Whitstran, Washington
Encyclopedia
Whitstran is a small, unincorporated community
in Benton County, Washington
, located approximately four miles Northeast of Prosser
and approximately ten miles east of Benton City
. The focal point of the community is at the intersection of North Rothrock Road and Foisy Road, where there is a small grocery store, and nearby Whitstran Elementary School.
The community's name was changed to Whitstran by the Northern Pacific Railway
in honor of two retired railroad nurses, Laura Whitaker and May A. Strangeways, who were cousins who developed a small acreage nearby.
Another source indicates that he town was named by the North Yakima and Valley Railway Company in honor of a landowner from whom a right-of-way had been acquired. The railway station was previously known as Whitstran Spur.
E.W. Fry built the first store in Whitstran, now known as McCorkle's, in 1916. Jim McCorkle has owned the store since 1993. Previously it was known as Blake's Corner Market and Whitstran Trading Company.
In the 1950s, a new school replaced the previous one room school. The school is now Whitstran Elementary School.
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, Washington
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...
, located approximately four miles Northeast of Prosser
Prosser, Washington
Prosser is a city in and the county seat of Benton County, Washington, United States, along the Yakima River with only one zip code 99350. The population was 5,714 at the 2010 census.-History:...
and approximately ten miles east of 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:...
. The focal point of the community is at the intersection of North Rothrock Road and Foisy Road, where there is a small grocery store, and nearby Whitstran Elementary School.
History
The settlement of Valley Heights originated in 1907 when Seattle developer Charles Jorgen Smith, purchased property in present day Whitstran, which became known as Valley Heights Orchard Tracts. It was also called Swede Settlement for a time because of a number of Scandinavians who purchased property in the area. A rail line was built in 1911 and a town site was platted by Mary Biggam. By 1919 the community began to be known as Whitstran and the name Valley Heights eventually faded from use.The community's name was changed to Whitstran by the Northern Pacific Railway
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
in honor of two retired railroad nurses, Laura Whitaker and May A. Strangeways, who were cousins who developed a small acreage nearby.
Another source indicates that he town was named by the North Yakima and Valley Railway Company in honor of a landowner from whom a right-of-way had been acquired. The railway station was previously known as Whitstran Spur.
E.W. Fry built the first store in Whitstran, now known as McCorkle's, in 1916. Jim McCorkle has owned the store since 1993. Previously it was known as Blake's Corner Market and Whitstran Trading Company.
In the 1950s, a new school replaced the previous one room school. The school is now Whitstran Elementary School.
Schools
- Whitstran Elementary School Grades K-5