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Home / Washington Business - September/October 2004 / Dayton is Steeped in History and Rich in Hospitality |
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Dayton is Steeped in History and Rich in Hospitality |
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Written On: September/October 2004 |
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Written By: by Earl Roberge |
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To the weary traveler along U.S. 12 in rural southeastern Washington, it is merely a temporary hiatus along the way; a place where one can gas up or have a pleasant cup of coffee. It is a pretty, neat little town with friendly people, an imposing courthouse, tree-lined streets and a very pleasant business district.
Dayton is home to 2,900 enthusiastic boosters. Its rich history dates back to when Lewis and Clark camped on the banks of Patit Creek, just east of town, in 1806. At that time, the town’s main street was a racetrack for regional Indian tribes.
It is an agricultural community with roots sunk deeply into the rich soil of Columbia County. In the heart of town is a bank of grain elevators storing its gold—golden wheat from surrounding dry-land farms.
This town has a lot going for it. Just about the right size, it offers a lifestyle that combines the best qualities of a small town while offering most of the amenities that modern life has to offer. There is exceptional hunting in the adjacent Blue Mountains, and the Touchet River that runs right through town lets anglers fill their creel with their limit of scrappy rainbow trout.
In winter, the challenging slopes of Ski Bluewood are only a half hour away and at an affordable price. Just over a couple of hills is the Snake River where summer boating and water skiing are superb. When day is done, a weary sportsman can relax at one of several gourmet restaurants, where good food and fine wine are readily available. Life is good in Dayton and at a price that will considerably extend a person’s retirement account.
Old-timers and newcomers alike combine to give Dayton a strong sense of community spirit as evidenced by the restoration of the historic Liberty Theater. It is a gathering place where neighbors take tickets for a featured movie and friends sell sodas, buttered popcorn and candy bars at the concession counter.
Early Settlers Farmed Dayton’s Rich, Fertile Soils
The early settlers started arriving in 1859 and used the land for grazing. By 1861, they turned to farming wheat and other grains. Between 1880 and 1910, prosperous businessmen and farmers built large, impressive homes and buildings, many of which are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Jacob Weinhard, one of many German-born “brewmeisters” who came to America, saw Dayton’s potential for barley production. He built the Weinhard brewery in 1904, which included a saloon and lodge hall.
Today, the “Jolly Green Giant” is emblazoned on the foothills overlooking the town. It symbolized the world’s largest asparagus cannery now owned by Seneca Foods. The plant is the town’s biggest employer during the asparagus harvest with up to 1,100 workers canning the premium spears for grocery shelves on the East Coast, Europe and Asia.
That will all change after next year unless the Washington state Legislature and Congress act soon—and even then it may be too late. Seneca announced it will join Washington’s two other canners, Del Monte (Toppenish) and Chiquita (Walla Walla) in closing its operations and shift production to Peru.
Although Seneca’s decision is a huge blow to the area, Dayton Chamber Executive Director Jennie Dickinson isn’t nailing its economic coffin shut. She believes her community will pull itself up by its bootstraps and focus on tourism, grain production and other employers.
For example, Columbia Cut Stock’s 40 workers cut high-quality pine for window frame manufacturers in the Midwest. Dennis Lockard, who grew up in Starbuck, runs the plant and sees Dayton as a great place to live and raise a family. So does Dave Frame, owner of American Line Builders. His business is a home-grown construction company that erects cell towers and steel frames for high-voltage power lines across North America.
Rural Communities Are Washington’s Backbone
The Association of Washington Business believes towns like Dayton are the backbone of the state. “Too often lawmakers in Olympia tend to focus on issues affecting the cities,” AWB President Don Brunell said.
“For example, urban voters don’t understand what happens to rural communities when the minimum wage automatically increases,” Brunell added. “Few would even look at a $7.16 (federal minimum wage) an hour part-time job in Seattle, but in rural communities, people value just having the opportunity to work and earn some money.”
AWB has been working to convince lawmakers in Olympia they must freeze the minimum wage until other states catch up, repeal the automatic annual increases and set up an agriculture and training wage. So far, those proposed changes have been rejected by the unions, Gov. Locke and legislators — primarily Democrats.
Despite its challenges, life still can be good in this small town. It’s a step to a less hurried, more relaxed way of life. And, of course, if you’d like a connection to a more sprightly way of life, Dayton can still be for you. The Internet is only a click away ... and Dayton is wired!
Earl Roberge is a Walla Walla freelance writer and photographer.
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