Editing Chelan, Washington (section)

==History==
The original inhabitants of the Chelan area were the [[Chelan tribe|Chelan]], a tribe of [[Salishan languages|Salish]]-speaking [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|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 (explorer)|David Thompson]] arrived on the Columbia in 1811.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=J. Gottfred |author2=A. Gottfred |journal=Northwest Journal |issn=1206-4203 |title=The Life of David Thompson |url=http://www.northwestjournal.ca/V1.htm}}</ref>

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.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}} 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, Washington|Walla Walla]] were established and the small village of [[Chelan Falls, Washington|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 [[plat]]ted 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.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}} 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.