The West Klickitat News, Bingen, WA., July 31, 1946, page 3

LYLE, - A PROGRESSIVE TOWN, HAS FUTURE
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Early history Of Lyle Told By Pioneer
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George Snider Relates Story Of First Settlers In This Section; Came Here In 1879.

     Few people realize it, but George Snider, of Lyle, was a very early pioneer. He came to this section in 1879. At the time few families lived there, the Lyle's were one of the few. They had their home on the present Bob Chamberlain place on the hill west of Lyle, across the Klickitat river.
     The post office for the community then was at the Lyle home. It was known as Klickitat landing. The next year, 1880, it was changed to Lyle. "At that time," reported our pioneer, "the present site of the town of Lyle was a large field of wheat," and "no houses were seen anywhere in this vicinity."
     According to Mr. Snider, the Lyles came to this country in the year 1863 or 1862. They came here before their daughter was born.
     Mr. Snider, who is from Acheson county, Kansas, near Buscotah, came by train to Frisco, thence to Portland by boat, with the express purpose of ending up in Goldendale. "I stopped at Lyle," he stated, "and have been here ever since."              "There were several families living in the back part of this section later on," stated Snider, "The Gillmans, Levitts, Silbys and Splawns, who lived out about seven miles. There were also several families in the High Prairie country. When I came here in 1879 there was little to be seen in the way of a town. No bridge was seen across the Klickitat river. It was built the following year."
     Little Indian trouble, if any was ever experienced, according to Mr. Snider. There were quite a number of Indians seen about the Lyle district, but they were peaceful. About 1878, according to reports, there was some talk of Indian wars, but it never happened.
     Mr. Snider, altho not the earliest in Lyle, is one of the group. He was happy to learn that the Lyle merchants were putting out a special edition in the News this week. "It's a good thing for the town," he commented.

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©  Jeffrey L. Elmer