How Kittitas County GoT Its name
By Monica Mersinger
H
ow Kittitas County got its name is uncertain. Opinion concludes that it is a Native American name, but interpreting what Natives meant by the word is unclear. Kittitas Valley has always been a unique place, including for Native Americans who populated the valley. Its first inhabitants were the Psch-wan-wap-pams (stoney ground people), also known as the Kittitas band of the Yakama or Upper Yakama. Although the Kitttias were distinct from the Yakama Tribe, settlers and the federal government (for treaty purposes) grouped the Kittitas with the larger Yakama Tribe. One of the interpretations of the meaning of the word Kittitas is the meaning
shale rock, white chalk, or white clay but in any case the name may refer to the soil composition in the Kittitas Valley. Another interpretation is that a bread made from the root Cous was referred to by Natives as kit-tit. “Tash” is a Native term generally accepted to mean “place of existence.” So, kit-tit Fur trader Alexander Ross was one of the first non-Indians to decribe tash would be “where the entering the Kittitas Valley in 1814. Cous root exists”. The Kittitas Valley was crossroad for the state, than 2,000 men, exclusive one of the few places in allowing Natives to travel of women and children, Washington where both and treble the number from British Columbia, camas (sweet onion) and of horses. It was a grand the Puget Sound, the cous (a root used to make Columbia and Spokane and imposing sight in bread) grew. These were the wilderness, covering area to this bountiful staples that could be more than six miles in valley. dried, made into cakes, every direction. Councils, Fur trader Alexander and saved for winter root gathering, hunting, Ross was one of the consumption. Yakama, horse-racing, foot-racing, first non-Indians to Cayous, Nez Perce and gambling, singing, describe the Kittitas other tribes gathered in dancing, drumming, Valley which he entered the valley to harvest these in 1814 to trade for yelling and a thousand foods, fish, hold council other things I cannot horses and stumbled talks, settle disputes, mention were going on upon an enormous tribal socialize, trade goods, around us.” The place gathering. race horses and play where the camas and cous Ross wrote, “This games. As it still is today, mammoth camp could grow - Kittitas. • the Kittitas Valley was the not have contained less K V LIVING
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