RV Rentals in Ellensburg, Washington

Explore Ellensburg, Washington, in an RVshare RV Rental

By the 1700s, Psch-wan-wap-pams, a band of Yakima Native Americans, were grazing horses in the Upper Yakima Valley. The valley was one of the few places where the tribe could dig roots in the spring; they usually came back in the fall to hunt and fish. Explore some of these natural areas by visiting some of the city's 20 parks. 

In July of 1848, Father Charles Pandosy built a Catholic mission where Ellensburg would eventually reside while attempting to convert the Native Americans to Christianity. While unsuccessful in his attempt, he became one of the first people to become a priest after Washington became a state. 

As early as the 1850s, ranchers were raising cattle in the area. Cowboys often herded the cattle to Seattle or British Columbia after they reached a certain weight. There was an overabundance of cattle in the region by 1861, so ranchers built some of the first fences in the United States to contain them. You may want to try some of the locally raised beef at Buzz Inn Steakhouse, Oyama Japanese Steak House, or The Porch. 

In 1870, A.J. Splawn and Ben Burch opened a fur-and-horse-trading business that they called Robbers Roost. Most of the initial customers were Native Americans. From 1870 to 1889, the town quickly grew, thanks to various articles written in prominent newspapers about this community. You can discover many of the charming aspects of this community for yourself when you shop with local merchants, like Fitterer's Furniture, which has been in business since 1896, and Jerrol's Department store, which opened in 1947. 

On July 4, 1889, a devastating fire destroyed 10 blocks and over 200 homes. Had this not occurred, voters may have made this city the capital of Washington, but on November 4, 1890, they voted to give Olympia that designation. The worldwide financial panic of 1891 and 1892 dealt this city another blow as the local bank failed, with depositors getting less than 10% of their savings back. Good news finally came to the town when Washington Governor Ferry made it the home of Washington State Normal School. That college eventually became Central Washington University, and it's still the heartbeat of this community of 20,000 people. 

Events in Ellensburg, Washington

• Jazz in the Valley – This three-day festival held annually in July features jazz musicians at various downtown establishments. 

• Ellensburg Rodeo and Kittitas County Fair – See top rodeo athletes perform during the Ellensburg Rodeo, which has been a yearly event for over 100 years, and enjoy seeing livestock, learning new crafts, riding thrill rides, and eating fair food at this September festival. 

• Buskers in the Burg – See puppets and various street entertainers perform in a parade and throughout the downtown area at this September festival.