Northwest Agriculture
Title
Northwest Agriculture
Description
The Palouse, also known as the bread basket of the nation, began producing wheat in the nineteenth century. By 1910, the region was producing so much wheat that it had become Washington's most valuable commodity crop, making Whitman County the richest county (per capita) in the United States. Agriculture in the region became a big business, suing the best tools available. Mules or horses pulled reapers and combines and steam-powered threshing machines worked to bring in the crop. The annual harvest was the central event of the year, employing an army of itinerant laborers. By the mid-1930s, mules and horses had become obsolete, replaced by gasoline powered machinery. In addition to wheat farming, fruit orchards have long played a noteworthy role in the region and cattle ranching maintains its iconic status in the West.
Collection Items
Spokane Valley -- Apple Orchard -- Raymond (#01)
Orchard of T. F. Raymond, Opportunity, apple picking time.
Northwest -- Wheat and Wheat Farming (#07)
"Horse and mule drawn combine in the Palouse region- 33 horse and mules furnishing traction."
Northwest -- Wheat and Wheat Farming (#03)
Rear view of the combine operating on the side hill slope of a Palouse wheatfield.
Northwest -- Cattle (#05)
Branding calves near Ft. Benton, Montana. Copy of a photo estimated to have been taken in the 1870s (?)
Northwest -- Sheep (#01)
"Sheep grazing in 5 acre alfalfa field seven miles from Sunnyside. Taken in Kittitas Valley - outside irrigation section on South Central highway."
Northwest -- Wheat Farming -- Churchill collection (#01)
Palouse threshing crew in front of the cook shack.
Northwest -- Wheat and Wheat Farming (#27)
"Threshing machine on Orrin Torrey's farm, Odessa, Washington."
Northwest -- Wheat and Wheat Farming (#18)
"At work in Palouse field with Steptoe Butte in the background."
Northwest -- Wheat and Wheat Farming (#04)
Rear view of the combine operating on the side hill slope of a Palouse wheatfield.
Northwest -- Wheat and Wheat Farming -- Steptoe (Wash.) (#01)
Men with bags of harvested wheat at warehouse in Steptoe, Wash.
Spokane -- Fairs -- Fruit Fair (#01)
"Display of fruit from Henry Wendler's farm, the Newman Lake Fruit Farm. Henry Wendler is at left in the photo and his wife, Sadie, is at right. Sadie and her daughter, Lillian (later married to John Day) canned all the produce. There is catsup,…
Spokane -- Fairs -- Fruit Fair (#01)
Display of canned and bottled goods from the Wendler Farms at Newman Lake, Washington.