McCarteney, Washington: Possible Ghost Town?

[Fairlane500]

So, there I found myself, pointlessly poking around various maps online, and I noticed the name "McCarteney" in an area I wasn't aware had any communities.

"Time to open up Google Earth," I thought to myself, and I found myself amazed. There, in the middle of nowhere that is Eastern Washington's Moses Coulee, was a variety of buildings that could be a ghost town. (Image here) From the aerial it's hard to tell, but it looks like there's some kind of railroad grade loop, foundation, and odd line of strange buildings.

I tried looking for info on Google, but absolutely nothing comes up when "McCarteney" and "Washington" are combined in the same search.

However, poking around Google Earth some more, I discovered something that makes the mystery so much more interesting. A panoramio image shows the row of buildings to be some form of shed type things, a very large, odd looking shelter, and most impressive, a large old wooden grain silo-type structure.

This really looks like something more than just a farm, and it's got me curious. Does anyone have any info?

[1969 cj-5]

Long Buildings could be old Chicken Coops or Hog Pens...

[Tsarevna]

1952 Hammond's World Atlas does not show McCartney.

It does, however, show Farmer and Suplee. Supplee is on a Great Northern RR track that has an end of the line a Mansfield, and goes south to Withrow, Supplee, Douglas, (with Spur to County Seat Waterville,) and further south to Alstown and Palisades.

(Palisades may have been re-named Appledale as there is no Appledale on the 1952 map but there is on google in approx the same place as Palisades.)

If there indeed was a town there, it might be a good bet to say that perhaps it declined due to a railroad bypass...

.............

Interesting to note:

-Farmer is already listed on GT.com as having abandoned, empty stores and such. Does appear on 1952 map.

-Dyer, also listed on GT.com, is not shown on my 1952 map.

Towns on the 1952 map in Douglas County that may or may not be ghost towns:

-Beebe (up by Chelan)
-St. Andrews (by Coulee City)
-Mold
-Orondo (west of Waterville)
-East Wenachee (east of Wenachee across river)
-Rock Island (SE of E Wenachee)
-Palisades (now called Appledale?)

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http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/...ad.php?t=11817

This link is to a forum where rail fans talk about old lines in the area....

[Tsarevna]

Looking at the areial images of McCartney, I too find the loop to be interesting.

I wonder if it isn't an old racetrack.

Horses, auto?

The fact that there is a Coulee Meadows Road makes me wonder...

Was Coulee Meadows a race track?

OOOh and looking at the Panaramio picture...that large brown building on the right...

grandstands! For watching the race!

The smaller "ring" near the "grandstands" could be an arena for rodeos or whatnot, which became more popular as racing declined.

Of course, I could be totally wrong and this could be one giant stockyard where livestock would be rounded up prior to being loaded onto trains...but why would one make a giant loop just like a race course for that purpose?

[JoeZona]

Looks like an irrigated field from here, it's just not a complete circle.

The large building on the right looks like some sort of grain silo.

[Tsarevna]

Looks like an irrigated field from here, it's just not a complete circle.

The large building on the right looks like some sort of grain silo.

I'm not talking about any sort of circle...I don't think you are looking at what I am speaking about.

[JoeZona]

I kinda sorta see what you're saying...
But the rodeo arena in the race track?
The race track looks like it needs to be more symmetrical, too.
If you look at the photo of the building close-up, it sure looks like silos.

I like a mystery

[JoeZona]

According to the Douglas County Assessor, the land is owned by Robert E Rummel, the closest Robert E Rummel I could find is in Yakima, (509) 453-3008.

Who's going to call

[Tsarevna]

According to the Douglas County Assessor, the land is owned by Robert E Rummel, the closest Robert E Rummel I could find is in Yakima, (509) 453-3008.

Who's going to call

Um, Hi Mister, do you have a racetrack in your backyard?

The reason I think that might be a rodeo arena is because that's what they did with the racetrack in Salem, Oregon. They used the existing grandstands that were there (after shutting down the track,) for rodeo fans during the State Fair for some time.

Edit: I have an idea, why not call the Douglas County Historical Society on Monday?

http://www.museumsusa.org/museums/info/1158127

Lori Ludeman, Director
Phone: 509-745-8435

[Fairlane500]

No reference to the town yet, but I did find a map showing the proposed Northern & Southern Railway through Moses Coulee to Waterville and St. Andrews, passing through where McCarteney is.

As for the earlier mention of St. Andrews, from what I know, it is a bit of a ghost town. I haven't been there, but I know it has an old grange hall and a cemetery.

The map I was checking out is here, and also shows some other potential ghost town sites such as Jameson, Bright, Buckingham, and St. Germain.