Horse Heaven, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Horse Heaven, Washington
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Country | United States |
State | Washington |
County | Benton |
Elevation | 1,188 ft (362 m) |
Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
ZIP code |
99350
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Area code(s) | 509 |
GNIS feature ID | 1514778 |
Horse Heaven was once a small, quiet place in Benton County, Washington, in the United States. It was known as an "unincorporated community." This means it was a group of homes and buildings, but it didn't have its own local government like a city or town.
Horse Heaven was located about 13 miles southeast of a larger town called Prosser. It sat in a spot called Carter Canyon. Today, the original site of Horse Heaven is mostly empty and abandoned. Not much of the old community remains.
History of Horse Heaven
How Horse Heaven Got Its Name
The area where Horse Heaven was located is part of the Horse Heaven Hills. These hills have a special story behind their name. Long ago, a man named James Gordon Kinney is said to have given them this unique name.
The hills were once full of wild horses roaming freely. They were also covered with a type of grass called "bunch-grass." People described it as "a perfect sea of the finest bunch-grass." This meant there was plenty of food for the horses, making it a great place for them to live. It was like a "heaven" for horses!
The Horse Heaven Post Office
For many years, Horse Heaven had its own post office. It opened in 1903 and served the community until 1932. A post office was very important back then. It was how people sent and received letters, and sometimes even packages.
However, as time went on, it became easier for people in Horse Heaven to travel to nearby Prosser. They could do their shopping and other business there. Because of this, the need for a local post office in Horse Heaven slowly disappeared. In 1932, the post office closed its doors for good.