A 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.