Tshimakain Mission

1847 in Oregon CountryCayuse WarChristian missions in North AmericaMassacres by Native AmericansOregon Country ... and 2 more

Oregon TerritoryPre-statehood history of Washington (state)

The Tshimakain Mission started in September 1838, with the arrival of Congregationalist missionaries Cushing and Myra Fairbanks Eells and Elkanah and Mary Richardson Walker to the area along Chamokane Creek at the community of Ford, Washington. Fort Colvile Chief Factor Archibald McDonald recommended the area to Eells and Walker on their first visit to the area. On April 23, 1838 after traveling to Independence, Missouri, the Eells, Walkers, William Henry and Mary Augusta Gray, Asa B. and Sarah Smith, and Andrew Rodgers, departed for the Oregon County with a Hudson Bay Company fur trader caravan to the Rendezvous. They arrived at Waiilatpu and the Whitman Mission on August 29, 1838.For the next nine years under the auspices of American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, the Tshimakain missionaries lived with the Spokane people. On September 16, 1838, Eells conducted the first Protestant service in Stevens County at Chewelah.In the fall of 1839, the missionaries started a school for the local Indians with 30 students rising to 80 over the winter.On January 11, 1840, Eells house burned. Local Indians responded quickly to assist. When the Fort Colvile leader Archibald McDonald heard about the fire, he dispatched four men to make the house habitable.In 1842, Elkanah Walker, with support from Cushing Eells, printed the Spokane Primer, a Salish language primer. This was the first book written in Washington.The winter of 1846-47 was the most severe in the memory of the oldest Indians. It triggered the loss of many domestic animals for Indians and missionaries.

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Tshimakain Mission
State Highway 231,

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Latitude	Longitude
N 47.913055555556 °	E -117.79805555556 °

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State Highway 231

State Highway 231
99173
Washington, United States
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Nearby Places

Ford, Washington

Ford is an unincorporated community in Stevens County, Washington, United States. It is on Washington State Route 231 10.5 miles (16.9 km) south-southwest of Springdale. Ford has a post office with ZIP code 99013. Ford has a nondenominational community church. A little-known historical monument commemorating the Tshimakain Mission stands just outside of the main town.

Long Lake Dam

Long Lake Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the Spokane River, between Lincoln County and Stevens County about 30 miles (48 km) northwest of Spokane in eastern Washington. It forms Long Lake (Washington), a 23.5 mi (37.8 km) long reservoir, and has a hydroelectric generating capacity of 71 megawatts. The dam was built by Washington Water Power (now Avista Utilities), which operates five other dams along the Spokane.Upon its completion in 1915, Long Lake Dam completely blocked salmon migrations to the upper portions of the Spokane River watershed, although much larger Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River extirpated salmon from the entire Spokane basin by 1942.

Spokane River Bridge at Long Lake Dam

The Spokane River Bridge at Long Lake Dam, at Long Lake Dam near Reardan, Washington, is a historic 486-foot (148 m) concrete bridge that was built in 1949. It was a work of the State Department of Highways and of Henry Hagman. Its center span is a 211-foot (64 m) open-spandrel arch. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.It brings State Route 231 across the Spokane River, connecting Lincoln County and Stevens County.

Tumtum, Washington

Tumtum is an unincorporated community in Stevens County, Washington, United States. Tumtum is located along the Long Lake of the Spokane River, also known as Lake Spokane, and Washington State Route 291 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Spokane. Tumtum has a ZIP code of 99034.Tumtum is a Chinook Jargon term meaning "heart/soul".

Springdale, Washington

Springdale is a town in Stevens County, Washington, United States. The population was 285 at the 2010 census.

Loon Lake (Washington)

Loon Lake is a 1,100-acre (450 ha) lake located in Stevens County, Washington, 30 miles (48 km) north-northwest of Spokane, Washington at an elevation of 726 metres (2,382 ft). The lake is about two miles wide, one mile long, and has a maximum depth of 100 feet (30 m).Loon Lake was named for the wild loons near the water.

Loon Lake, Washington

Loon Lake is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Stevens County, Washington, United States. Loon Lake is located on the northern shore of Loon Lake 5 miles (8.0 km) east of Springdale. The community is served by U.S. Route 395 and Washington State Route 292. Loon Lake has a post office with ZIP code 99148.

Suncrest, Washington

Suncrest is a census-designated place (CDP) in Stevens County, Washington, United States. Though it is not incorporated as a city or town, the CDP's population of 5,413 at the 2020 census makes Suncrest the largest community in the county. The community is located along the Spokane River 9.7 miles northwest of the city of Spokane, of which it is a exurb and bedroom community. The community experienced substantial growth starting in the mid-1980s, with gated community and suburban style development. State Route 291 is the main thoroughfare through Suncrest, as well as its main connection to the surrounding area including Spokane.

Clayton, Washington

Clayton is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Stevens County, Washington, United States. It is located along U.S. Route 395 4.5 miles (7.2 km) northwest of Deer Park, and has a post office with ZIP code 99110.Clayton was founded in 1889 and was named for nearby clay deposits. The Washington Brick Company was established in 1893. It, along with most of the town, was lost to a catastrophic fire in 1908, but the town rebuilt, and the new Washington Brick, Lime, and Sewer Pipe company became noted for its high-quality products, including beautiful decorative terra cotta panels, which were crafted largely by skilled artisans who had immigrated to Washington from northern Italy.Clayton was listed as a census-designated place for the 2010 census and has a population of 443. The median household income is about $32,000. The average annual temperature is about 47 °F, which is approximately 7 °F lower than the average temperature throughout the United States. The average age of residents is 28 years old, 9 years younger than the U.S. average.

Nine Mile Falls School District

Nine Mile Falls School District No. 325/179 is a public school district in the counties of Spokane and Stevens, Washington, USA and serves the communities of Nine Mile Falls and Suncrest.

Nine Mile Falls, Washington

Nine Mile Falls is an unincorporated community in Spokane County, Washington and Stevens County, Washington, United States. The community straddles the Spokane River 9 miles (14 km) away from downtown Spokane, at the location of a former falls that has been the site of Nine Mile Dam since 1908. Following the river, the community is located 16 miles (26 km) downstream from downtown.Nine Mile Falls has a post office with ZIP code 99026.