The
community of Lyle is located on Highway 14 in western Klickitat County, overlooking
the Columbia River. Lyle is unincorporated.The
community of Lyle is located on Highway 14 in western Klickitat County, overlooking
the Columbia River. Lyle is unincorporated.
Major local industries are timber, ranching and recreation. Lyle is only a few short miles from Doug's Beach, one of the Columbia Gorge's best spots for windsurfers.
Lyle Community
Action Council
Lyle Community Action Council
PO Box 815
Lyle, WA 98635
Community contact telephone: (509) 365-3903
Lions
Club Community Center:
Fifth & Hwy. 14
Lions Club: (509) 365-2110
Community council meets the second Monday of each month, 7 p.m. in the Lyle
Lions Club Community Center.
Fire: 9-1-1 (emergencies only)
Non-emergency: 509-365-5409, 509-365-2565
Area
The canyon of the Klickitat is one of the grandest and most picturesque along the Columbia. On either side the grass-clad hills rise a thousand feet above the bed of the river, along which the railroad winds in graceful curves. At times the scene changes and a magnificent thicket of green scrub oaks crowns the hills with verdure, while below the rushing stream dashes madly down the canyon. The town of Lyle is located at the mouth of the Klickitat River, with the falls of the Klickitat only three miles away. Here a large volume of water is forced through a narrow chasm. It is probable that in past ages the water at this point fell sheer over the face of the rock for some distance, but as years went by the rock was worn away until little more than a rapids remains.
Catherine Creek
One of the Mid Columbia Gorge's most scenic nature trails, "Catherine Creek," is accessed at the Lyle junction. Catherine Creek affords nature lovers a field of native wildflowers overlooking the spectacular vista of the Columbia Gorge. The lower trail is paved and is accessible by wheelchair. Benches for sitting show up in opportune spots, allowing visitors a comfortable spot to view the waterfalls from the creek, sit under a majestic old tree, or view the sun glinting on the waters of the Columbia as you look west toward the community of Mosier. More rambunctious hikers can take the upper trail.
History of Lyle
When
Klickitat County was chartered by a legislative act in 1859, the majority of
the population in the new county resided along the Columbia River at a place
known as Klickitat Landing (Lyle). The first white settler at Klickitat Landing
was Egbert French who arrived from Ohio. He married an Indian girl and one daughter
was born to them while they lived here. In 1866 Mr. French sold his holdings
to James O. Lyle and moved to White Bluffs on the upper Columbia River.
James O. Lyle, born in Pennsylvania in 1831, married Martha Snipes and in 1863 joined the Snipes family wagon train for Oregon. They arrived at The Dalles on July 10, 1863. For two years Mr. Lyle was located on a farm at Rowena, opposite Klickitat Landing. In 1866 he moved to his new holdings on the Columbia.
Soon after relocating, Mr. Lyle got a post office established and was the first post master. Klickitat Landing was one of the three first post offices north of the Columbia River and east of the Cascades in Washington territory. The other two were Yakima City and Klickitat Creek. Mail was delivered to Klickitat Landing by river steamer.
SP&S Railroad construction was started in 1905 and in 1910 CR&N Railroad became part of the SP&S. The old town site of Lyle, which laid south of the newly constructed railroad was purchased by SP&S and in 1909 the present town site was plotted. Steamboats ceased to operate on the Columbia River after the completion of the North Bank line.
For more information about the history of Lyle, click here.
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