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The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., July 1, 1954, page 1
Diamond Anniversary Edition

BRIEF HISTORY OF BICKLETON GIVEN;
TOWN NAMED AFTER CHARLES N. BICKLE, FIRST MERCHANT
By Donna Van Nostern

Bickleton is the central town of Eastern Klickitat County. It has one of the finest wheat growing regions or the state of Washington. The natural beauty of the country is likely to be the first thing to appeal to the visitor. In altitude it is approximately three thousand and thirty-two feet.
Charles N. Bickle, from whom the town acquired its name, built the first store in the county east of Rock Creek in May of 1879. LeRoy Weaver assisted Mr. Bickle. Due to Indian troubles in 1878, Mr. Bickle returned to Goldendale and was unable to get the title for the land. His brother-in-law, John Skiller took the land as a homestead, then Mr. Bickle received the land.
The little store, which stood where the town well is now located, soon became a trading place for the people from miles around. This store became a shelter for many a traveler.
In October, 1880, Samuel P. Flower joined Charles Bickle, and they organized the Bickle and Flower firm. In the fall of 1880 Mr. Flower built a blacksmith shop near the store. Mr. Flower sold his blacksmith shop about four years later to James C. Sigler.
In 1882 the total number of business houses in Bickleton was four; the latest business being a drug store established by Charles E. Flower. A general store, a hotel, a blacksmith shop and a pharmacy made up these four business houses. In 1882 Bickleton was granted the right to have a post office, with C.N. Bickle being the first postmaster.
J.C. Chamberlain, in 1881 established the second general store. In 1885, he sold out to Robert M. Graham. Also in 1855 Dr. Hamilton Blair, a physician came to Bickleton and in 1885 Harvey Emigh opened a meat market.
On April 27, 1887, Bickleton experienced its first great disaster. Near noon on this day fire broke out in Samuel Flower's new dwelling and before the fire was put out every business house in town, except the blacksmith shop, and nearly every home was burned. The loss was estimated at twenty-five thousand dollars.
Two days later Bickle and Flower started doing business in a tent. Mr. Bickle began building a spacious hotel while Charles Flower rebuilt his drug store and several other buildings were being built, all better buildings than before the fire.
In 1880 the people of Bickleton organized school district No. 210, and built a small box school house. Henry C. Hackley was the first instructor of the twelve pupils- Mrs. Osborne, a widow taught the second term.
Mr. Bickle donated an acre of land at the east end of town for another school The original public hall was converted to the grade school. It served the community until 1897 when it was removed to make room for present sightly, two-story building. The contract was let for $1300. Eight grades were taught, seventy pupils in all, T.C. Anderson was the principal, Miss Jesse Forker was his assistant.
The Bickleton News was established on August 2, 1902, by S.G. Dorris, formerly of Oregon. The News occupied a two-story building with some of the best equipment for a country news office.
The only bank in the eastern part of Klickitat was the Bank of Bickleton. The bank was established by the farmers, stockmen, and business men on August 9, 1903, with a capital of $25,000. By the end of the year the banks affairs were highly satisfactory. The bank occupied a two-story home on Market (Main) Street. The building cost $3,000. George W. McCredy was the president of the Bank. Stephen Matsen was the vice president. The cashier was Samuel A. Rossier.
Other businesses of the town were: General Store, G.W. McCredy, W.V. Mitty, A.F. Brockman and John McCredy; Drugstore, A.F. Brockman; The Grand Hotel, Wilbur C.S. Nye; Livery Stables, Wilbus C. Nye; Paints, Oils, E.B. Pyle; Meat Market, Flower and Coleman; Blacksmith shops, Miller and McLean, Richardson and Wommack; Harness Shop, Walter Baker; Billard Hall, W.H. Hussey; Lumber Yard, G.W. McCredy.
Physicians, Dr. A.F. Brockman, Dr. P.C. West; Veterinary Surgeon, A.D. Robbins; Barber Shop, E.M. Wristen; Contractors, Philip McCully, George W. Jordon and W.F. Keyes; Sawmill on head of Pine Creek, George W. McCredy; Real estate, Insurance, Samuel A. Rossier; Photogrpaher, John Lodge; Stock Dealers, Flowers and Coleman; Postmaster, W.T. Mitty.
The stage lines were as follows: Arlington-Bickleton, daily, operated by George Van Nostern , Mabton-Bicklelon, tri-weekly, C.O. Wommack, Cleveland-Bickleton, daily, George Van Nostern, conneccting with the Goldendale line.
Rev. J.H. Allyn preached the first Methodist sermon in eastern Klickitat county at the R.A.Graham home in Alder Creek church in Bickleton.
The First Presbyterian Church The Methodist Church was erected in 1882. This was the first was founded on April 19, 1903. The structure of this building cost $2500. Rev. William Douglas assumed the pastorate April 1, 1904, succeeding Rev. J.G. Hodges. The church at that time had thirty three members.
The lodges of Bickleton were: Excelsior Lodge No. 111, Alder Rebekah Lodge No. 80, Bickleton Camp No. 6249, the Bickleton Homestead No. 420, Simcoe Lodge No. 113, the Bunchgrass Lodge No. 81, and the Wheatland Union No. 175.
It was estimated by reliable authorities that in 1903 the region within a radius of 10 miles of Bickleton raised five hundred thousand bushels of wheat, besides a large amount of barley and oats and some hay. The wheat sold at an average price of between sixty-five and seventy cents, from which it was seen that the grain product alone brought the farmers of the wheat region more than three hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars.
Bickleton had another fire on July 4, 1940, when a whole block of buildings burned.
The Bickleton Volunteer Fire department was established in 1948. This organization has proved worthy. The department consists of farmers, mill workers, business men and all men who happen along to a fire.
The business houses of Bickleton are: grocery store owner, Bill Marvel; Hardware, H.O. Wilson; Garage, Dick Kessinger; Pool Hall, C.L. Mains; and post-mistress, Mrs. Evelyn Kessinger.
Bickleton has several organizations now which are: The Goodwill Society, the Westminster Fellowship, the I.O.O.F. and the Rebekah Lodges, the Bickleton 4-H clubs, the Boy Scouts, the Cub Scouts, and the Homecraft Extension Club.
The Bickleton community now has a new $107,645.12 brick school building. The building was built from May 15, 1952 to November 10, 1953. There are seventy-one grade school students attending this beautiful building. There are twenty-four high school students.