100 years, Clarkston, Washington - Lewiston Morning Tribune

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Sunday, August 4,2002
A SPECIAL SECTION OF THE LEWISTON MORNING TRIBUNE
Section G
The evolution of a Jawbone
Town went through
a handful of names
before deciding on
Clarkston. Wash.
At one time the city of
Clarkston was going
to bear the name
Lewiston, Wash.
But the U.S. Postal
Service put a stop to
the confusion that would have
ensued with two neighboring
towns sharing the same name,
according to "The Best of
Jawbone Flat Gazette, Vol. 3."
But before Clarkston became the official name on
Aug., 4,1902, it was anyone's
guess what the river city
would be called.
In the Nez Perce language
Clarkston is Simiinekem
negeey, which means "the other side of the confluence,"
says Josiah Pinkham, a Nez
Perce tribal member.
Pinkham says the Nez
Perce used the land as a camp
and village site.
Jawbone Flat is one of the
earliest names used for Clarkston.
There are several different
explanations for the name.
One etymological interpretation says the outline of the
Snake River along the flat
looked like a jawbone to
ranchers who passed through
the area.
The other interpretation is
that there was an unusually
hard freeze one year, and the
cart le that were grazing there
died, IbUvlngthe area full of
skeletons that contributed to
the name.
An article in the Clarkston
Republican newspaper on
Jan. 5,1901, says jawbone is
also a western phrase meaning "without means."
No matter where the name
came from it was not flattering, according to an article in
the Clarkston Republican on
Feb. 7,1903.
"What is now a large area of
happy homes, in 1897 was a
desert waste, the range of the
coyote and jack rabbit and
disrespectfully known as
'Jawbone Flat'"
The area would later be
called Clarkston and
Vineland, but not before it
went through a couple more
name changes.
Vineland is described in
"The History of Southeastern
Washington" as an irrigated
tract of about 3,000 acres
thickly settled with streets,
and included what is now
Clarkston.
After irrigation came to
what the Republican described as a "desert waste,"
See Jawbone, Page 4G
f
1
K-
fan/' LI               B «
■g* ^91
ABOVE: The
wide main street
of commerce in
Clarkston, with
Its wooden
sidewalks ami
a dirt (or In this
case mud)
roadbed, eventually became
Sixth Street.
Note the lineman working on
phone lines.
LEFT:The
unpaved corner
at Sixth and
Chestnut streets
is busy with a
horse-drawn
wagon, Idle
talkers, a
pole-climber
and several
well-dressed
visitors standing In the intersection.
Boo Weatberly
collection (top)
and George Day
collection (left)
Canal provided
an infusion of life
By ERIC BARKER / OF THE TRIBUNE
In the arid West, nothing much happens without water.
And that's what was happening in
Clarkston before the development of
an irrigation and domestic water
canal.
In the late 1800s, the mostly deserted
flat above the Snake River was covered
with sagebrush and sprinkled with a few
hardy orchards. But in 1896, a canal was
scratched into the hillsides to water
thirsty fruit trees and grapevines, as well
as to provide the few homes on the flat
with drinking water.
The waterway started seven miles up
Asotin Creek and ran down the canyon.
But its builders were careful it lost less
elevation than the creek. They wrapped
the canal around the mouth of the canyon
about 350 feet above the creek and
stretched it north to Clarkston.
The Big Ditch, as it was known, had to
cross all the side canyons and gulches
that bleed into the Snake River. To do
that, 58 bridges and trestles were built
See Infusion, Page 9G
Library of Congress
The view south, as seen from the bluff to the north (the Lewiston Hill), shows the sparse but growing collection of houses and the early county fairgrounds site that Incorporated a
horse racing track.This photo was taken in 1905.
CLARKSTON  TIMELINE
■■B- «02 :*■■■
Aug. -1: The city of Clarkston was incorporated after
being put to a vote The results
were 38 to 21 with Alex Robinson elected as mayor
Aug. 24: The Valley Lumber
and Manufacturing company
in Clarkston has purchased a
half-block of land adjoining its
lumber yard and is in the
process of building a null, capable of doing all kinds of gen
ii mill work. A 20-horsepow-
molor has been ordered
d the plant is expected to be
speration by Oct. 1.
Sept. 8: Clarkston residents
deny they are working for removal of the county seat from
Asotin to Clarkston.
Feb It Asotin and Clarkston
high schools will hold a de
bate on the topic, "Resolved
that the temperance movements In the United States
have done as much harm as
BstlLBst-   X*02
September: John Brown of
Clarkston has harvested this
year from a quarter of an acre
160 crates of cantaloupes,
which he marketed at $2 a
crate. A crate averages 45 melons, so total production of the
quarter acre was 7,200 melons.
September: J.B, Jones of
Clarkston has grown a fine
patch of cotton this year as an
experiment.
■■W   191°  !■■■
Dec 11: A permanent volunteer Ore department has
been organized at Clarkston.
flMK     1913
Jan. 16: Jack rabbit hunting
is a popular sport on the out
skirts of Clarkston.
Jane: On an average June
day, some 4,160 people, 1,007
horses and 331 automobiles
cross the Le wiston-Cl arks ton
bridge, according to an accurate count taken by Clarkston
police officer L.R.Lommasson.
^■l    1920 «■■■
March 4: Citizens of Asotin
County and other parts of
eastern Washington will petition the Legislature to con
struct the road from Clarkston
across the Blue Mountains to
the Oregon line and include it
as part of the Washington state
highway system.
■bsB    1321    AsM
May 2: Clyde Perry of
Clarkston, who has been running his greenhouse in south
Vineland for some time, is
about ready to begin the marketing of hot-house cucum-