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An Illustrated History of Klickitat, Yakima, & Kittitas Counties
Interstate Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., published 1904

Part IV
History Of Klickitat County

Cleveland

The second town founded in eastern Klickitat and one of that section's present important trading centers is Cleveland, situated near the head of Wood gulch. Bickleton lies three miles east; Goldendale, thirty miles southwest. With both these places Cleveland has stage connections, as also with Arlington, Oregon. Arthur Hale operates the tri-weekly stage to Goldendale; George Van Nostern, the daily stage between Bickleton and Cleveland and between Cleveland and Arlington.
Cleveland has a pretty location in a sort of basin on the lower border of the pine forest of the Simcoe mountains, with an open plateau stretching to the southward. Comfortable farm buildings and well-cultivated fields cover the prairie, evincing the presence of a thrifty farming population, the source of Cleveland's prosperity. As elsewhere in the eastern end of the county, wheat-growing is the principal industry, stock-raising coming next in importance.
The town of Cleveland had its first feeble beginnings in 1880 or 1881 (the date cannot be certainly determined), when S. Lowenberg, a Goldendale merchant, established a branch store upon the site of the present town. The land was then held as a homestead by a man named Ripley Dodge, who settled upon it about the year 1879 It is officially described as the south-east quarter of section thirty, township six north, range twenty east. Mr. Dodge opened a hotel soon after, and later, in the same year, Frank Remington opened another store near Lowenberg's, but he abandoned the field the following fall, going to Arlington. In the spring of 1881, if Edward Morris' memory of the date is correct, a blacksmith shop was opened on Dodge's farm by William Twitchell.
Mr. Lowenberg had not been long in the town before he had secured the establishment of a postoffice and an appointment as the first postmaster. But he stayed in Cleveland only a year, selling out at the end of that time to James L. Chamberlain, who also succeeded to the office of postmaster.
About this time Mr. Dodge formally laid out the town, naming it Cleveland, in honor of Ohio's great city. Mr. Dodge having been a native of that state. Before this time the settlement had been called Dodgetown. In 1895, just previous to his death, Mr. Dodge sold the site to William A. McCredy, who still owns it. Mr. Chamberlain remained at Cleveland a short time, then sold out his interests, moved to Prosser, and became the pioneer merchant of that town. Another of Cleveland's early business men was David Mason, who kept a drug store there for a short time during the eighties; still another was George Merton, the founder of a small general store. The latter sold out subsequently to Millard Hackley, who in turn sold to Hiram Bloome. Archibald Dodge, whose store was opened about 1882; J.J. Purviance, who erected a furniture store in 1883, and Charles McLean, who started the blacksmith shop that subsequently became the property of George Merton, to be mentioned among Cleveland's pioneer business men.
The thrifty little town suffered a disastrous misfortune, Thursday morning, September 24, 1896, when fire swept nearly the whole business portion out of existence. About daybreak the fire started in Bloome's livery barn, and, fanned by a strong wind, it was soon beyond control. The business houses destroyed were: Hiram Bloome's general store, livery barn, warehouse and blacksmith shop, loss five thousand dollars; Will G. Faulkner's furniture store, loss five hundred dollars; Paul Beck's hall, and Sherman Cooley's blacksmith shop. Little insurance was carried. A general belief prevails that this appalling fire was of incendiary origin. Courtnay's store was saved; also the grist-mill, which had been built by Henry C. Hackley in 1890 and had added greatly to the town's prosperlty.
Many fires of less magnitude have visited the place at different times, the last one, which occurred April 9, 1904, destroying W.A. McCredy's hotel. John Van Nostern, a boy asleep in the hotel when the fire started, had a narrow escape from the flames. So rapidly did the fire progress that within thirty minutes from the beginning the building and its contents were a mass of ruins. The loss was twenty-five hundred dollars, covered by five hundred and fifty dollars insurance.
Notwithstanding the terrible blow received by the town in 1896, Cleveland was quickly rebuilt and soon regained its former prosperity. Since then its progress has been steady, though slow. At present its business enterprises are as follows: The Cleveland roller mills, owned by Samuel St. Clair, a new thirty-barrel, roller system plant, operated by steam, manufacturing several brands of flour, feed, etc.: general stores, Van Nostern Brothers, James and Isaac; drugs, T.Z. Dodson; harness and groceries, Charles M. Beck & Son (C. A.); meat market, Charles A. Beck; hotels, The McCredy, William A. McCredy, proprietor, The Cottage, Mrs. Ida Eddy, proprietress; hardware, furniture, Will G. Faulkner; livery, William A. McCredy; bracksmith shop, S.A. Jory: jewelry store, Leonard Jenkins; physician Dr. P.Z. Dodson; contractor, George Faulkner; postmaster, James Van Nostern; United States commissioner, Will G. Faulkner; two public halls.
The town possesses an excellent school taught at present by Theodore Rolf. Next winter the district expects to employ two teachers, as more than fifty pupils are enrolled. The pioneers of Cleveland organized district No.30 in the year 1832, erecting a commodious frame schoolhouse, in which Miss Sadie Murphy taught the first school that fall. This old building was replaced in 1898 by a fine structure costing twelve hundred dollars. The site chosen is a pretty and commanding one upon the pine-clad hillside north of the business district. The officers of Cleveland school district are Thomas N. Tatbert, J.W. Weer Will G. Faulkner, directors; Will G. Faulkner, clerk.
The Cleveland Presbyterian church society was organized in 1884, through the efforts of Rev. L.J. Thompson, with the following original members. Rev. L.J. Thompson, Mrs. Nettie Twitchell, Mrs. A.A. Faulkner, Mrs. Isaac Clark, Mrs. Macy Baker, Mr. and Mrs. J.J. Purviance, and one or two others whose names could not be learned. The manse was immediately built, and two years later a church was erected at a cost of perhaps eight hundred dollars, Ripley Dodge donating a block to the society for building purposes. Revs. Samuel Meyer, B.F. Ilarper, A.J. Adams, J.C. Templeton, John Day, R.B. Hodge, J.G. Hodges, and the present pastor, Rev. William Douglass, who came April 1, 1904, have successively served the church. There are eighteen members connected with the Cleveland church. The Bickleton and Dot churches are also presided over by Mr. Douglass.
Two fraternal orders have lodges at Cleveland, the Order of Washington and Knights of the Loyal Guard. Klickitat Union No. 185, O. of W., was organized in December, 1902, with sixteen charter members. Its principal officers are: Past president, Henry Hackley; president, Will G. Faulkner; recording secretary, Joseph Noblet, and treasurer, James Van Nostern. The Knights of the Loyal Guard lodge is three years old and has a large membership. Both lodges are in a flourishing condition.