page_title: White Swan, Washington
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: White Swan, Washington / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Blockhouse at Fort Simcoe, outside of White Swan in Yakima County, Washington. The blockhouse/jail was built by the US Army around 1858 in the Washington Territory.
context_page_description: White Swan is a census-designated place in Yakima County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,033 at the 2000 census.
context_section_description: White Swan is an unincorporated community located on the Yakama Indian Reservation, presumably named after Chief White Swan of the Yakamas around the start of the 20th century.  The town was on the Mt Adams Highway (an overland road between Yakima and The Dalles beginning in the 1850s) between Union Gap and Fort Simcoe.  In September 1921, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) opened the Yakima Indian Christian Mission. In 1967, the former childcare facilities of the Mission were leased to the Sundown M Corporation. Using the registered cattle brand of the Mission (from the years it owned cattle), the Sundown M Ranch began serving recovering alcoholics in 1968.  Pacific Power & Light Company first brought electricity to the community in 1928.  The White Swan Library (a branch of the Yakima Valley Regional library) was established in 1947.  It was moved to a donated facility in 1969 where it stands today.  White Swan is part of the Mt Adams School District #209, and home of White Swan High School.  The town has never been formally incorporated.
caption: The Blockhouse at Fort Simcoe dating from around 1858
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