Kanaskat, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kanaskat, Washington
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 Kanaskat, Washington
Location in Washington (state)
Kanaskat, Washington
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | King |
| Elevation | 827 ft (252 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1521559 |
Kanaskat, Washington is a small, unincorporated community located in King County, Washington, United States. An unincorporated community means it's a place with a shared identity but without its own local government.
Contents
Kanaskat: A Railway Town
Kanaskat became important because of the Northern Pacific Railway, which is now part of the BNSF Railway. This railway built a new section of track between Palmer, Washington and Auburn, Washington around 1899-1900.
The Railway's Role
Kanaskat served as a special stop for steam-powered trains coming from Auburn. It was a "water-stop" where trains could refill their water tanks. It also had a small train yard and a scale. These were used for trains traveling on the Green River Branch, which went north to places like Kangley, Washington, Selleck, Washington, and Kerriston, Washington. The railway also served large mills in nearby towns like Enumclaw, Washington and Buckley, Washington.
In 1900, the Northern Pacific Railway built several things in Kanaskat. These included tracks for trains to pass each other, a track for loading and unloading goods, and a special connection to the Green River Branch. They also built a station, a house for railway workers, a bunkhouse for 24 men, a tool shed, and a water tank.
Changing Train Stations
The first station in Kanaskat was a fancy Victorian-style building. Sadly, it burned down in 1944 because a wood stove pipe caught fire. For a short time, a round-roof box car was used as a temporary station.
After World War Two, the Northern Pacific replaced the box car with a strong brick station. However, this station didn't last long. In 1959, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had to change the railway line. This was because of the construction of the Howard A. Hanson Dam at Eagle Gorge. Because of this change, the railway had to build yet another station for Kanaskat. This means Kanaskat had four different train stations in about 90 years!
Other Railways
The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad also had tracks that went through the Kanaskat area. Their trains traveled north and south, connecting their main station at Cedar Falls, Washington to the big mill in Enumclaw, Washington. There were even connections between the two different railway lines both north and south of Kanaskat.
Who Was Kanasket?
The community of Kanaskat was named after a respected leader. His name was Kanasket (sometimes spelled Kanaskat), and he was a chief of the Klickitat people.
Nearby Attractions
Just south of the community, you can find Kanaskat-Palmer State Park. It's a great place for outdoor activities and enjoying nature.
See also
In Spanish: Kanaskat (Washington) para niños
