The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1934-11-08
HISTORY OF
I KENNEWICK is
CLUB TOPIC
sr.e He' was Original Name
for Kennewick, According
to Early Settler in Paper
Given on Club Program

4
Given on Club Program
! With thirty in attendance last
pIdsy afternoon at the club house
A. highlands Woman's Club be-
an its years work. The presi-
liant Mrs. F. Hembree, outlined
q plans for the year. Mrs. w. F.
smderman and Mrs. M. G. Clark
ave q history of Kennewick and
~ Highlands. Mrs. Sonderman
,ud Mrs. Clark brought to their
harers a history compiled from
memory and the assistance of
4 hose members still remaining on
4 he Highlands.
The next program will oe the
Christmas party December z, with
"a exchange Of GIFTS
Kennewick, Proper
The original name Of Kennewick
4 It one time-in the early sO's--a
litter addressed to my father, bore
] he name "Tee He", Washington,
4 for the point of delivery and the
name now used "Kennewick" or
FINALLY was spelled Ken-e-wock,
meaning grassy plot or a rest
ing place. The change to the pres
snt name came about during the
period when the N. p. railroad was
being constructed thru this sec
ion. Mr.. III. S. Huson, chief engi-
Eer for the said railroad and in
charge of the work, claims the
honor of writing the name as now
used.
Prior to the year 1892 there was
1 sparse settlement in the Kenne-
gick vicinity, consisting chiefly
Of cattle, horses and some wheat
farming in the "hills." In 1892
January) the Y. /. & /. Company
began the construction of the pres
snf Columbia Irrigation District
canal and inaugurates the COM
mencement of irrigation in the
Kennewick valley. The "panic'
Of 1894-5 and witnessed the fin
ish of the first attempt to sirrigate
the lands and the building of a
city. In 1902, the N. P. entered
into the plan of irrigation, bought
the holdings of the old original
company and began reconstruction
Of the Kennewick canal and the
sale of lands. In 1903 a city be-
gan to rise and Kennewick began
to grow rapidly and assume che
proportions as we see it today.
In the fall of 1908, the Kenne.
wick canal and lands were sold te
9 private company consisting OF
the following persons: j. j. Rud.
hin, o. A. Fechter, David E. Goulo
and Chas. A. Mead. Late In the
rear of 1908, it was decided by the
above-named persons, to develop
the lands now known as the Ilign'
lands and a pumping plant wa:
built, pipe lines constructed ane
the low lift canal began delivery
Of water in April 1909, and thu
high lift pumps and pipe line wa:
Installed and water delivery be
gan in April 1910 for the land:
under the high lift unit.
The Highlands project became
settled community very RAPIDLY
the reason for the quick develop
ment of the tracts and the homes
was the ideal location, domestl,
water, electric lights, telephone
service, school bus transportation
for the school children to tn
& schools in Kennewick and conven
iences, unknown in other farmin.
districts; therefore, in accordanc
\ With the above mentioned facts
there began an agitation for !
meeting house or hall and, to MI
Gordon H. Taylor (now departed
goes the credit for the first Cal
Tor a general meeting to discus
the question of building a clu
house. The plan went over big
money was raised without delay
men were put to work and in
short time the small part of tn
PRESENT building was completed l
the summer of 1910 and the High
lands Improvement Club was dull
organized, officers elected and o
january 1, 1911 at seven o'cloc
pm. the dedicatory program wa
carried out. The building was nc
hrge enough to hold all of the pee
Pile attending on the opening nigh
Jet, all who came to participate ]
the event were served in turn an
dancing until the 1--WE sma" hour
finished that eventful day.
1t was during the Year of l9i
when the ladies of the Highland
began to meet at the varlou
= homes for social and educatlons
a entertainment out of these socls
gatherings, the desire for a regr
!ar organized woman's club wa
debated. At a meeting in To
month of April, 1911, the ladle
net and organized the Kennewlc
Moman's Club, and the folloWln
are the first set of officers cleo
%: president, Mrs. w. L. Cravel
nee president, Mrs. Amy Bartlett
secretary, Mrs. F. H. Krug; treas
uer, Mrs. E. o. Keene.
BYLAWS were adopted and ols
ness of Importance transacted. IL
Woman's club grew rapidly ar
seame an Influential organlzatlee
2 social and welfare work On Il
highlands. The success of Il
many eventful gatherings at II
siub house was due to the unit
9g efforts of the ladies of OF
Tub. We were instrumental In s
Urlng the cooperation of the mer
Continued on Page 81