EARLY SETTLERS

Up until the mid-1850's the Kittitas Valley saw very little pioneer settlers. In 1853 pioneers began to migrate into the Kittitas Valley, with miners and cattlemen to follow. The first adventurous settlers were the Splawns and the Thorps. Early settlers focused primarily on the Taneum Canyon, which provided protection and shelter to their cattle during the winters. 

 

1860 saw an increase of settlers trickling into the Kittitas Valley. Charles and Dulcina Splawn, Tillman Houser, Martin Dervan and his wife, and F.M. Thorp were among some of the settlers. The first Post Office established in the Kittitas Valley was the Taneum Station at the home of F.M. Thorp in 1869. Soon after, irrigation ditches were created and cattle running gave way to farming.

 

20th CENTURY & BEYOND

Though the towns economy remained steady throughout the first few decades of the 20th century it was not until the 1920's and 30's that the town of Thorp experienced a remarkable economic boost, despite the Great Depression that had consumed the nation. The period's properity was led by the increase in timber workers at the Cascade Logging Company. 1928 brought more activity to the area with the construction of the Highline Canal.

 

On the morning of May 28, 1934 a serious fire burned many small businesses of the Thorp Community, including a hotel and a mercantile. None of the businesses that burned were ever rebuilt, and not too long after on August 16, 1943 another fire devistated the business district of the Thorp community.

 

With the realization that the fires could have been worse, coupled with the past two fires, gave movement to purchasing fire equipment for the small town. In the year of 1943 the Thorp Fire Department was created, now Kittitas County Fire and Rescue District 1; it is the oldest operating fire department in Washington State.

 

Soon after, with the departure of canal workers and the timber industry subsiding the town's economy suffered, many businesses closed to never reopen, and the boom town era came to a close by the end of World War II.

 

Today Thorp remains a small unincorporated farming community known for it's cattle, timothy hay, alfalfa, and grass hay farms. Thorp may be small but huge in historical importance to the Kittitas Valley.