Many towns in the West got their start when the railroad came to town. Connell was no different. Originally called Palouse Junction, the town developed when the Northern Pacific Railroad built a branch rail line in 1883. In 1890, the future of the town was at stake when the railroad discontinued service in that area. But the Union Pacific reestablished rail service in 1901, guaranteeing the future of Connell. About that time, the town was permanently renamed Connell, after a railroad employee.

Even before Connell officially became a town, pioneers began to put down roots. F.D. Mottet established the Franklin County Bank of Connell in 1901. Mottet, a native of France, had come to Kahlotus in 1884. He raised sheep near Connell Springs until he sold them and started the bank. Other early families in the area included the Klindworth, Olds, McLean, Gronewald, and Finkbeiner families.

Other changes came quickly after the turn of the century. The first church, a German Methodist church, was built in 1901. When the town of Connell was platted in 1902, a Presbyterian church was built. The first school was built in 1903. In 1904, C.M. Taylor built a dry goods store that sold, among other things, hitching rails and watering troughs, the first sign of the future importance of agriculture to this area. Connell's growth threatened to outpace Pasco until a fire in 1905 destroyed a large portion of the business district. But the town quickly rebuilt and by 1906, Connell had a bank, grocery store, post office, hardware store, drug store, lumber yard, saloon, several small offices, and a hotel.

A new car dealer set up shop about 1914, causing some excitement. The hilly terrain caused a problem with those early cars; gas would not flow into the carburetor unless the tank was very full, so they would frequently have to be backed up a hill!

Though the main town was growing, many of Connell's residents lived in rural areas. Many farmers were planting orchards to supplement their income. Some kept hogs and hens to help support themselves. Home gardens furnished peas, radishes, onions, and potatoes. There were no wells, so residents hauled water from Mesa or from the railroad-owned well in Connell. Residents relied on the Spokesman Review for their main source of news and on the Sears Roebuck catalog for many of their goods.

An agriculture-based economy began to thrive. In the 1920s, stubble-mulching became popular so farmers began discing their fields. Connell Grain Growers was launched in 1930 to handle grain marketing needs. The Connell Grange Supply opened its doors in 1932. The Grange provided hardware, tools, and just about anything a farmer might need. In 1939, the Big Bend Electric Cooperative was formed by a group of Adams County farmers. The Co-op, which still exists, provided much needed electrical power to Connell farmers.

The fertile soil encouraged the growth of other things besides crops, however. Tumbleweeds invaded the land and became such a nuisance that fields were periodically burned. In some areas the tumbleweeds were so bad that farmers just gave up the fight and left.

Once there was economic stability, other types of businesses came to the town. The Sunset Theater showed its first film in 1952. The Franklin County Graphic began publication in 1954. Around 1958, the Ed Poe Insurance Agency began taking care of farmers by specializing in farm and crop insurance.

In the 1960s and 1970s, agriculture became an even stronger force in the local economy. Residents had started a potato processing plant in 1966 called Unique Frozen Foods. Lamb Weston later bought and expanded the original business. In 1970, Irrigation Specialists, Inc. opened in Pasco, providing irrigation supplies to Franklin County farmers. B&R Aerial Crop Care opened for business in 1975, providing a wide range of spraying, seeding, and dusting services.

Today Connell is still prospering. Though the economy has diversified with the expanding North Franklin School District and the recent addition of the Coyote Ridge Correction Center, Connell still depends on agriculture. Wheat, potatoes, corn, and asparagus are the main crops, though large apple orchards provide some income too. BB Cattle, one of the nation's top Hereford breeders, adds livestock to the many resources of Connell. If you can stand a comfortable climate, a friendly hometown atmosphere, many employment and recreational opportunities, and clean air and water, you might just want to settle in Connell!

Learn more from Ed Klindworth on the City of Connell, Washington web site.........

More history for Franklin County and the Connell, Washington area....

Wanted