This photo of the Kanaskat Bridge was taken shortly after its construction in 1918. A train is seen in the background and three homes to the left are still there. The town was closely associated with nearby Palmer and the two names now inscribe Kanaskat-Palmer State Park featuring almost two miles of Green River waterfront. Kanaskat was named for a native Klickitat Chief whose fame grew during the Indian Wars of 1855-56. He was credited with leading a group of 80 warriors that attacked and killed the popular Lieutenant William Slaughter, enraging passions on both sides. Two months later near the present town of Bonney Lake, Chief Kanaskat was captured but shouted defiantly in his native language, “I’m Kanaskat, Chief, kill me for I kill Bostons.” He continued, “My heart is wicked towards the whites, and always will be, and you had better kill me,” which Corporal O’Shaughnessy promptly did. Some sources claim Kanaskat made frequent visits to the area that now bears his name to call upon a wife there. He also had two wives in his native Yakima country.
In 1888, the Green River telegraph station was renamed for George L. Palmer, a timber cruiser for Northern Pacific and later an official in the company’s land department. Palmer had earlier surveyed the nearby Franklin mines in 1885. This postcard image #0043 comes courtesy of JoAnne Matsumura and the Black Diamond Historical Museum. Over the coming weeks more about Kanaskat and the pioneering Whitehouse family, whose name was practically synonymous with the town.
