The Unclaimed Frontier of the Central Valleys
An 1876 editorial reflects on the economic potential of the Yakima and Kittitas valleys, eyeing the end of tribal reservation boundaries for land settlement.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
One whose observations of Washington Territory are confined to the section west of the Cascades can form only an imperfect idea of the Territory as a whole. The region east of the Cascades, between the mountains and the Columbia River, being a country of plains and grassy hills, has hitherto been devoted to stock-raising. The breadth of arable soil along the numerous streams that thread the district will, however, as soon as transportation facilities are furnished, make grazing secondary to the grain interest in that section. The principal valleys are Yakima, with its tributaries; the Kittitas, Attanam, Wenas, Naches, Moxee, Cowiche, and Selah in the center. The largest, the Kittitas and Klickitat, are said to contain 450 and 250 square miles of land, respectively. The Simcoe Valley, a lateral of the Yakima, on the south side, is reported as having a length of 80 miles by 25 in width, mostly splendid farming land, well watered. It is, however, altogether devoted to the use of the Indians; but it is several times as extensive as the Indians require, or can make use of, and as the reservation, according to the terms of the treaty, expires next year, it is hoped that a large part of the valley will then be thrown open to settlement. Our only hope of retaining our commercial hold upon this section of the Territory is to advocate the construction of our Snoqualmie Pass road. The coming of the iron horse will give to these beautiful valleys an impetus that will make Central Washington one of the leading sections of the Territory in all the elements of industrial prosperity.
“It is, however, altogether devoted to the use of the Indians; but it is several times as extensive as the Indians require... and as the reservation expires next year, it is hoped that a large part of the valley will then be thrown open to settlement.”
This 1876 editorial highlights the relentless drive of mid-19th-century settler-colonialism, specifically eyeing the expansion of agricultural and rail interests into what was then protected tribal land. It echoes contemporary debates in the Pacific Northwest regarding land use, the commodification of open space, and the ongoing struggle to balance regional growth with historical stewardship.
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