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BICKLETON, WASHINGTON -- ONE HUNDRED YEARS OLD
By Ada Ruth Whitmore
Written @1980, edited by Mrs. Whitmore in 2001

A century ago Charles Nathaniel Bickle and his wife, Fannie Eliza Bacon found a beautiful spot at the foot of the Simcoe Mountains, which they called Bickleton. It was a large plateau dropping off into the Columbia River some 25 miles away. Mr. Bickle had been searching for such a place to settle. They had moved here in April 1879. They had tried to settle here the year before, but an Indian uprising had sent them back to Goldendale. The Bickle family numbered five children on arrival here. The next eleven were born at Bickleton, and their last son was born at Prosser in 1900.
There were earlier settlers in this area, which was referred to as the Alder Creek area, east of Rock Creek. The first cemetery was established about 1876. The first burial was a son of Hutchison Allen South and his wife, Maria Louisa Graham. The Graham family was the first to settle in the area. Names in this cemetery are: Alexander, Anderson, Bickle, Bromley, Clevenger, DeWald, Echhardt, Embree, Emigh, Ganders, Gotfredson, Graham, Harris, Heimbigner, Hoisington, Holbrook, Jensen, Larsen, Lockey, Lunceford, Nielson, Oestreich, Petersen, Robertsen, Schaeffer, Shafer, Shattuck, Skiller, Smith, Wommack, Stegeman and Stegman, Stumpf, Tredwell, Walling, Ziff and Zyph, and Stuhr. Of 17 children born to her, Mary Christina Stumpf Cash Shafer raised only seven. Nine were buried here. Also her first husband, and her mother. Many died in the 1899-1900 flu epidemic This is the Methodist-Episcopal Cemetery referred to now as the "old M.E. Cemetery east of town". The soil being so hard to dig, this cemetery was discarded, and the Oddfellows established one on a hill north of town.
In 1880 Samuel Pritchard Flower entered in partnership with Mr. Bickle. The little trading center flourished. Business names in the community were James Sigler and William Twitchell. Just a year after the Bickleton trading post was set up, the little town of Cleveland (called) Dodgetown then) came into being. Only 4 miles west of Bickleton, many of the same names and business establishments will show all down thru the years.
Mr. Bickle formally platted his town in 1882, and a Post Office was granted at that time. Of course, the Government was wanting to settle the west. There were four businesses, and a small box school house had been established in 1880 as the District #28, the first teacher being H.C. Hackley. One hundred years later, the school district is made up of about thirty consolidations: Big Horn, Cleveland, Kuhn, Dot, Juniper Canyon, Oak Grove, Luginbuhl, Sunshine Valley, Enterprise, Lockwood, Gadeburg, Mason, Hillsview, Shepard, or White, Crider Valley, Stegeman or Lone Juniper, Fairview, Willow Creek, McKinley, Sandridge, Donoho, Bluelight, Lone Star, Eaton, Six Prong, Alderdale, Roosevelt, Dorothy, Glade, Sundale and #58 and #72. Roosevelt still retains six grades.
The first Church services, held on a quarterly basis, were conducted by the Methodists, September 18 and 19, 1880, in the little box school house. The pioneers were really digging in to stay. They built the Methodist-Episcopal Church and parsonage in 1884. The ante room and belfry were added later. The parsonage still stands today.
In April 1887, Bickleton burned. That was the first of three fires which destroyed the tiny hamlet over the years. It was soon rebuilt.
Old newspapers revealed the Bickleton News Office opened in August 1902, with S.C. Dorris as editor. Other editors were H.E. Baker, Mrs. Baker, W.T. Fowler and Dude Nelson. Perhaps there were others. Advertisers were: Jordan and Long's Meat Market; Clanton, Mitty & Co., General Merchandise; W.G. Faulkner's Hardware; A.F. Brockman's Furniture; McCredy Harness Shop; Bickleton to Arlington, Oregon, Stage Run by George VanNostern; Bickleton to Mabton Stage Run, run by William Graham, $2.00 round trip; John Lodge, Photographer; Richardson & McClain, Blacksmiths; W.C. Nye's Livery Stable and Hotel Grand; Brockman's Drugstore (he was also the doctor); and there was an undertaking parlour not advertised.
Most of the following are excerpts from newspaper clippings.
A ferry had been in operation. Prior to 1900, from Klickitat County to Arlington, Oregon, then called Alkali. Folks arriving from the Eastern States took the train to this stop and then ferried across. Few enjoyed the river crossing.
By 1900, the Bickle family had sold their homestead to a young man by the name of Andrew Klaurens, from Nebraska. He was just 24 when he died, leaving his young widow, Lena, later Mrs. Robert Ferguson.
In 1901, an article reports that the George McCredys have prospered from their large sheep herds, have sold out, and intend to spend the winter in California. More settlers meant more fences and less grazing land for sheep.
As early as 1902 there were discussions of a telephone system. Also, surveying had begun on a railroad track, beginning in the Biggs-Dalles area, up the Columbia Gorge to Goldendale, Bickleton, and thru the Horse Heaven Hills. It stated that in one year all should be completed to start. One hundred years later - still no railroad tracks.
In 1902 the population of Bickleton is about 200 and growing. The Coleman-Walling Co. have a new threshing machine and doing a very satisfactory job. The amount of wheat being stored at Arlington and on this side of the river is astonishing. They are handling of 1500 sacks a day, and expect that to double.
In 1903 the German Church east of town celebrated Christmas with an old-fashioned party and program. There were a great number of German families east of town. However, many of them were discouraged over the loss of so many of their children in the flu epidemic. Many of them relocated soon afterward in the Ritzsville and Odessa areas.
September 1903, several parties from Oregon passed thru town Sunday on their way to Dead Canyon country, where they go to build houses on their homesteads. In a few years this will be one of the most thickly settled areas in Klickitat County. Over 250 cabins have been built in the past ten months.
November 20, 1903. Bickleton has 64 scholars and one teacher, Mrs. Harrington.
January 15, 1904. Our bank is one of the finest-looking buildings both inside and out in the County. The furnishings are up-to-date and our town has a just cause to feel proud of it. Mr. Rossier is the cashier and manager.
February 1908, Bickleton News. That Bickleton is becoming more and more of a trading point, and more of a base of supplies for the surrounding county, is more clearly evidenced everyday. It is hard for one who is not here to realize the amount of business done here, and the amount of goods that are sold here every month. Bickleton is forging to the front and ere long it will be numbered among the important towns of the state.
In this issue of the News there will be noticed 24 notices of Intention to Make Final Proof, and there are six more notices now in the office and which will appear next week, and Commissioner Faulkner informs us that several more applications have been filed. It will be remembered that it was just about five years ago that the greatest rush of settlers into the eastern part of this county was made, and the settlers, having completed their required 5-years residence, are making proof in order to get title to the land.
1908. The State Board of Control has fixed the price of the year's supply of grain sacks at 7 1/5 cents, as against 9 cents last year. Oat sacks will be 8 cents as against 10 cents last season. Based on last year's crop estimate, Klickitat county will be entitled to 33, 750 sacks this season.
In the Bickleton social items were listed under headlines from the surrounding communities: Huit Hummings, Cleveland, McKinley Murmurings, Dot Doings, Sage Brush Philosophy, and Alderdale News. The bank statements will put in the paper monthly, as were school attendance records.
May 1908. The Bickleton Undertaking Company has purchased a new hearse and it is now at Mabton and will be brought up in a day or so. That the company is a progressive one, is attested by the fact that this is the only hearse in the County.
May 1908. Last Sunday morning someone spread of the report that a bear was seen near town. The majority of the males in town formed a posse, armed with guns, clubs, skinning knives, etc., and then gave chase. Over the years this has happened many times!
April 1908. The work of selling stock in the Bickleton-Goldendale telephone line is progressing rapidly. The Goldendale people have taken almost all of their half of the stock. It is now all up to the Bickletonites to raise their half of the amount, if they want outside telephone connections. The line, as planned, will be a metallic circuit, and will run directly from Bickleton to Goldendale without any breaks between. Will be connected with a switchboard at either end.
May 1908. For the past few weeks the roads have been filled with teams hauling off the remainder of last year's wheat crop. On account of the low prices and other obstacles, there was only about half of it hauled last fall, but on account of the recent tempting prices and good roads, it has been going out lively.
The Bickleton schools will close next week. An entertainment and commencement exercises will be held at the opera house Thursday night, and a picnic in Jensen's Grove on Friday. The past term has been a very successful one in every way.
July 1919. The Sourwine Mills have made arrangement to put in a lumber yard in Bickleton, and will start off with one 150,000 feet of lumber.
These are the World War 1 war years. There are many reports of the boys leaving, several reported missing or killed in action. Also, another flu epidemic is in this area.
July 1919. Henry Jones, who held up the Bank of Bickleton, December 22, 1916, made a daring attempt to escape from the Walla Walla penitentiary Friday, but failed because he could not scale the outer wall.
1919. Andrew Anderson of Aberdeen has bought the Bickleton Pool Hall and Barber Shop of E.M. Wristen.
Yakima County last week moved a steam shovel to the Mabton Hill and will soon begin graveling the section of the road not finished last fall. The grading has been mostly finished and the gravel will be put on the top and down the hill into the Glade. The farmers will be out the latter part of the week with teams to commence the donation, and trucks may be put on later to finish the work. The finishing for this work will make the passing of one of the most dreaded hills to climb. F.W. Sanders, road supervisor, has a crew at work receiving wages of $4.00 per day for single hands, and $8.00 for man and team.
October 1927. An outstanding factor in this community is the Rossier and Matsen Ford Service Garage. This institution was organized in 1912, at which time it was located two blocks east of its location at this time. The new business on the main street was built in 1919 subsequent to the big fire which totally destroyed the old place.
1927. The Hooker Hotel under the management of Mrs. Ada Hooker is now enjoying a trade unequal to anywhere in this district. Mrs. Hooker, who is well-known to this trade, is one of the pioneers of this district, having been a resident here for the past 45 years. Her maiden name was Johnson.
In the 1930 years, as in many other towns, there was a decline. The bank moved to Mabton, another fire destroyed many business buildings, and they were never rebuilt.
The Second World War greatly affected our community. The only boys left in school were too young to go to war. The Nygaard family sent five sons, Alfred, Jens, Nels, Ralph and Arnold.
Tourists come just to see our beautiful scenery, wild flowers and the many blue birds. Mr. and Mrs. Jess Brinkerhoff of Richland have put up over 500 blue bird houses in and around Bickleton, for which we are very grateful.
Cal Bickle, great-grand son of Mr. and Mrs. C.N. Bickle, put up population signs (Population 96), and also an historical marker at the old town pump, which is on the corner of the Bickle homestead. This sign later wore out, and Eagle Scout Zack Moore has installed another sign.
And so its seems as we travel far and near, many people have heard of Bickleton, my home town.