Kiona, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kiona
|
|
|---|---|
Kiona, Washington looking east-north-east toward Red Mountain in the distance.
|
|
 Kiona
Location in Benton County, Washington
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Benton |
| Elevation | 518 ft (158 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes |
99320
|
| Area code(s) | 509 |
Kiona is a small, unincorporated community in Benton County, Washington, in the United States. An "unincorporated community" means it's a place where people live, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. The name Kiona comes from a Native American term meaning "brown hills," which describes the area's landscape. Kiona shares a school district with nearby Benton City, often called the "Ki-Be" school district.
Contents
Kiona's History
Early Days and the Railroad
Kiona began to grow in 1888 when the Northern Pacific Railroad built a new train station there. This was a big deal for farmers in the area. It made it much easier for them to transport their crops to markets. Farmers in Kiona grew corn, wheat, alfalfa, potatoes, and lots of fruit, especially apples. This new train access encouraged more people to move to the area.
Farming and Water
At first, most farming in Kiona was "dryland farming." This means farmers relied only on rainfall to water their crops, because there wasn't much rain in the area. However, things changed in the 1890s when irrigation arrived. Irrigation is a way of supplying water to land or crops using canals, pipes, or other methods. The Yakima Irrigation and Improvement Company built a canal to bring water from the Yakima River to Kiona. This helped farmers grow even more crops.
New Railroads and Roads
In 1907, another railroad company, the Oregon-Washington Railroad and Navigation Company, built a new railway line. This new line crossed the Yakima River from Kiona. A new community called Benton City quickly grew up around this new railroad.
Later, in 1917, a famous national highway called the Yellowstone Trail was routed through Kiona. This highway stretched all the way from Massachusetts to Seattle, making travel across the country easier.
Kiona Today
Kiona has always remained an unincorporated community. This means it has never officially become a city with its own mayor or city council. In 2002, an important bridge in the area, the Benton City – Kiona Bridge over the Yakima River, was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as a historically important structure.
