From Out West #28, October 1994
By Chuck Woodbury
GEORGE, Wash. -- On the rolling plains of eastern Washington lies George Washington. It's the only George Washington in America. Locals like to leave out the comma between George and Washington.
Believe it or not, George Washington was the brainchild of one Charlie Brown. It was the early '50s and Brown conceived the small farmtown with a colonial theme.
He named each street for a cherry in honor of our first president, who, as a boy, was eager to try out his hatchet on a cherry tree, then when accused of chopping it down, didn't lie. Perhaps you know the story.
The main thoroughfare of George Washington is lined with flowing cherry, dogwood and magnolia trees, all of which George enjoyed at his beloved Mount Vernon home in Maryland.
Today, 300 people live in George Washington. They can dine at the Martha Inn or shop at Colonial Market. Each July 4th they bake up the world's largest cherry pie -- packed with a belly-busting 800 pounds of cherries.
One of the most active clubs in town is the Georgettes, women who do charitable deeds. The Georgettes, in fact, originated the idea of the World's Largest Cherry Pie, which, each summer, puts George in the regional news.
Speaking of news, the big news these days in George Washington is that the first-ever sewer system is about to be installed. Mayor Kooy says it should be working in the fall of 1995. This is good news for folks who overeat the annual big cherry pie.
That's pretty much all you need to know about George Washington. If you need more information, call the George Washington Visitors Bureau at (509) 785-6955. Ask them about their somewhat fabulous George Washington T-shirts.
©1998 by Out West Newspaper
Read more stories like this in Out West, "the newspaper that roams. Only $12.95 a year. Order online or get more information.
Do you have any comments or update information about this story? Please e-mail Chuck Woodbury.
BACK TO FAVORITE FEATURES PAGE
BACK TO OUT WEST HOME PAGE
Out West, 9792 Edmonds Way, Suite 265-A, Edmonds, WA 98020. 800-274-9378. Fax: (425) 776-3398. One year subscription in USA $12.95 ($15 outside the states). E-mail: outwest@seanet.com. On the Web: http://www.outwestnewspaper.com