The Archaeology of the Yakima ValleySmith, Harlan Ingersoll
History
The Archaeology of the Yakima Valley
Smith, Harlan Ingersoll
Yakima River Valley (Wash.) -- Antiquities
Cherry Creek, one of a number of small streams on this side of the
river, flows through the eastern part of this valley, and empties into
the Yakima River about one mile below Thrall on Section 31, Town 17,
North of Range 19 East. Here, the river enters Yakima Canon which cuts
through Umptanum Ridge and the western foothills of Saddle Mountains.
There are some pines in this canon.
Selah Creek flows through Selah Canon from the east and empties into the
Yakima, about one mile above Selah at the northwest corner of Section
16, Town 14, north of Range 19 East. This is in a broad valley below
Yakima Canon. At the time of our visit, however, the lower portion of
this creek was dry. Wenas Creek empties into the Yakima from the west,
nearly opposite Selah.
North Yakima is on the western side of the Yakima River, about two miles
below the mouth of the Naches, which empties into the Yakima from the
west, immediately below where the latter breaks through Yakima Ridge.
This break is called the Gap or the Upper Gap. North Yakima is at an
altitude of 1067 feet above the sea level. The soil of the valley is
made up of a rich volcanic ash and the region is arid and practically
treeless except on the banks of the rivers and creeks or where
irrigation has been successfully practised. The climate in most respects
resembles that of the southern interior of British Columbia, lying to
the north, but in general, there is less vegetation except on irrigated
land.
Cowiche Creek flows from the southwest and empties into the south side
of the Naches, at a point about three miles above its mouth.
Tampico is situated on Section 17, Town 12, north of Range 16 East, on
the north side of Ahtanum Creek, which flows nearly east along the base
of the north side of Rattlesnake Range and empties into the Yakima at
Union Gap or Lower Gap, below Old Yakima.
Fort Simcoe is located in a cluster of live oak trees, on one of the
branches of Simcoe Creek, which flows in an easterly direction and
empties into the Toppenish River, a western feeder of the Yakima. This
place is at an altitude of 937 feet above the sea level and is
surrounded by 'scab' land. Going west from Fort Simcoe, up the slopes of
the Cascade Mountains, a mile or so, one notices timber in the valleys,
and as one proceeds still further up the mountains, the timber becomes
thicker and of greater size. This is the beginning of the forest, which
at the west side of the Cascades becomes so remarkably dense. To the
east of Fort Simcoe, however, no trees are seen, except in the bottoms
along the streams, while on the lower reaches of the Yakima and on the
banks of the Columbia, east of here, there are absolutely no trees.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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