Kettle Falls

The ancient Native American fishing site and center for trade economy, Kettle Falls, was inundated by Lake Roosevelt after the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam. Tribes from miles around, even those at war with each other, would fish at the falls side by side. The town of Kettle Falls was built overlooking the falls in the late 1880s. Relocation of the town had to be complete before the reservoir of Lake Roosevelt filled with water and buildings were moved to Meyers Falls, the present day Kettle Falls. The last salmon run took place in 1938 and at the Ceremony of Tears, Native American tribes gathered to say goodbye to the way of life they lived for thousands of years. During the construction of the third powerhouse at Grand Coulee Dam, Lake Roosevelt was drawn down, briefly exposing part of the falls in 1969.