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

An Illustrated History of Walla Walla County, State of Washington

This musically sounding name signifies the same, though in a different dialect, as \\'alla Walla; that is. "abundance of water." Wallula was foundetl l)y the Northwest Fur Company. It was one of nine forts estajjlished or acquired by the English fur companies at various points in their vast domain. An examination of a map would show that these forts were established with great regard to their strategic and commercial importance. The entire list of forts is as follows: Vancouver, Colville, Okanogan, Kootenai, Walla Walla, Hall. Boise, L^mpqua, and Nisquall}'.

Fort Walla Walla, which was the original of Wallula, was at first named Fort Nez Perce. It was established in 1818, by Peter Skeen Ogden, who was at that time a member of the Northwest Fur Company, but after the union of that company with the Hudson's Bay Company he became, and for many years continued to be, the chief factor of the company in this part of their territory. From the first this location seems to ha\e been of a warlike and violent character. The original fort was established upon the bank of the river, near the house formerly occupied by Joseph Merchant, now of Walla \\'alla. Some of the remains of the buildings existed to within a few years, but were subsequently swept away by the great flood of 1894. It seems never to have been of great consecpience as a trading post, but was very important as a stopping place for trains, and a point of defense against the Ind an^. The original fort consisted of an enclosure of pickets enconip;issing alxiut an acre, with a platform inside, from which all the approaches could be commanded. .At the northeast and southwest corners basti(jns were built. Within the enclosure tliere were fuur buildings, built. of logs and adobe brick, one story high. As a means of subsistence for this fort there was established about twenty miles up the Walla \\'alla river a dairy farm of about twenty acres. Th.is was in the region now known, from that farm, as Hudson's Bay.

Soon after the establishment of Fort Walla \\'alla, 'Sir. Ogden and his men were attacked by the Indians of the Walla Walla tribe, driven from the fort and compelled to retreat to the island in the Columbia river nearly opposite. Here the trappers completely defeated the Indians, and for some time there were no new attempts upon the fort. This point, however, was subsecpiently the scene of many thrilling Indian encounters. Among others, ArchibakI oMcKinley had an experience which shows something of the nerve necessary for maintaining a post in Indian times. McKinley happened to be entirely alone at one time in the store, which was connected with the ammunition room. The Indians, finding but one man, were upon the point of making a rush upon him and looting the store. ^Ir. McKinley, perceiving their design, seized a lighted candle and held it directly over an open keg of powder, assuring the Indians that if they did not pause he would drop it in and blow both them and himself to the fnur winds. The Indians knew enough about powder to understantl what woukl happen. They cpiailed before the determined eye of the fur trader and rapidly slunk from tlie room.

Under the joint occupation treaty of 1818 between England and the United States, many Americans as well as Englishmen had occasion to visit Fort Walla Walla. Among these -were Captain Bonneville and Nathaniel J. Wyeth. It was in 1834 that Bonneville, after a midwinter journey of excessive hardships.

rode into Fort Walla Walla. Here he was kindly received by Mr. P. C. Pambrun. who at that time was in charge of the post. As illustrative of the Hudson's Bay Comi)any's methods, it may l)e said that, although the agent received Bonnexille with the utmost courtesy, he flatly refused to sell him provisions by which he might equip himself for a further journey. All the agents of the company had been instructed to do nothing which would facilitate the entrance of ri\al traders. Later in that same year of 1834 came the advance guard of American missionaries, in the persons of the }iIethodist missionaries, Jason Lee. Daniel Lee. Cyrus Shepherd and P. L. Edwards. In the next year a guest at Fort Walla Walla was Dr. Samuel Parker, and in 1S36 there \vere received also at the Fort Dr. W hitman and ]\Ir. Spalding" with their wives. In general it may Ije said that the .\mericans were treated I)y the authorities at Fort W'alla W alia with great courtesy and consideration. Vet it was contrary to the policy of the company that Americans, either missionaries or traders, should make permanent establishments, lest in so doing American settlement should follow, and thus interfere with the business operations of the company. Of the part played during the year of the AVhitman massacre by William McBean. then in charge of Fort W'alla W'alla. we ha\e already spoken in the chapter on the Whitman massacre.

The treaty between England and the United States by which Oregon became the territory of the latter, was ratified June 15, 184^1. The- Hudson's Bay Company, however, was allowed to retain possession of its forts until such time as they could make a proper disposition of their property and conchule their business. In consequence of this Fort Walla Walla remained in possession of the Hudson's Bay Company tically a desert until the beginning of settle- the O. R. & X. R. R.,up the Snake river to ment of the country in 1860-61. It then be- Riparia, and it is o\er this line that the main gan to be known as Wallula and became the business of the railroad from Spokane to Portlanding place of the Columbia river steamers.

strangers, gave Wallula a wide though perhaps this distance is within L'matilla county, Orenot enviable notoriety throughout the United gon. We will therefore transfer ourselves from Walla Walla to Wallula, to be shipped thence down the Columbia. The junction of the Northern Pacific and the Oregon Railway & Navigation line in 1882 was the next great event in the history of Wallula. It has, how-