Economics of Ellensburg and Washington State Normal School
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Campus where you would like to present
SURC 271
Start Date
16-5-2013
End Date
16-5-2013
Abstract
I will submit a paper analyzing the economic effects of the Washington State Normal School on Ellensburg, Washington. The paper will focus on the founding of the school in 1891 and how it bolstered Ellensburg’s economy. I will begin the paper with an analysis of Ellensburg’s major industries in the years preceding the establishment of the school. The major industries included farming, mining, and brick manufacturing. I will then show how the economy went into a recession putting Ellensburg on the brink of collapse. During the recession, farming decreased due to the low pricing of wheat, mining was riddled with strikes, and brick manufacturing disappeared. The building of Washington State Normal School added much needed stimulus to the economy. The construction supplied jobs and stimulated the local businesses by buying materials from local businesses. This supported the economy until the recession ended. Without the founding of the Washington State Normal School, Ellensburg may have become another ghost town of the west.
Recommended Citation
Davis, Brian, "Economics of Ellensburg and Washington State Normal School" (2013). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 24.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2013/oralpresentations/24
Additional Mentoring Department
History
Economics of Ellensburg and Washington State Normal School
SURC 271
I will submit a paper analyzing the economic effects of the Washington State Normal School on Ellensburg, Washington. The paper will focus on the founding of the school in 1891 and how it bolstered Ellensburg’s economy. I will begin the paper with an analysis of Ellensburg’s major industries in the years preceding the establishment of the school. The major industries included farming, mining, and brick manufacturing. I will then show how the economy went into a recession putting Ellensburg on the brink of collapse. During the recession, farming decreased due to the low pricing of wheat, mining was riddled with strikes, and brick manufacturing disappeared. The building of Washington State Normal School added much needed stimulus to the economy. The construction supplied jobs and stimulated the local businesses by buying materials from local businesses. This supported the economy until the recession ended. Without the founding of the Washington State Normal School, Ellensburg may have become another ghost town of the west.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Brian Carroll