When we came in and when we left Coeur d’ Alene, we
passed these oversized feather statues in the median. I learned they are controversial
big metal feathers. The official title of these two behemoth bird plumes, one
eagle and one osprey, is “Guardians of the Lake.” They were commissioned in
2002 through city-mandated arts funding and created by David Govedare and Keith
Powell. At the time, not everyone was thrilled by the finished project. I think
they are pretty cool!
I-90 W to Post Falls. Post Falls is often called “Idaho’s
River City.” Post Falls gets its name from Frederick Post, who secured a treaty
with the Coeur d’Alene Tribe to build a sawmill on the banks of the Spokane
River. A pictograph memorializing the purchase is carved into a granite cliff
in Treaty Rock Park. Post Falls is also home to the Post Falls Festival, three
days of music, art vendors, games and lawn mower races! It is held annually the
second weekend in July.
We crossed from Idaho into Washington State on I-90.
Just a small sign to announce that fact.
As we passed through downtown Spokane WA, my view of
downtown included a church and a milk bottle building … wait, a milk bottle
building? Yes. The Benewah Milk just off I-90 is an unmistakable downtown
Spokane landmark. It is one of two Milk Bottle buildings in Spokane. One on
Garland Avenue (built in 1934), and another on Cedar Street (the Benewah Milk
Bottle, built in 1935). The buildings were designed by famed Spokane
architectural firm Whitehouse and Price, who were responsible for many other
buildings in Spokane including the Hutton Settlement, the Rosebush House, and
the John A. Finch Memorial Nurses Home. The Benewah Milk Bottle was the home of
the Benewah Creamery Company, where Newport sold dairy products distributed
from his processing plant on 1st Street and Washington Avenue. The bottle
functioned as concession stands to lower prices by “eliminating charge accounts
and delivery service.” Newport ran a retail operation from the Milk Bottle
until 1978, and since then the building has served many purposes, few of which
have had anything to do with dairy products. Interestingly, it has even been
the home of the Spokane County Democratic Committee. The Benewah Milk Bottle is
still in good shape after seventy seven years.
Along I-90 near MM 271, I caught a glimpse of a
yard, a big yard full of junk … But one man’s junk is another man’s treasure! It
was unique and different and I am sure the Interstate does not care, but if
there was neighbors, they might!
There is some nice scenery at Medical Lake. Beautiful
colors of the trees, water and surrounding landscapes.
Fires are not just in the National Parks. There was a
large area on I-90 that burned recently. In July, this wind-driven brush fire
mushroomed in size from 3,000 acres to nearly 80,000 acres. The Interstate
acted as fire break.
Golden fields of wheat and barley stretch for miles
in every direction.
Passing by Moses Lake, we are directly north of
Richland which is our new Grandson-in-law’s hometown. Chandler and Ashley’s
love was sealed on August 17th in the Columbia River Washington
Temple in Richland, followed by a ring ceremony for family and friends. Ashley
is our eldest Granddaughter and is so head over heels in love, her Grandfather
and I are ecstatic for her.
Back to a little bit about the town of Moses Lake. Before
the construction of Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River in 1941 and Larson
Air Base in 1942 the area was largely barren. Native Americans knew the area as
Houaph, which meant willow. Chief Moses was leader of the Sinkiuse tribe from
1859 to 1899, and was forced to negotiate with white settlers who began to
settle in the area in the 1880s. Under pressure from the government, Chief
Moses traded the Columbia Basin land for a reservation that stretched from Lake
Chelan north to the Canada–US border. The government later traded again for
what is now the Colville Indian Reservation. The new settlers named the lake in
honor of the chief. The city was originally named Neppel, after a town in
Germany where one of the original settlers had lived. The first settlers
established fisheries and farms — some of the first exported items were carp,
jackrabbits and fruit — but irrigation attempts failed and settlers left at
about the same rate as they came. When the town was incorporated and renamed
Moses Lake in 1938, the population was estimated at 301 people.
Potholes Reservoir - The Potholes Reservoir was created
in 1949, following construction of O’Sullivan Dam on Central Washington’s Crab
Creek. This expansive body of water southwest of Moses Lake was created to
collect and distribute unused Columbia River irrigation water from the Columbia
Basin Project. The reservoir immediately became useful in supporting
agriculture in the Basin and soon emerged as one of the Northwest’s premier
inland fisheries and summertime family destinations, the Potholes is loaded
with fish.
This auto rollover, near MM 159, must have just
happened. There were a couple people around it and as we headed further west,
the fire trucks, police and ambulance were headed east.
The road sign calls it Wild Horses Monument, but the
real name of this artwork is “Grandfather Cuts Loose the Ponies.” And despite
being begun in 1989, it’s still not complete! The sculpture was designed and
created by Chewelah sculptor David Govedare. He envisioned a 36-foot tall woven
basket made of steel, tipped up by Grandfather (a symbol of the Great Spirit),
to allow the 18 horses within to run free.
The sculpture was to be completed
and then presented as a gift during Washington’s Centennial celebration in
1989. The state ceded the land to Grant County for that purpose, but
fundraising from private donations fell short and there was never enough money
to complete the project. The 15 life-size galloping horses that were installed
are a beautiful sight, regardless of the original plan.
We transitioned off I-90 and onto I-82 and US 97
South. This area is home to several ridges, including the Manastash Ridge. Manastash
Ridge runs mostly west-to-east for approximately 50 miles. The ridge is part of
the Yakima Fold Belt of east-tending long ridges formed by the folding of Columbia
River basalt flows. When I-82 crosses the eastern portion of the ridge the elevation
is 2,672 feet. Umtanum Ridge is parallels the Manastash Ridge, to the south.
Soldiers in the back of an open truck, on an
interstate? This is not something that seems very safe and people are going
over 70 mph on these interstates! I know I have been retired a long time … but
this seems very unsafe!
We exited the interstate and moved onto US 12 and
skirted Yakima, Washington. The name Yakima originates from the Yakama Nation,
located south of the city. The Yakama people were the first known inhabitants
of the Yakima Valley. In 1805, the Lewis and Clark Expedition came to the area
and discovered abundant wildlife and rich soil, prompting the settlement of
homesteaders.[8] A Catholic Mission was established in Ahtanum, southwest of
present-day Yakima. The arrival of settlers and their conflicts with the
natives resulted in the Yakima War. The US Army established Fort Simcoe around 1856
near present-day White Swan as a response to the uprising. The Yakamas were
defeated and forced to relocate to the Yakama Indian Reservation.
Washington Route 410, will take us right into the
campground about 15 miles ahead! Route 410 is what I would call a canyon road,
it is twisting and turning with close cliffs on each side of the road, but it
affords spectacular scenery!
Did I mention the spectacular scenery?
We arrived at Squaw Rock RV Park … ah, home sweet
home … for a few days anyway!
Our site is right along the river, it will be great
sleeping to the lapping of the water on the rocks!
We enjoyed a Yankee dinner at the Squaw Rock Café. It
was a home cooked feast! Our choices were fried chicken, meatloaf or lasagna.
All three looked delicious!
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