Chelan, Washington facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chelan, Washington
City
Chelan Riverwalk
Location of Chelan, Washington
Country	United States
State	Washington
County	Chelan
Area
• Total	6.86 sq mi (17.78 km2)
• Land	6.69 sq mi (17.32 km2)
• Water	0.17 sq mi (0.45 km2)
Elevation	1,129 ft (344 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	4,222
• Density	633.43/sq mi (244.57/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP code	98816
Area code	509
FIPS code	53-11615
GNIS feature ID	1530831
Website	City of Chelan

Chelan (/ʃəˈlæn/ shə-LAN) is a city in Chelan County, Washington, United States. The estimated population was 4,222 at the 2020 census. It lies on the southeast tip of Lake Chelan, where the lake flows into the Chelan River.

Chelan is part of the Wenatchee−East Wenatchee Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The original inhabitants of the Chelan area were the Chelan, a tribe of Salish-speaking Native Americans. Relatively little is known about the culture and lifestyle of the early Chelan, as the tribe had adopted the dress, beadwork, and equestrian culture of the Plains Indians by the time of European contact. Infectious diseases including smallpox and measles arrived sometime prior to white settlement of the area, and had killed an estimated 90% of the Indians by the time explorer David Thompson arrived on the Columbia in 1811.

Until this point tribal decision-making had been carried out by small family groups as opposed to a single chief. But as whites began to settle in the area, the Indians recognized that consolidation of power in a single representative would help them maintain control of their ancestral lands. Though not a Chelan Indian himself, Chief Moses (a Shahaptin, not Salish speaker from the Columbia Basin and Okanagan) agreed to represent the tribe and was nearly successful in securing them a large Indian reservation. However, the tribe's relatively low population meant that they were largely unable to defend their territory from the ever-increasing number of miners looking for riches in the mountains. As the unrest continued into the 1870s, Lt. Colonel Henry Clay Merriam of the United States Army established Camp Chelan at the foot of Lake Chelan to control and safeguard the Indian population on the Moses Columbia Reservation. The lake was largely inaccessible because of its sheer cliffs on most sides, so a makeshift road was built from the fort to the Columbia River where a courier and mail service from Walla Walla were established and the small village of Chelan Falls would later develop. The fort operated for about a year and was abandoned in October 1880 when the troops relocated to Fort Spokane.

The first European settlers in the area were William Sanders (after whom one of main streets in Chelan is named) and Henry Dumpke, who arrived in 1886. After traversing several cliffs and streams and losing their horse, they safely arrived at the foot of the lake and were welcomed by the natives who encouraged them to stake claims. The presence of these settlers paved the way for more settlers to move to the valley. In 1888, Minneapolis realtor and lumber broker L.H. Woodin, after whom another street is now named, arrived in the valley and paddled up the lake in a skiff. Impressed by the area, Woodin constructed a sawmill at the foot of the lake. At the same time, local ranchers were beginning to discover that orchards could be planted without the need of irrigation.

The town was platted and lots sold quickly. A post office was established in 1890. A school was built in 1892, followed by a resort hotel which took advantage of the area's natural beauty. Following the Panic of 1893, Chelan fell on hard times but fared better than some other towns. The town's first bank was established in 1893. Chelan was officially incorporated on May 7, 1902. In 1903, the city gained electric lights and water service via nearby Donaldson Springs. Chelan's first town hall was constructed in 1904 and destroyed by fire in 1927. The town continues to grow as an agricultural center and resort community which helps it thrive to this day.

Geography

Chelan is located at 47°50′34″N 120°1′17″W / 47.84278°N 120.02139°W / 47.84278; -120.02139 (47.842858, -120.021312).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.35 square miles (16.45 km²), of which, 6.29 square miles (16.29 km²) is land and 0.06 square miles (0.16 km²) is water.

Climate

Chelan's climate is typical for Eastern Washington. Located behind the rain shadow of the Cascade Mountains, it receives a near-desert amount of precipitation each year.

Demographics

St. Andrews Episcopal Church, an 1890s log church on Woodin Avenue in downtown Chelan, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 3,890 people, 1,602 households, and 1,031 families residing in the city. The population density was 618.4 inhabitants per square mile (238.8/km²). There were 2,516 housing units at an average density of 400.0 per square mile (154.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.1% White, 0.4% African American, 1.4% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 14.1% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 24.2% of the population.

There were 1,602 households, of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.6% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.91.

The median age in the city was 44.1 years. 22.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.9% were from 25 to 44; 30.2% were from 45 to 64; and 18.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.9% male and 50.1% female.

Transportation

Chelan is served by two state highways: U.S. Route 97 Alternate, which runs south to Wenatchee, and State Route 150, which runs west to Manson. Bus services to the city are operated by Link Transit.

Gallery

• 

  Riverwalk Pavilion

• 

  R. W. Little Building

• 

  Campbell's

• 

  Native women on horseback, 1912

• 

  Woodin Avenue

See also

In Spanish: Chelan (Washington) para niños