Even though the Indian treaties of 1855 at the Walla Walla Council (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walla_Walla_Council_%281855%29) opened the West to white settlement, it did not necessarily create peaceful conditions for the settlers.

For the next twenty years, Indian uprisings were not uncommon. Finally in 1876, soldiers were stationed at White Bluffs until Fort Chelan (http://fortwiki.com/Camp_Chelan) was built and shortly after the garrison relocated. Settlement continued despite instances of unrest.

In 1878 Ben Rosencrance located on a pre-emption claim at the Richland “Y”. He bought three sections of railroad land at 50 cents an acre and had the option to purchase sixteen more, but did not consider them worth the price.

Rosencrance, a bachelor, was a large-scale stockman who raised horses and supplied them to the Northern Pacific Railway Company (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Pacific_Railway_Company), which completed its line from Spokane to Ainsworth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ainsworth,_Washington) in 1883

More From 102.7 KORD