Northern Kittitas County Historical Society

09/03/2026

09/03/2026

***THROWBACK THURSDAY***

Happy Labor Day weekend Cle Elum! In honor of our holiday, we are celebrating Labor Day with this photo dated pre-1918 in Cle Elum. Note the large crowd filled with horses, dapper clothes, hats and bonnets.

More historic photos found on our website
https://nkcmuseums.wpcomstaging.com/historic-photos-collection/

09/02/2026

Get ready for the grand finale of our Summer Speaker Series! Our 5th and final speaker, Jeff Osiadacz, is taking the stage on Thursday, September 17, 2026, and you won't want to miss it! He'll be sharing not one, but two incredible stories! First, he'll take you deep into the depths of the No. 9 mine, giving you a firsthand account of his life as a coal miner. Then, he'll share the tale of his unforgettable meeting with the infamous D.B. Cooper! This is an opportunity to hear two fascinating stories in one unforgettable night! See you there!!

08/27/2026

***THROWBACK THURSDAY***

As noted, several times, Cle Elum is known for its various heritages, due to the Coal Mining era! Here is a photo from 1916 of the Russian Church in Cle Elum. So many nationalities make Cle Elum so diverse!

08/20/2026

***THROWBACK THURSDAY***

Here's an old one from pre- 1918 simply titled "Firemen's Race in Cle Elum." Note the sidewalks lined with crowds all the way down the street.
More local historic photos can be found at: https://nkcmuseums.wpcomstaging.com/historic-photos-collection/

08/13/2026

***THROWBACK THURSDAY***

Another new addition to our photo collection....but you have to look close to see the baker! Here is a young man baking bread for the Northern Pacific Railroad crew in 1904. The NP Railroad was a transcontinental railroad that operated for 106 years, from 1864 to 1970.

More historic photos at https://nkcmuseums.wpcomstaging.com/historic-photos-collection/

08/12/2026

There’s a really great special display happening right now at the Telephone Museum, highlighting the coal mining history of our area—especially the story of local woman coal miner Tony Bailey.

Stop by and check it out! The display is open Tuesday–Saturday, noon–4 p.m., until Labor Day weekend. It’s definitely worth a visit!

08/07/2026

Come celebrate Museum Day this Saturday as part of the America250 celebration!!
We will display Cle Elum's diverse ethnicity with costumes from our early pioneers, as well as artifacts that represent Coal Mining in Upper Kittitas County.
FREE ADMISSION at the Carpenter House and Telephone Museum, 12-4pm August 8, 2026.

08/07/2026

Tonight’s “Night at the Museum” speaker, Ryan Donaldson, shared the remarkable story of his ancestral research—beginning in the Deep South and ultimately leading to the discovery of the first Black pioneers who came to Roslyn in the late 1880s.

Ryan’s research brought this important and inspiring piece of our local history to life. We’re grateful to him for sharing his discoveries and helping us better understand the people and stories that helped shape our community.