The name "Entiat" refers to the indigenous Entiat people, whose name comes from the Moses-ColumbianSalishan word /nt'yátkʷ/, [nt'iátkʷ], "place of grassy water", from /na-/, "place", /st'íyaʔ/, "tall grass, hay", and /-atkʷ/, "water".[7]
History
Columbia River Chinook Indians settled the Entiat Valley in the 1800s. Chief Shil-how-Saskt (Silico Saska) selected the congruence of the Columbia and Entiat rivers as the place for his camp.
The Albert Long Museum in Entiat opened in 1980, in one of only two buildings (built 1895) that survived the opening of Rocky Reach Dam. It houses historical items from local logging and fruit industries.[8]
First Town
In 1877, Lewis Detwiler, the first white settler, arrived in the Entiat Valley. In 1896, Chief Silico Saska sold the town site of Entiat. He died in 1903.
This first town site was located approx. half a mile west of the Columbia River, on Entiat River's north side.[9] The first public school was established in Entiat in 1891. In 1895 the first Entiat Post Office was established. The Entiat Power Plant opened for business in 1908. The Keystone Fruit Company opened for business in the valley in 1910. E.P. Murphy began publishing the Entiat Times in 1913, and railroad service began in Entiat in 1914. In 1915 only six businesses survived a fire. The Entiat school opened in 1916 in its current location.
Second Town
In 1921 a new fire razed First Town, and the second town site of Entiat was secured.
In 1920, the tradition of Numeral Mountain began as High School seniors painted their graduation class number on the Mountainside across the Entiat River from the school. Entiat was officially incorporated on April 25, 1944.
Third Town
In 1960, Rocky Reach Dam was constructed downriver from Entiat; much of the town had to be relocated to higher ground due to the rising waters behind the dam. Most of the original buildings were razed or moved to a location north of the original town. This third town of Entiat was officially open for business in 1961.
The new Entiat Park re-opened for camping on Friday, May 22, 2015 after being closed for over a year.
Notable people
Charles Glen King (1896–1988), biochemist, pioneer in the field of nutrition research
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.74 square miles (7.10 km2), of which, 2.11 square miles (5.46 km2) is land and 0.63 square miles (1.63 km2) is water.[11]
As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 1,112 people, 421 households, and 305 families residing in the city. The population density was 527.0 inhabitants per square mile (203.5/km2). There were 495 housing units at an average density of 234.6 per square mile (90.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 81.5% White, 0.4% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.4% Pacific Islander, 13.8% from other races, and 3.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.7% of the population.
There were 421 households, of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 27.6% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 2.99.
The median age in the city was 40.1 years. 25.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.1% were from 25 to 44; 29.7% were from 45 to 64; and 14.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.5% male and 48.5% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 957 people, 342 households, and 244 families residing in the city. The population density was 700.6 people per square mile (269.7/km2). There were 400 housing units at an average density of 292.8 per square mile (112.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 79.31% White, 0.52% African American, 1.67% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 16.51% from other races, and 1.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.57% of the population.
There were 342 households, out of which 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.9% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.27.
In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 32.5% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,450, and the median income for a family was $37,083. Males had a median income of $33,487 versus $21,324 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,529. About 9.1% of families and 14.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.
