History of Chelan, Washington
To discover the richness of the history of Chelan, Washington one must first examine the relationship of the development of Washington State as a consequence of North American United States Northwestern territorial expansion. The first exploration of this region that was once called Oregon Country was accomplished as part of the Lewis & Clark Expedition of 1805. Soon thereafter, British explorer and fur trader David Thompson cultivated fur trading by establishing the first trading posts and later a fort located at the mouth of the Okanogan River which flows through modern-day Chelan. During the period following the start of War of 1812, many laid claim to the burgeoning North American northwest territory, which is best defined as "The Oregon Question" period. "The Question" was settled on October 21, 1872. By the early 20th century the discovery of gold, expanding shipping and lumber industries, and agricultural feats began an era of moderate commercial development.
Native American Chelans were a viable part of the trading community. These early Chelans lived along the Wenatchee River and got their name from the writings of fur trader Alexander Ross. They were avid travelers that traded with the tribes of Puget Sound nearly 50 miles away. The Wenatchee Treaty of 1855 entered into by several Native American tribes and Gov. Isaac Stevens relinquished the indigenous people's title to over 10 million acres of north central Washington and formally recognized the Chelans and Wenatchees (although they spoke different languages) as the Consolidated Tribes and Bands of the Yakima Nation. Following the signing of the treaties war broke out against White prospectors in 1855 and 1858. After the dust settled, only a few small allotments near Lake Chelan remained in the hands of Native Americans and most eventually settled on the Colville Reservation.
During the 19th century missionaries, trappers, and settlers of the Chelan area made the first technological advancements laying the foundation for modern commercial developments. Catholicism also played a part through the clergy that paved the way with churches and missions build along the Wenatchee River in an area that later became known as Mission Valley. Father Grassi introduced irrigation techniques to his Native American parishioners, the first pioneering agricultural advancement for the region known today as Chelan. According to HistoryLink.org, the first White settlers arrived at Lake Chelan in 1886. In 1891, Lake Chelan experienced a major developmental growth spurt with the arrival of The Lake Shore and Eastern Railroad of Seattle headed by Judge Thomas Burke. Judge Burke surveyed and partitioned the area and sold lots to new arrivals in 1892. The first trains pulled in from the East in late 1892 and the residents of Wenatchee became incorporated on December 23, 1892. The railroads brought new settlers and a means to ship stock and produce. However, due to the challenging terrain, irrigation became the lynchpin of agricultural economic growth for the region. By the 1930, the Federal government played a part in the growth and expansion of the Chelan area by investing in the construction of irrigation and flood control dams along the Columbia. In 1937, the Bonneville Power Administration was created by Congress to distribute the dams' cheap and abundant electricity.
Following the steady agricultural and economic progress of Chelan, was a cultural awakening that adopted a Bavarian theme that thrives to this day. Chelan is also home to one the nation's oldest motion picture venues, Ruby Theatre. The Ruby Theatre opened in 1914; showed its first 'talkie' in 1930, Sweetie; and added the innovation of a mirror phonic sound system in 1947.