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Moses Lake is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States. The population was 14,953 at the 2000 census.
History
Named Neppel in 1910 by white settlers, later residents voted in 1938 to rename their city to honor Native American Chief Moses and the city became Moses Lake. His name had already been given to the lake next to Neppel and to a coulee running between Wenatchee and Ephrata. The city served the trading needs of a small group of pioneering farmers who settled on the shores of the lake.
Moses Lake has a long history with its sister city, Yonezawa, Japan. The two cities have been exchanging students every summer for over 20 years. There is a street named after Yonezawa in Moses Lake.
Background
Chief Sulktalthscosum aka Chief Moses was born in 1829 and was the chief of the tribe of Native Americans inhabiting this area. They were called Kowalchina and sometimes Sinkiuse and Columbias.Chief Moses' people lived in the Moses Lake area until he was arrested and tried for murder. In 1878, a white couple was murdered near Rattlesnake Springs by indians controlled by Chief Joseph. The military, however, blamed the incident on Chief Moses. He was captured near present day O'Sullivan Dam and stood trial in Yakima, where he was found not guilty. Chief Moses then went to Washington D.C., and met with President Rutherford B. Hayes. He ceded control of the Columbia Basin to the U. S. government, which then opened the area for homesteading. Chief Moses moved to the Methow Valley and Chelan.
The lake, Moses Lake, on which the town lies, is made up of three main arms over 18 miles long and up to one mile wide. It is the largest natural body of fresh water in Grant County and has over 120 miles of shoreline covering 6,500 acres.
Larson Air Force Base/Grant County Airport
Larson AFB, five miles from the city of Moses Lake, Washington, originally was named Moses Lake Army Air Base. It was activated on November 24, 1942 as a temporary World War II training center. Major Donald A. Larson, for whom the base was later renamed, was from Yakima, Washington.The Secretary of Defense announced on November 19, 1965 that Larson was to be closed by June 1966. Larson Air Force Base, since renamed Grant County International Airport, is now a world-class heavy jet training and testing facility used by the Boeing Company, Japan Airlines, the U.S. Military and many other air carriers from around the world.
With 4,700 acres and a main runway 13,500 feet long, it is one of the largest airports in the United States.
Education
Moses Lake is home to Big Bend Community College, and is home to Moses Lake High School. In addition, the school district includes eight elementary schools, two middle schools (as well as one 6-12 school). There are also three private schools. Chief Moses Middle School is one of the two middle schools. The other middle school, Frontier Middle School, was the location for the first school shooting in recent history to get national television coverage.
Schools
Elementary Schools
-Midway Elementary
-Lakeview Elementary
-Garden Heights Elementary
-North Elementary
-Penninsula Elementary
-Knolls Vista Elementary
-Discover Elementary
Middle Schools
-Frontier Middle School
-Chief Moses Middle School
High Schools
-Moses Lake High School
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,953 people, 5,642 households, and 3,740 families residing in the city. The population density was 567.1/km² (1,468.6/mi²). There were 6,263 housing units at an average density of 237.5/km² (615.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.16% White, 1.69% African American, 1.02% Native American, 1.43% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 15.44% from other races, and 3.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 25.41% of the population.
There were 5,642 households out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.8% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,467, and the median income for a family was $42,096. Males had a median income of $34,945 versus $25,193 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,644. About 11.0% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.7% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.
Activities
Moses Lake has a water park that has waterslides, and the city council is currently (Summer 2006) considering the addition of a wave pool for kneeboarding and a "lazy river" for tubing. Adventure Park now called "Off The Hook" is a place where teens and pre-teens can go to dances and some major touring bands make occasional visits. Every late May during Memorial Day weekends Spring Festival is celebrated. It features rides, live music, little shops, food and much more.
Sister City
Moses Lake has one Sister City, according to the Washington State Lt. Governor's list of Washington Sister Cities:
External links
"Moses Lake, Washington"