an important center of government, agriculture and commerce. 

One of the biggest turning points came in 1914, when Okanogan won a hard-fought election to become the Okanogan County seat. Soon afterward, construction began on the impressive Okanogan County Courthouse, whose distinctive clock tower still overlooks the community today. 

We'll also explore historic Second Avenue, once lined with hotels, mercantile stores, banks, saloons and other businesses serving the surrounding agricultural country. 

Along the way, we'll look at the arrival of irrigation and the Great Northern Railway, the importance of apples, cattle and lumber, and how neighboring Omak eventually became the larger commercial center while Okanogan retained the county government. 

We'll also visit several Okanogan landmarks, including the historic Post Office and the 1922 Masonic Temple, which once housed the Paramount Theatre and later the Avalon Theatre. 

And we'll discover one amusing detail from Okanogan's earliest city government: apparently one of the new city council's priorities was making sure the Big Dan Saloon had its liquor license! 

Today, Okanogan remains a small community with a surprisingly rich history—one that can easily be missed if you're simply passing through. 

Join me as we explore Okanogan, Washington, and discover another piece of small-town Pacific Northwest history. 

If you enjoy exploring small towns, historic places and forgotten stories throughout Washington and the Pacific Northwest, consider subscribing. There are plenty more towns—and plenty more stories—waiting just down the road. 

#Okanogan #WashingtonState #SmallTownHistory #4k #OkanoganCounty #walkingtour 

Pilot Rock, Oregon | A Small Town at the Base of the Blues #PilotRockOregon #EasternOregon

 

 

Welcome to Pilot Rock, Oregon, a small community located about fifteen miles south of Pendleton at the base of the Blue Mountains. 

Pilot Rock was named for a prominent basalt formation that early travelers used as a navigational landmark. Long before road signs and GPS, the rock helped guide people traveling through this part of northeastern Oregon. 

In this video, we explore Pilot Rock’s streets and learn about the town’s history. Established during the 1860s, the community developed as a trading and supply center for the surrounding farms and ranches. Its post office opened in 1868, and Pilot Rock incorporated in 1902. 

The arrival of the Umatilla Central Railroad in 1907 connected the town with regional markets and helped transport grain, livestock, lumber, supplies and passengers. During the twentieth century, timber and the Pilot Rock Lumber Company became important parts of the local economy. 

Today, Pilot Rock has approximately 1,300 residents. Agriculture, ranching and wood products remain closely connected to this working Eastern Oregon community. 

Join me as we visit Pilot Rock, Oregon—a small town with a name inspired by one of the region’s natural landmarks. 

 If you enjoyed the video, please give it a like and subscribe for more tours of small towns, historic communities and overlooked places throughout Oregon, Washington and the Pacific Northwest. 

Do you live in Pilot Rock, or have memories of visiting the town? Please share your stories in the comments. 

 #PilotRockOregon #EasternOregon #SmallTownAmerica #OregonHistory #UmatillaCounty #BlueMountains #HistoricOregon #OregonTravel #SmallTownHistory #PacificNorthwest 

Molson Washington: The Ghost Town That Moved #MolsonWashington #WashingtonState #OkanoganCounty

 

 

Explore Molson, Washington, one of the most fascinating ghost towns in the Pacific Northwest. 

Located high in the Okanogan Highlands near the Canadian border, Molson was once a booming gold-mining community of roughly 300 people. But within little more than a year, its population reportedly collapsed to only about 12. 

That wasn't the end of Molson. 

The arrival of the Great Northern Railway brought the community back to life, only for a dispute over ownership of the original townsite to divide Molson again. Residents and businesses relocated, creating what became known as Old Molson and New Molson.

In this video, we'll explore Old Molson, visit the historic Molson Schoolhouse Museum, and continue into New Molson while following the remarkable history of this remote Washington community.

We'll look at Molson's gold-mining boom, the Poland China Mine, the arrival and eventual abandonment of the railroad, the dispute that divided the town, the Molson State Bank, the hotels destroyed by fire, the old schoolhouse, and the people who kept this community alive long after its boom years had ended.

Today, Old Molson has been preserved as an open-air museum filled with historic buildings, machinery, mining equipment, wagons, tools, and other reminders of life in northern Okanogan County more than a century ago. 

00:00 Old Molson 

05:39 Molson Schoolhouse Museum 

10:18 Molson Grange Hall 

10:54 New Molson 

12:43 Chesaw Road Drive 

Molson may be called a ghost town, but its story is much more complicated than that. 

If you enjoy Washington State history, ghost towns, forgotten communities, historic buildings, and exploring the small towns of the Pacific Northwest, I hope you'll enjoy this visit to Molson. 

#MolsonWashington #GhostTowns #WashingtonState #OkanoganCounty #PacificNorthwest 

Exploring Tonasket, Washington | History of the Upper Okanogan Valley #Tonasket #Washington #4k

 

Nestled in Washington's beautiful Okanogan Valley, Tonasket is a small town with a rich history dating back long before the arrival of European settlers. Join me as we explore the historic downtown and discover how Tonasket grew from a Native American gathering place into an important agricultural and transportation center in north-central Washington. 

Along the way we'll learn about the arrival of the Great Northern Railway, the growth of the area's famous apple orchards, and how Tonasket developed into the commercial heart of the Upper Okanogan Valley. 

We'll also take a look at the fascinating history of the Okanogan Family Barter Faire—one of the Pacific Northwest's largest and longest-running barter gatherings, attracting thousands of visitors every autumn. 

If you enjoy Washington history, small-town America, historic downtowns, road trips, and forgotten places, you've come to the right channel. 

Places featured in this video: 

Tonasket, Washington 

Okanogan River 

Historic Downtown Tonasket 

Great Northern Railway 

Okanogan Family Barter Faire 

👍 If you enjoyed this tour, please LIKE the video, SUBSCRIBE to the channel, and leave a comment telling me which Washington town I should visit next! 

Thanks for watching! 

#Tonasket #Washington #History #OkanoganCounty #SmallTownAmerica #PacificNorthwest #RoadTrip #HistoricDowntown #WashingtonHistory #BarterFaire 

The Un-Forgotten Gold Town of Oroville, Washington #Oroville #Washington #4k #OkanoganCounty

 

Just a few miles south of the Canadian border sits one of Washington State's most fascinating small towns. 

In this video, we explore the historic downtown of Oroville, Washington, tracing its story from Native American history to the gold rush that transformed the Okanogan Valley. We'll visit the century-old buildings that witnessed booming mining camps, bustling hotels, banks, saloons, and businesses that served thousands of prospectors searching for gold. 

We'll also examine how Oroville survived long after many western mining towns disappeared, reinventing itself through agriculture, ranching, timber, and cross-border commerce.  

If you enjoy forgotten history, historic downtowns, old buildings, ghost towns, mining history, and exploring small communities across the Pacific Northwest, this channel is for you. 

More Washington History 

► Republic, Washington: 

https://youtu.be/Sq0_STtnI_k 

Thanks for watching!  

Please Like, Subscribe, and Share to help preserve the history of small towns throughout Washington State. 

#Oroville #Washington #WashingtonHistory #GoldRush #MiningHistory #HistoricDowntown #PacificNorthwest #OkanoganCounty #EasternWashington #SmallTownAmerica #History #TravelWashington #HistoricBuildings #OldWest #ExploreWashington