Touchet, Washington - An Illustrated History of Walla Walla County, State of Washington

An Illustrated History of Walla Walla County, State of Washington

a transfer and railway station, and has at the \\'alla rivers. Its development has been enjjresent time a population of probably not more tirely the result of the irrigation system estabthan one hundred and fifty people. The chief lished upon the Touchet during the past four needs only water t(j make it liiglily profluctive. Fruits and vegetables mature at least two weeks earlier than at Walla Walla and this gives the region a very imjjcjrtant advantage. There is a ijopulation of about two hundred people, ef|uipi)cd with school house, churchy store and shops. Among the industrious and energetic men who have made Touchet what it is may be mentioned Mr. .\. Zaring. John Zaring, Woodson Cummings, James Cummings, Will Cummings, and Messrs. Gardener, Burnap and Cunningham.

The portion of Walla Walla county from Touchet to Walla Walla and extending southward from the line of railroad up the Walla Walla river to the town of Milton in Oregon, is entirely difterent fruni anything we have seen in our journey through the county hitherto. A level valley of from half a mile t(i two miles in width, covered more or less with timber and lu.xuriant grass, llmugli with occasional spots of strong alkali, and with a great abundance of running water - it is peculiarly adapted to orchard, garden, and haying purposes.

About four miles above Touchet we pass the famous Louden dairy ranch. It is one of the finest and most extensive ranches of this kind in the state. Two miles beyond Mr. Louden's we pass Frenchtown, marked by a large Catholic church and a number of closely connected ranches. These were established by Hudson's Bay employes, who, upon breaking up of that company, took up places at various points throughout the valley. Frenchtown is noted from a historical standpoint as being the site <if the great Indian battle of 1856, elsewhere described at length. Two miles east of Frenchtown, we ])ass a granite monument crowning a steep hill, and this we may recognize to be the Whitman monument. If we have time to leave the railroad and climb the monument hill, we shall find ourselves looking down upon a historic spot. Xot only history, but present beauty surrounds us. for a fairer scene rarely meets the eye of the traveler. To the west the sinuous course of the Walla Walla is lost among the rolling uplands and the barren looking steppes of the Umatilla highlands. To the south the luxuriant valley stretches its vivid green across the golden slopes and azure heights of the Blue mountains. Toward the east the spires and roofs of Walla Walla are framed against a background of farm land, checkered with alternate gold and Ijlack, which far beyond the line of ranches may be seen, at most seasons of the year, to break against the eternal frost of the highest peaks .if the Blue mountains.

If we should still further extend our side journey to the extent of taking a buggy dri\e from Wliiinian Mission up the valley of th.e Walla Walla, we should find ourselves passing through a line of beautiful gardens and orchards, which extend almost without a break to Milton. Here reside many well ki.'own oldtimers, among whom we might name .Messrs. Willis Keser. Cu.skar, Xewcomb. Harrer, Benson, while just over the Oregon line is found the jewel of all the places, that belonging to .Mr. O. R. Bailou, one of the foremost fruir men and promoters of all ])ub!ic enterprises to be iound in this country. The country between Whitman station and Walla Walla, and for a number i^f miles south of the road joining the two, is rapidly becoming the garden of Walla Walla. In this region, which is about six miles in width by ten in length, may be found most of the large orchards, gardens, and nurseries of the county. Here are found, in addition to the places already mentioned, the great fruit ranch of Dr. X. G. Blalock. There are also found here the beautiful places of Mr. Ritz and Mr. Offner. Besides these may be mentioned the smaller though not less fertile farms belonging to Messrs. J. M. Goe. T. Lyons, M. McCarthy, Dunham, Villa Whitney, Campbell, and many others worthy of more particular mention did space permit. A number of productive places around College Place should be named. About five miles west of Walla Walla the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company started an experiment station, which is now the property of the United States government. Hundreds of different plants, especially of the grasses, have been tested on this place, and found to be adapted to various special regions of this country.

Again passing through Walla Walla without stay, we find ourselves journeying swiftly over the Dry creek plains and hills toward the northern portion of the county. The country immediately north of Walla Walla consists of a magnificent bench of the finest farming land, a considerable portion of which is owned by the Baker estate, Thomas Moore. Chris Ennis, and George Dacres.

Eight miles north of Walla Walla we reach \'alley Grove on Dry creek. Up and down this valley stretches a beautiful scene of verdure, in contrast with the bare hills on either siJ'e. We say bare hills, but it must be observed that these bare hills are almost an unbroken wheat field. North and east of Valley Grove are found some of the most substantial farms in the county. The Berryman, Hadley and Thomas ranches lie to the north, the Nelson place to the south, the Drumheller, Burr, Robinson, Bowers, Loney. Paul and Paine ranches to the west. Several miles to the northeast, if we should journey over the rolling hills, we should reach the Hungate and Rondema ranches. This region, like most of the northern and western portions of Walla Walla county, v.as for many years supposed not to be fit for cultivation. The developments of the past few years have been a matter of great surprise. During the harvest of 1900, the region betwixt Valley Grove and Prescott far suqjassed the supposed more fertile foot-hill belt south and east of Walla Walla. Eighteen miles from Walla Walla we reach the only remaining town of the county. This is