Panel 5 - Pioneer Heritage | The Town That Moved, the Families Who Stayed, and the Stories Still Waiting to Be Told

If you stand along the South shores of Lake Chelan today and gaze across the blue water toward Wapato Point, it's easy to admire the scenery without realizing that beneath the beauty lies a remarkable story of pioneers, Native families, ambitious developers, orchards, and a town that once had to move uphill to survive.

The story of Manson's pioneer heritage begins long before the town carried its current name.

For centuries, the north shore of Lake Chelan was home to Native people of the Chelan Tribe, ancestors of those now represented within the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. The lake, the surrounding hills, and the fertile shoreline provided places to gather, travel, fish, and build community. Among the families whose names remain deeply connected to the region was the Wapato family, whose legacy can still be found throughout Manson today.

Following the breakup of the Columbia, or Moses, Reservation, Native families received individual land allotments, including the Wapato family, whose lands included much of

present-day Wapato Point. Reaching into Lake Chelan, the point served as a gathering

place where horse races, celebrations, and community traditions created lasting

memories. Those stories still echo today, leaving us to wonder how many others remain

waiting to be discovered and shared with future generations.

The next chapter began during a period of enormous change throughout Central

Washington.

As irrigation projects transformed dry landscapes into productive farmland, entrepreneurs and development companies recognized the area's agricultural potential.

In the early 1900’s, the Lake Chelan Land Company became a major force in the valley.

The company acquired thousands of acres with a vision of creating a thriving orchard

district supported by modern irrigation systems and transportation connections.

Approximately 100 acres were graded for a new townsite along the lakeshore. The

company controlled nearly 6,500 acres that would eventually be divided into orchard

tracts and small farms. Apples were becoming Washington's signature crop, and the

shores of Lake Chelan appeared destined to play an important role in that future.

A pivotal moment came when the company purchased allotments numbered 9 through

17 from Wapato John and his family. Historical records indicate the transaction totaled

approximately $56,000. Wapato John retained 80 acres on Wapato Point, where he

planted an apple orchard, along with the area known as Moses Allotment 8, or MA-8

which is now the site of today's 12 Tribes Lake Chelan Casino, RV Park, and lakeside

campground.

With the land acquisitions completed, development of the new community could move

forward.

In 1911, the town received its name from Manson Backus, father of Leroy M. Backus,

president of the Lake Chelan Land Company. Yet, like many great local stories, the

official explanation comes with an entertaining twist. According to family accounts

shared by great-grandson John Backus, Manson Backus may have become the town's

namesake simply because he was unable to attend an important meeting due to illness.

Whether entirely true or polished by years of retelling, it remains one of those delightful

hometown stories that adds character to local history.

As new settlers arrived, agriculture quickly became the foundation of the community.

Orchards were not entirely new to the region. Pioneers such as Peter Wapato and Ben

Martin had established apple orchards before 1890. However, organized irrigation and

land development dramatically expanded production and attracted new residents from

across the country.

Displays of Lake Chelan fruit at national expositions helped showcase the area's

potential. By the mid-1920s, Manson Fruit Growers operated its packing facility, locally

known as "The Unit." Businesses lined the growing town, including stores, a post office,

school, library, garage, and the services needed to support a thriving agricultural

community.

Then came an event that changed everything.

In 1926 and 1927, construction of the Lake Chelan Dam raised the lake level by approximately twenty-one feet. The project brought benefits to the region, but it also carried unexpected consequences. Portions of the original lakeshore townsite disappeared beneath the rising water. Orchards were flooded. Historical accounts tell us

that Wapato John's orchard was among the lands affected.

The solution was extraordinary.

Rather than abandon the community, residents moved it.

Buildings were relocated to higher ground. Streets were reestablished. Businesses

adapted. Homes found new locations. The very layout of modern Manson emerged from

this massive effort. Few communities can claim they physically relocated their town, yet

Manson's residents did exactly that.

The move demonstrated a quality that would define the community for generations:

resilience.

Through the 1930s and 1940s, Manson continued to grow. Grocery stores, restaurants,

gas stations, medical services, a theater, and manufacturing businesses supported local

families. Agriculture remained central to the economy, while lake commerce and tourism

became increasingly important parts of community life.

Curiously, amid all this growth and change, Manson never incorporated. While its

founders may not have been thinking about future forms of government, they were

building something just as lasting: a culture of independence, hard work, and neighborly

cooperation. More than a century later, that pioneer spirit still helps define what makes

Manson, Manson.

By the time Manson celebrated its Centennial in 2011, the town had evolved from a

speculative orchard development into a vibrant and enduring rural community.

One of the lasting tributes created during that celebration was the Heritage Tree

mounted on the side of the old cold-storage building at the corner of Wapato Way and

Green Avenue. Sponsored by the Manson Grange, the project honors both the pioneer

families who helped build the town and N'K'whilekin, known locally as Wapato John,

whose story remains woven into the community's foundation.

Today, street names, historic landmarks, and family legacies continue to connect

Manson to its past. and today’s friendly locals cherish this honor.

The legacy of Manson's pioneers lives on in family photographs, orchard records,

cherished memories, and stories passed from one generation to the next. Their

resilience built a town, their determination sustained it, and their independent spirit

continues to define it today. As we preserve their stories, we honor not only where

Manson came from, but also the strength that will carry it into the future. After all, some

of the most important stories are still waiting to be told.