Disautel, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Disautel, Washington
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 Disautel, Washington
Location in Washington (state)
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| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Okanogan |
| Established | 1919 |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
Disautel is a small community in Okanogan County, Washington, United States. It is known as a census-designated place (CDP). This means it's an area identified by the government for gathering population data. In 2010, the population of Disautel was 78 people. It is located within the larger Greater Omak Area.
Contents
History of Disautel: A Former Logging Town
Disautel was officially started in 1919. It is about 15 miles east of Omak. You can find it along what is now Washington State Route 155.
Logging Industry and Early Growth
Originally, Disautel was a busy logging town. It was home to the main office of the Biles-Coleman Logging Company. Many people lived and worked here, cutting down trees and processing timber. The town thrived because of this important industry.
Changes Lead to Population Decline
Over time, things began to change for Disautel. The highway leading to Nespelem Community was improved. This made it easier for workers to travel. People who worked at the sawmill in Disautel started living in Omak. They would simply drive to work each day. This meant fewer people lived in Disautel itself.
The Great Depression and Abandonment
The town's population continued to shrink. A major event that affected Disautel was the start of the Great Depression. This was a very difficult economic time in the United States. The sawmill in Disautel had to close down. With no jobs at the sawmill, even more people left the town.
For a while, the Highway Department used the empty buildings. They stored roadworking equipment in the old warehouses. However, this arrangement did not last forever. Eventually, the Highway Department moved out. With no industries or residents, Disautel became an abandoned town.
