Methow, Washington
Encyclopedia
Methow is an unincorporated community in Okanogan County, Washington, United States
. The community had a population of 262 at the 2000 census.
people who lived in the area. The name "Methow" itself comes from the Okanagan
placename /mətxʷú/, meaning "sunflower (seeds)". The unincorporated community has its own community center, post office, fire station, church, water system, and two parks. The Methow Store, originally built by W.A. Bolinger, is no longer in business as of 2009, nor is the town's restaurant. The town is one of the principal starting points for rafting
along the Methow River
.
The original Methow Store can be seen just off Washington State Route 153
. Directly across the street sits a large historic stone house and homestead that was built by the Bolinger family. This small town is also host to two old single room schoolhouses. One of these schoolhouses sits just north of the Methow Store, and most people recognize it as "the old log cabin". The other schoolhouse is now used as a community center. The Methow Church was formed over a century ago. Methow’s population has stayed consistent for the past several decades at about fifty people. The population of the surrounding area, the Methow Valley, has grown significantly over the past two decades.
Methow is located on the Methow River
13 miles (20.9 km) upriver from the confluence of the Methow and Columbia
rivers in Okanogan County, Washington. It sits at an elevation of 1,156 feet above sea level in the foothills of the Cascade Range
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The community had a population of 262 at the 2000 census.
History
Methow was founded in 1889 by W.A. Bolinger when he moved his store from the former mining boom-town at Squaw Creek (approx. 4 miles south). It is named after the Methow people, an Interior SalishInterior Salish
The Interior Salish languages are one of the two main subgroups of the Salishan language family, the other being Coast Salish. It can be further subdivided into Northern and Southern Interior Salish...
people who lived in the area. The name "Methow" itself comes from the Okanagan
Colville-Okanagan language
Colville-Okanagan is a Salish language which arose among the inhabitants of the Okanagan River Basin and spread into the Columbia River Basin. Following British, American, and Canadian colonization during the 1800s and the subsequent repression of all Salishan languages, the use of...
placename /mətxʷú/, meaning "sunflower (seeds)". The unincorporated community has its own community center, post office, fire station, church, water system, and two parks. The Methow Store, originally built by W.A. Bolinger, is no longer in business as of 2009, nor is the town's restaurant. The town is one of the principal starting points for rafting
Rafting
Rafting or white water rafting is a challenging recreational outdoor activity using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on white water or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The development of this...
along the Methow River
Methow River
The Methow River is a tributary of the Columbia River in northern Washington in the United States. The river's watershed is , with a population of about 5,000 people. The Methow's watershed is characterized by relatively pristine habitats, with much of the river basin is located in national forests...
.
Washington State Route 153
State Route 153 is a highway in Okanogan County, Washington that runs along the Methow River from Pateros to Twisp. The highway is a part of the Cascade Loop, Washington state's scenic loop highway.-External links:***...
. Directly across the street sits a large historic stone house and homestead that was built by the Bolinger family. This small town is also host to two old single room schoolhouses. One of these schoolhouses sits just north of the Methow Store, and most people recognize it as "the old log cabin". The other schoolhouse is now used as a community center. The Methow Church was formed over a century ago. Methow’s population has stayed consistent for the past several decades at about fifty people. The population of the surrounding area, the Methow Valley, has grown significantly over the past two decades.
Geography
Methow River
The Methow River is a tributary of the Columbia River in northern Washington in the United States. The river's watershed is , with a population of about 5,000 people. The Methow's watershed is characterized by relatively pristine habitats, with much of the river basin is located in national forests...
13 miles (20.9 km) upriver from the confluence of the Methow and Columbia
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
rivers in Okanogan County, Washington. It sits at an elevation of 1,156 feet above sea level in the foothills of the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
.