Washington residents and visitors enjoy out-of-the-way places. Many of these hamlets and crossroads were once important junctions for both Natives and Euro-Americans. The following samples each have a story to tell.
WHITE SALMON and BINGEN are Washington neighbors within the scenic Columbia River Gorge. White Salmon rests on a high ridge with a sweeping view of Oregon’s eastern mountains and river traffic. The town is named for a small river west of town. Nearby Bingen overlooks one of the Pacific Northwest’s famous windsurfing centers. German immigrants in 1892 named the town for a Rhine River community.
FRIDAY HARBOR is the largest town in the San Juan Islands. Known as a major ferry stop on San Juan Island, its original name, believe it or not, was Bellevue. Later, it took the name Friday Harbor from a local Hudson’s Bay sheepherder, John Friday.
MAZAMA, a burgeoning village in the Methow Valley, was once an old mining camp. At one time it was the end of the trail when travelling north in the Methow. The name Mazama is Spanish for mountain goat, a likely improvement to its first designation as Goat Creek.
STEPTOE is at the center of what’s known as Palouse Country. Lt. Col. Edward J. Steptoe, U.S. Army, was defeated in a battle with the Native population near today’s Colfax. The nearby 3,673-foot granite and basalt mountain known as Steptoe Butte served as a lookout for both Natives and Europeans, and in the 1880s the promontory was the site of a peculiar two-story hotel and solar observatory. I’ve seen a hang glider take off from this barren peak.
FAIRHAVEN, a southern suburb of Bellingham, was in the 1890s a booming port and mining community. In those rowdy days Fairhaven was called the “Future Metropolis” of Puget Sound. City founder Daniel J. Harris named it from a translation of the Native words “see-see-lich-em,” meaning “safe port” or “quiet place,” hence Fairhaven.
ROSLYN was in the national eye as the scene of a mythical Alaska TV town in the show “Northern Exposure.” The village resembles a Welsh mining town, with clapboard homes along steep streets, most with tin roofs. Early resident Logan Bullitt, general manager of the Northern Pacific Coal Company, named it for Roslyn, New York, his girlfriend’s hometown.
Once again, thank you. A delightful excursion through Washington’s lesser-known names.
I’m happy that my childhood town of Snohomish persevered in keeping the tribal name for the town and river, after many members were relocated to the reservation of Tulalip (and simply returned home later) following the treaty of 1855. I believe they had lived in the area for thousands of years, and the name itself might mean, “lowlands people.” Please keep these articles coming!
Mr. Junius
Thanks for the memory jog, kind sir.
My wife and I really enjoyed Northern Exposure and we visited Roslyn a few times on our way over the pass. It’s a quick jaunt off the freeway and there are some interesting historical and other attractions. Moving on (groans upcoming) . . . .
Fairhaven, near. . . . . . . Q: what do they call residents of Bellingham? A: Bellinghamsters!
Friday Harbor named after some guy. That’s plausible but cheerless news, to those who’ve been saying it was miscommunication – “What bay is this? [shouts from ship to someone on the shore] — “It’s Friday!” [having misheard the question.]