10/28.17 Enjoy Free Lecture in Omak about the Historic Okanogan Project

   Kelsey Doncaster, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Historian based in Yakima, will be giving a free lecture titled "Watch U.S. Make Okanogan Great" as part of the Okanogan County Historical Society's Annual Meeting on Saturday, October 28th, 2017 at the Hazel Burnett Building at the Wenatchee Valley College branch in Omak at 116 Apple Avenue West.  Kelsey's presentation will focus on the Okangan Project, which at the time in the 1920s was touted as one of the best Reclamation projects and held the record for hightest gross return per acre of all the government irrigation porjects of the time period with orchardists winning awards for the apples they grew. Doncaster will draw upon rare photographs and documents from the National Archives to tell the story of the project including construction of dams, flumes, hydro-electric powerplants, pumping plants, and earthen canals. He will also discuss how the Project struggled to operate at full potential with the planned size of 19,000 acres when there was an uncertain supply of water. Kelsey's presentation will begin at 1:00 and following the Historical Society's potluck lunch.