Heritage & History

Because of its remoteness, Okanogan Country was one of the last areas in Washington settled by whites, but it was an early thoroughfare for prospectors enroute to the gold fields in British Columbia. The confluence of the Okanogan and Columbia Rivers has been a gateway to the vast lands of the north since before Astor’s Pacific Fur Company established the first American inland fur trading post nearby. Okanogan Country’s history is a story book of great Indians and fur trappers, of farmers and ranchers who imagined taming the wild land, of railroad men and miners. Today Okanogan Country offers a wide variety of historical and cultural museums, cemeteries,ghost towns and activities.

Ask for The Highlands Historic Loop and the Many Lakes Historic maps for a guide to the many historic sites, museums and cemeteries in the area.

QUICK FACTS

Okanogan County Historical Museum

Okanogan | (509) 422-4272

Colville Tribal Museum

Coulee Dam | Open daily from 10 - 6, May - September

Schaeffer Museum

Winthrop | (509) 996-2712

Old Molson Ghost Town Museum
(509) 485-3292

Antique Truck and Car Museum- Curlew
(509) 779-4204

Stonerose Interpretive Fossil Center

Republic | (509) 775-2295

The History of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Nation

Colville Tribes Official Site

Okanogan County Historical Society

Okanogan Borderland Historical Society Museum

Oroville | (509) 476-2476
Open May 1 - Labor Day, Seven Days a Week
obhistoricalsociety@gmail.com

		City of Okanogan PO Box 752 Okanogan, Wa - 98840 509-422-3600 :: Show on Map :: Okanogan has a historic walking tour of murals, a city pool in Alma Park, or shop the downtown area.
		Colville Confederated Tribes PO Box 150 Nespelem, Wa - 99116 509 634-4711 http://www.colvilletribes.com/past.htm :: Show on Map ::
		Community Cultural Center PO Box 664 Tonasket, Wa - 98855 (509) 486-1328 http://www.cccoftonasket.org :: Show on Map :: A nonprofit organization dedicated to prmoting arts & cultural enrichment in North Okanogan County, with a strong emphasis on families, youth & community. We offer a venue for the arts and cultural events, a public facility availble to rent. The Center is a place for meetings, classes, local theater, concerts, dances, bazaars, and fairs. Also a commercial kitchen for those needing a certified food prep area.
		Fort Okanogan State Park Brewster Brewster, Wa - 98812 http://www.parks.wa.gov :: Show on Map :: A 45-acre day-use park set on a bluff overlooking the Columbia River. The park has 1,000 feet of "high" freshwater shoreline, but no beach accessibility. Open during Summer months only.
		Molson Museum 915 Nine Mile Road Oroville, Wa - 98844 509-485-3292 509-485-3266 :: Show on Map ::
		Okanogan County Historial Society 1410 2nd Avenue North PO Box 1129 Okanogan, Wa - 98840 509-422-4272 http://www.okanoganhistory.org :: Show on Map ::
		Shafer Museum Winthrop, Wa - 98862 509-996-2712 :: Show on Map ::