Krupp, Washington — or is it Marlin?
Hidden in the wheat country of Eastern Washington is one of the smallest incorporated towns in the state. Today there isn't much left of Krupp, but this tiny Grant County community has one of the strangest histories of any town I've visited.
Krupp grew along the Great Northern Railway and became a thriving little agricultural community surrounded by wheat country. Then, in 1909, a devastating fire destroyed nearly the entire business district.
The town rebuilt.
During World War I, residents decided that "Krupp" wasn't the best name for an American town. They began calling it Marlin — but somehow the name change was never made completely official. More than a century later, you'll still find both names here.
Then came Sunrise '71.
In 1971, promoters planned a massive three-day rock festival just outside this tiny farming community. As many as 50,000 concertgoers were expected. Local residents fought the festival, the courts stopped it, hundreds of law-enforcement officers converged on the area, and about a thousand young people arrived anyway.
After roadblocks, arrests, confiscated food and even tear gas elsewhere in Grant County, Sunrise '71 became a legendary rock festival for one very unusual reason:
There was never any rock music.
Wilson Creek: https://youtu.be/Zbn-86Mj95Q
Join me as we explore what remains of Krupp/Marlin, Washington, and discover the remarkable story of a little town that has proven surprisingly difficult to get rid of.
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