White Bluffs, WA historic buildings

In 1943, the government condemned and bought the structures and land in White Bluffs for the creation of the Hanford project. The entire town was razed save for two buildings--the First Bank of White Bluffs on the west side of the river and an old cabin (blacksmith's shop) on the east side of the river.

Today the White Bluffs town site is off-limits to unauthorized visitors.

Key: Building is still standing. Building has been torn down.

Hudson Bay Post (c1850)
	This building was still standing when the government tore it down in 1943.

Blacksmith's Shop (c1850)
	This building is still standing on the east side of the river at the White Bluffs ferry landing. It appears to be the first cabin built in the area. Originally a cavalry remount station, it later became a blacksmith's shop.

Schoolhouse (1894)
	This White Bluffs schoolhouse was built from 12" timbers that were caught floating down the Columbia River. If you look closely, you can actually see through them. The Craig, Brice, McGlothin, Ogg, and Hoffman families attended school here until 1896.

White Bluffs Livery (c1900)
	This building was located on the west side of the river.

Beldin's Ice Cream Parlor (c1905)
*	This was probably located on the east side of the river. Bill and Lottie Beldin are in the picture in front of the building. In the 1920's, the building was also used for the Tillamook Steam Laundry.

Oasis Saloon (c1905)
	This building was moved by the railroad tracks in 1913 and later became the Commercial Hotel.

White Bluffs Grade School (1907)
	This is how the schoolhouse appeared in 1927.

First Bank of White Bluffs (1909)
As it appears today * Inside c. 1920	Most likely this building was left standing because it was too difficult to tear down due to its masonry construction. The government has attempted to preserve and protect the structure.

White Bluffs Inn (c1910)

White Bluffs Trading Company (c1910)
* Building, in 1943

White Bluffs Depot (c1913)
*	This was the railroad depot for the Priest Rapids Line.

White Bluffs High School (1922)
	This high school burned in 1942. Little did the townsfolk know that there was no need to rebuild it...

Bruggeman's Warehouse (1922)

West of the White Bluffs town site near the Vernita bridge

The Bruggeman's Warehouse was constructed of local cobblestones from the nearby river embedded into concrete. There is a later addition to the original warehouse on the south end of the building. The cobblestones are arranged to form decorative arches, and the corners of the building and in the center of the east wall, decorative columns can be found. The building itself is in fairly bad condition as the roof has caved in. According to Mary Bruggeman (the wife of the owner, Paul Bruggeman), peaches, cherries, prunes and wine grapes were all grown nearby (and probably stored in the building). There was a river pump house for watering the nearby orchards. Native Americans were hired to pick fruit in the summer. The building itself was believed to have been built by a man named Mercy of Yakima, Washington. Information and photograph supplied courtesy of James Williams from the Hanford WIDS database (number 600-67).

White Bluffs Motor Company (c1930)

Research, photography and architectural analysis by Jeremy Wells. Source material from the EBCHS archives.
Do you have anything to add or correct? Please e-mail the EBCHS at ebchs@gte.net

*Photographs provided courtesy of the Hanford Cultural Resources division of the DOE.