Kiona, Washington
Encyclopedia
Kiona is an unincorporated community
in Benton County
, Washington, United States
. Kiona is an Indian term meaning "brown hills." Kiona and Benton City
share a school district
(commonly called "Ki-Be").
at present-day Kiona. This allowed farmers to easily bring their produce to market (the main crops were corn, wheat, alfalfa, potatoes, and fruit, especially apples), which encouraged further settlement in the area.
Due to the sparse precipitation in the area, most agriculture at the time was dryland farming
.
Irrigation first came to the county in the 1890s and brought many changes.
In the 1890s the Yakima Irrigation and Improvement Company built a canal bringing water from the Yakima River to Kiona.
The Oregon-Washington Railroad and Navigation Company
built a new railroad across the Yakima River
from Kiona in 1907. The new community of Benton City sprang up around it. Beginning in 1917, the Yellowstone Trail
, a national highway from Massachusetts
to Seattle
, was routed through Kiona.
Kiona has never been officially incorporated as a city.
In 2002, the Benton City – Kiona Bridge
over the Yakima River at Benton City was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Benton County
Benton County, Washington
Benton County is a county located in the south-central portion of the U.S. state of Washington. The Columbia River makes up the north, south, and east boundaries of the county. In 2010, its population was 175,177. The county seat is Prosser, and its largest city is Kennewick...
, Washington, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Kiona is an Indian term meaning "brown hills." Kiona and Benton City
Benton City, Washington
Benton City is a city in Benton County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,038 at the 2010 census. The city is strongly associated with nearby Kiona, with which it shares a school district.-History:...
share a school district
Kiona-Benton City School District
The Kiona-Benton City School District is a public school district in Benton County, Washington.-Schools:The Ki-Be School District, as it is informally known, includes three schools: KiBe Elementary School , KiBe Middle School and KiBe High School .-Sports for Middle...
(commonly called "Ki-Be").
History
In 1888, the Northern Pacific Railroad built a new station in the western part of Benton CountyBenton County, Washington
Benton County is a county located in the south-central portion of the U.S. state of Washington. The Columbia River makes up the north, south, and east boundaries of the county. In 2010, its population was 175,177. The county seat is Prosser, and its largest city is Kennewick...
at present-day Kiona. This allowed farmers to easily bring their produce to market (the main crops were corn, wheat, alfalfa, potatoes, and fruit, especially apples), which encouraged further settlement in the area.
Due to the sparse precipitation in the area, most agriculture at the time was dryland farming
Dryland farming
Dryland farming is an agricultural technique for non-irrigated cultivation of drylands.-Locations:Dryland farming is used in the Great Plains, the Palouse plateau of Eastern Washington, and other arid regions of North America, the Middle East and in other grain growing regions such as the steppes...
.
Irrigation first came to the county in the 1890s and brought many changes.
In the 1890s the Yakima Irrigation and Improvement Company built a canal bringing water from the Yakima River to Kiona.
The Oregon-Washington Railroad and Navigation Company
Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company
The Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company was a railroad that operated a rail network of of track running east from Portland, Oregon, United States to northeastern Oregon, northeastern Washington, and northern Idaho...
built a new railroad across the Yakima River
Yakima River
The Yakima River is a tributary of the Columbia River in south central and eastern Washington State, named for the indigenous Yakama people. The length of the river from headwaters to mouth is , with an average drop of .-Course:...
from Kiona in 1907. The new community of Benton City sprang up around it. Beginning in 1917, the Yellowstone Trail
Yellowstone Trail
The Yellowstone Trail was the first transcontinental automobile highway through the upper tier of states in the United States. It ran from Massachusetts to Seattle. It was conceived by J.W. Parmley of Ipswich, South Dakota in 1912. Originally, Parmley and his business colleagues wanted a good road...
, a national highway from Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
to Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, was routed through Kiona.
Kiona has never been officially incorporated as a city.
In 2002, the Benton City – Kiona Bridge
Benton City – Kiona Bridge
The Benton City – Kiona Bridge is a long by wide steel box girder bridge carrying two lanes of Washington State Route 225 over the Yakima River in Kiona, Benton County, Washington. The bridge was completed in 1957, replacing a bridge that was located downstream...
over the Yakima River at Benton City was added to the National Register of Historic Places.