Editing Kahlotus, Washington (section)

==History==
The first organized settlement of Kahlotus was by German immigrants, imported by the railroads, in around 1880.<ref name="Bright 2004"/> Harder's platting of the town coincided with the reinstatement of service on the Oregon & Washington Railroad & Navigation line between LaCrosse and Palouse Junction (now Connell), crossing the north end of town parallel to present-day Highway 260. Soon after, the [[Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway]] began construction on a second railroad on the south shore of nearby Kahlotus Lake, including tunnels through the basalt cliffs near the southeast corner of town.

Kahlotus was officially incorporated on May 31, 1907. The town boomed during construction of the railroad, local legend claims that nearly 20 saloons, a bank, newspaper, brothels, and other businesses appeared to serve the rail crews.

[[Dryland farming]] has historically constituted the majority of the local economy.  Relatively little irrigated agriculture occurs in the area, supported by local wells. The [[Columbia Basin Irrigation Project]] does not deliver water to Kahlotus.

In 1969, the initial phase of the [[Lower Monumental Dam]] was completed nearby, bringing more electricity and water for irrigation, but inundating the nearby [[Marmes Rockshelter]].  The dam also made the [[Snake River]] navigable, allowing grain to be barged downriver rather than being carried by train.  Within a few years, the railroad through the north end of the valley was abandoned and removed. The [[Burlington Northern Railroad]] tracks along the south end of the lake bed and Devils Canyon were abandoned and removed in the late 1980s, and the right of way became part of the [[Columbia Plateau Trail State Park]].