Green Bluff, Washington
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (October 2017) |
Green Bluff, Washington | ||
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ZIP code 99005, 99021 | ||
Area code | 509 | |
GNIS feature ID | 1512254[1] |
Green Bluff is a small unincorporated farming community and census-designated place in Spokane County, Washington, it is named after a nearby cliff. Its elevation is 2,310 feet (700 m).
The
Early history
Long ago Native Americans burned away the underbrush on the bluff to give them better vision while they hunted game. A repercussion of this act was the growth of thick green grass around the evergreen trees, giving the area a park-like appearance. The bluff was given the name "Green Bluff" by early pioneers.
Peone Prairie, a valley to the south of the bluff was a gathering place for Native American tribes who frequented Green Bluff. Baptiste Peone was chief of the valley camp, and his wife and children were baptized by Ref. J.M. Cataldo in 1864. Cataldo became missionary for the Spokanees in 1867, and soon baptized every member of the camp.
As many as 500 Native Americans gathered in the valley for horse races. Green Bluff was favored as a lookout spot and hunting ground for the natives of the area. Most of the trappers and hunters eventually moved on, and a lumber industry with several saw mills arose in the area. Some pioneers took logs to Newman Lake, and traded them for lumber. Many homes were built from the area’s wood.[2]
Some families from
Since Green Bluff was a day’s ride by wagon northeast of Spokane, in 1909 the area was officially called the "Green Bluff Township #20." Officers who carried out governing duties such as a clerk, assessor and treasurer were elected by the community and held monthly and annual meetings until 1972, when the township was disbanded by demand of the county. It was one of the last townships in the area.[5]
The Green Bluff Grange is described as "an agricultural fraternity and its purpose is to build a program of fellowship, service and member activities."[6] Green Bluff Grange #300 was first organized in 1909, and meetings were held twice a month, on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. In March 1909, the idea of building a community hall was proposed, and the hall was soon built by many local people who purchased shares. Meetings were held in the hall except when the $5 a month rent could not be paid. On those months, meetings were held in the schoolhouse. Then in 1916 the Hall burned down. There were long periods of inactivity at this point, until 1929 when the idea of building a new Grange Hall was proposed. It wasn’t until 1934 that an old boarding house in Elk, Washington was torn down and the wood was used to build the new Grange Hall. It was completed in May 1935, and still stands to this day, serving the community every month.[7]
There are many farms on Green Bluff which can be found at GreenbluffGrowers.com. Green Bluff is known for
Local buildings
In central Green Bluff, there is a school, a church, a fire station, a grange hall, and a general store.
- School
Green Bluff School District #101 was formed on February 18, 1891. Land was purchased in 1891 for purpose of building a school. Another acre of land was given to the school some years later. In 1913, more property was purchased, giving the school ground a total of 3.2 acres (13,000 m2). In the early years, the school was surrounded by
In 1952 it was faced with
- Church
The first Green Bluff United Methodist Church was built in 1909. It was created by the community, since until that time, only a visiting minister provided
- General store
The Green Bluff General Store has existed for over a hundred years, surviving two locations, two fires and three different buildings. It no longer has the full-service use it once did, but the location on the corner of Green Bluff and Day-Mt. Spokane Rd. hasn’t changed since 1910. It was originally located at the corner of Halliday and Day-Mt. Spokane Rd., and called "Abbott’s Store." After a year or two the store closed due to a property dispute. In 1910 the first store in its present location was built. It burned around 1923 or ’24. Rev. Wellington operated the "Green Bluff Mercantile" for twenty years, sometimes marrying people in the store rather than the church. In 1955 the store burned down, and a replacement store wasn’t built until 1958. It still stands to this day, although there have been many different owners.[10] Nowadays, the store is relatively abandoned, only opened occasionally to sell arts and crafts.
- Fire station
The original Green Bluff Fire Station was built in the early 1960s northeast of the Green Bluff store and church. It was a small red building housing a 5 to 7-thousand gallon water tank beneath it. Need for a fire station arose after the 1955 burning of the general store and a local barn. Fundraising for the fire station took place in 1960. The first
References
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Green Bluff, Washington
- ^ Hogue, Jadee, Haldar, Anna and Mae Turner, "Green Bluff’s Heritage", Ye Galleon Press, 1984, p. 231
- ^ Hogue, Jadee, Haldar, Anna and Mae Turner, "Green Bluff’s Heritage", Ye Galleon Press, 1984, p. 232
- ^ Hogue, Jadee, Haldar, Anna and Mae Turner, "Green Bluff’s Heritage", Ye Galleon Press, 1984, p. 234
- ^ Hogue, Jadee, Haldar, Anna and Mae Turner, "Green Bluff’s Heritage", Ye Galleon Press, 1984, p. 13
- ^ Hogue, Jadee, Haldar, Anna and Mae Turner, "Green Bluff’s Heritage", Ye Galleon Press, 1984, p. 150
- ^ Hogue, Jadee, Haldar, Anna and Mae Turner, "Green Bluff’s Heritage", Ye Galleon Press, 1984, p. 150-151
- ^ Hogue, Jadee, Haldar, Anna and Mae Turner, "Green Bluff’s Heritage", Ye Galleon Press, 1984, p. 188-195
- ^ Hogue, Jadee, Haldar, Anna and Mae Turner, "Green Bluff’s Heritage", Ye Galleon Press, 1984, p. 140-141
- ^ Hogue, Jadee, Haldar, Anna and Mae Turner, "Green Bluff’s Heritage", Ye Galleon Press, 1984, p. 231
- ^ Hogue, Jadee, Haldar, Anna and Mae Turner, "Green Bluff’s Heritage", Ye Galleon Press, 1984, p. 144-145
External links
- "Green Bluff". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture. Green Bluff Series. Describes characteristics of the soil in the area.