A Century of Water: 100 Years of the Kittitas Division

𝐀 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫: 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐬 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧
𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟏𝟏
𝐊𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦
𝟏𝟏𝟒 𝐄. 𝟑𝐫𝐝 𝐀𝐯𝐞, 𝐄𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐠, 𝐖𝐀
Join the Kittitas County Historical Museum and the Kittitas Reclamation District (KRD) for a special community event marking 100 years since the July 11, 1926 ceremony celebrating the start of construction on the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Kittitas Division — and exploring the longer story of KRD before, during, and after that defining moment.
For a century, the High Line Canal irrigation system has helped shape life in Kittitas County. Irrigation changed what was possible across the valley, supporting farms, families, communities, landscapes, and livelihoods through generations of planning , labor, engineering, adaptation, and stewardship.
This anniversary event will launch a new Museum exhibit created in partnership with the KRD, exploring the history of irrigation in Kittitas County from its earliest days to the present, with a glimpse toward the future of water, conservation, agriculture, and community life.
The day will include words from the Kittitas Reclamation District and two special presentations by historian 𝐊𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞𝐲 𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫:
𝟐 𝐏𝐌 — 𝐃𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞, 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥
An afternoon presentation focused on one of the more dramatic chapters in the construction of the irrigation system, including the tools, labor, challenges, and mysteries behind the work.
𝟔 𝐏𝐌 — 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭: 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠
An evening presentation tracing the larger story of KRD, from early efforts beginning in 1911 through the July 11, 1926 High Line Canal milestone, construction and completion, operation, and the work continuing today.
𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲: 𝐊𝐑𝐃 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝-𝐭𝐡𝐞-𝐒𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬
Event attendees will have a special opportunity to sign up for future behind-the-scenes tours with the Kittitas Reclamation District. These tours will take place at later dates, and sign-ups will only be available in person during the July 11 event at the Museum.