Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1935-04-12
History of couIee
City From 1888
To 1885

This little town of Coulee City
has an historical setting. 1t is the
only place in the entire coulee
from Soap Lake to Grand Coulee
where one can cross the coulee in
an automobile. The crossing in
early days was called MaAtee-
crossing.
In 1883 Phillip MacAtee settled
near the site of Coulee and had a
large stock ranch. He was one of
the oldest pioneers of this section.
Later Dan Paul and G. K. Reed
came here. They also owned part
of the site of Coulee City.
In 1889 came the first building.
1t was store owned by George
Roberts, and located north of here
on the line between the Alfred
Twining place and what is known
as the Tucker house.
In the winter of 1889 andspring
of 1890 came the railroads. The
population rose to 500. There were
six or seven saloons. The little
store was then moved to where GU
school house now stands. You
may see that same building be-
hind the Parry building facin gthe
street.
About the same time Mr.. Parry
built the store building where the
Public Market is no wlocated.
The time had come to choose, a
name for the little settlement.
They had to choose between Three
Springs, >McAtes, and Coule City.
Coulee City was chosen for the
name.
"A post office was owned by
George Roberts and run by him.
1t was called McAtee.
A school had to be started now.
1t was located where the Gem
Cafe now operates. The teacher
was Miss Kate Williams. now Mrs.
Kate Roberts, of Hartline.
OF course there had to be water.
Dur first supply came from the
spring that now supplies the rail-
road. 1t was piped down to the
Grand Hotel and up to a place
east Of the Parry building. Every
one must get their water from
there and there were large water
ing troughs for the horses.
In those days there were no
lawns, gardens or shade trees.
Finally, a few years later, Mr..
Paul piped water from the springs
we use now down main street.
From there, the people who want
own houses.
Gradually after the start had
been made the city replaced theoid
pipes for new and better ones and
80 our water system grew.
The boom began ito die. The
railroads were built and there was
a decrease in population.
In 1903 the cut off was built to
Adrian. 1t met the Great North
ern. Before this was built you
would have to go to Spokane and
reach it by rail.
After this cutoff was built the
population was reduced to one
hundred and seventy people.
In all this boom the people had
used gas or kerosene lights.
About twenty years ago Mr.. Well
Ter established power plant to
furnish electricity. This was put
on the Mccain lots where the
Tucker Cabins are now.
III burned down SO Mr.. Weller
moved it on the shore of pond
near Coulee called Section Lake.
Later Mr.. Weller. built the line of
Washington Water power to Cou-
lee from Hartline, They sub-let the
electricity to Mrs2SWeller who had
the franchise.
In these days the wheat was
coming into Coulee very fast The
men with horses and wagons brot
it from. Mansfield and Leahy. In
fact all of the surroundin gcoun-
try.
Coulee City, at one time was
considered the busiest tow ynalong
the line. There were daily stages
Brewster and Bridgeport. There
were. also, three freight lines.
In those early days there were
threelarge livery barns. One was
run and owned by Mr.. Young over
where he now has a tourist camp.
Another was located near the auto
camp at the west end of town.
The largest was located where the
Gregg building is now. 1t had
large corral behind it and they
used TO ride buckng bronchos and
for horse trading.
The first doctor in Coulee City
was DR.. Hobson. Our first druggist
was DR.. Hobsens son. The drug
store was located near the Parry
building.
The little one room school house
was abandoned and a two story
four room school house was built
on the site Of the present school.
Our first news paper was run by
Mr.. Jim Odgers. The first slogan
of tn epaper was, "Keep your eye
on Pasco and watch Coulee. City
grow" Pasco at that time was on
the Columbia River and was boom
ing.
Another change came for the
school. Mr.. Murray, superinten-
dent at. the time pursuaded the
bboard to tear down the old school
and then they built our present
school, the lumber of the oldschool