North Cascades

SETTLEMENT PATTERNS IN THE NORTH CASCADES

CORRIDORS OF SETTLEMENT: STEHEKIN RIVER

Devore

Continuing up the densely-vegetated river valley, early settlers chose homesites along both banks of the river. A settler named Dan Devore, perhaps one of the best known residents of the Stehekin valley and a horsepacker by trade, moved to the upper end of Lake Chelan in 1889. It is thought that he built a cabin for himself approximately where the Weaver Point Campground is sited today. [198] Apparently he sold this cabin to A.M. Pershall and moved downlake in the mid-1890s to Deer Point, where he located a ranch for wintering his stock. This place was called Deer Lodge, an ". . . attractive and valuable ranch situated beyond [above?] 25-mile Creek on the north shore of the lake . . ." [199] Later Devore sold Deer Lodge and returned to Stehekin. [200]

Devore's summers in Stehekin were spent leading pack trains into the various mining camps, as well as guiding tourists into the backcountry. An advertisement of Devore's in the Chelan Leader clearly stated his services:

Get Started Right!
If you are a tourist, health or scenery seeker, miner or prospector and want to reach any camping, fishing or hunting grounds or mining district in the Cascade Mountains, inquire for
DEVORES PACK TRAIN.
Stehekin, Washington. Will furnish pack and saddle horses from any point you wish to reach. Animals gentle and accustomed to trails. Guides and packers furnished if desired. Headquarters at Stehekin landing. (30 June 1899).

One of Devore's more celebrated trips occurred in 1916 when he led author Mary Roberts Rinehart, her family, and a crew from the Great Northern Railroad (including L.D. Lindsley, the photographer) up the Stehekin valley and over Cascade Pass. Known as "a hustler and a hard worker," Devore also prospected in the summer and trapped in the winter but it was his packing business that brought him local fame. [201]

In the 1920s Devore based his packing operation out of Lydia George's Rainbow Lodge, located several miles beyond the head of the lake near Rainbow Creek. This hostelry offered lodging and good food for potential customers as well as grazing land for Devore's horses. Devore eventually left Stehekin and sold his 15-horse pack string to Oscar Getty who had packed for M.E. Field around 1911-12. [202]