“We found it fascinating that we have descendants of George Washington's family here in Washington state, and a minuscule amount of people even know that.” 

Rae Anna Victor, regent of the Jonas Babcock Chapter of the Daughters of American Revolution 

EPHRATA — A house in Ephrata that preserves the legacy of one of Washington state's most influential families will soon receive national recognition. 

The Nat Washington House has been approved for a William G. Pomeroy Foundation Hometown Heritage Marker, making it one of few sites in Washington state to receive the distinction. The marker, funded by the New York-based foundation, is currently being manufactured and is expected to be unveiled during a public dedication ceremony in October. 

The designation follows nearly two years of work by the Spokane Chapter No. 1 of the Sons of the American Revolution and the Jonas Babcock Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Supporters say the recognition not only honors the house itself but also highlights the lasting influence of the Washington family on the Columbia Basin, Grand Coulee Dam and the state's development. 

"It's just unbelievable," said owner Mike Scellick, who has spent years restoring the property and preserving its history. "We've come a long way from when we just bought the house and thought about what we were going to do with it. Now it's nationally recognized. We are on the map. We're really excited." 

The marker was awarded through the Pomeroy Foundation's Hometown Heritage program, which commemorates historically significant people, places and events throughout the United States. The program seeks to preserve local history and increase public awareness of sites that have played important roles in their communities. 

For organizers, the Nat Washington House stood out because its significance extends beyond a single person or event. 

"Usually, a house is honored because one person did one great thing," Scellick said. "But this house has so many different aspects of history tied to it." 

The home belonged to the family of Nathaniel "Nat" Washington Jr., a state senator and longtime Columbia Basin advocate whose roots trace back to the family of President George Washington. The Washingtons who settled in Grant County descended from John Augustine Washington, George Washington's brother. 

According to Rae Anna Victor, regent of the Jonas Babcock Chapter of the DAR, the project grew from an effort to educate Washington residents about those family connections. 

"We found it fascinating that we have descendants of George Washington's family here in Washington state, and a minuscule amount of people even know that," Victor said. "The fact that we had them buried in Almira and living in Ephrata for nearly a century, we thought something had to be done to bring this story to prominence." 

The house preserves the story of several generations of the Washington family whose contributions helped shape the Columbia Basin. 

Among them was Nat Washington Sr., who played a major role in promoting what eventually became Grand Coulee Dam. According to Victor, Washington was among the earliest advocates for large-scale irrigation projects that would transform Central Washington agriculture. 

"It was Nat Washington who first brought it to the attention of (President Franklin) Roosevelt," Victor said. "The things (Nat Washington) did were for the whole state, but really focused on helping the people of his hometown." 

Scellick said the family's influence stretched far beyond irrigation. 

The house contains artifacts, documents and correspondence connected to both American and regional history, including records tied to the Washington family, letters dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries and historically significant family heirlooms. 

"It's the archives that were in the house from the first president and from different aspects of history," Scellick said. "The letters, the books, the documents. To have all of that is a rarity in itself." 

Scellick noted that Washington Sr. served as the first president of the Grand Coulee Dam Association and spent years promoting the vision of transforming the Columbia Basin through irrigation. 

"He went around trying to raise money to study the plan," Scellick said. "At the time, talking about building Grand Coulee Dam was almost like talking about landing on Mars." 

The house also tells the story of the family's relationships with Native American communities, particularly the Wanapum people. According to Scellick, Nat Washington Jr. earned the trust of tribal leaders and played a key role during development of Priest Rapids Dam and Wanapum Dam. 

Doug Jonas of the Sons of the American Revolution Spokane Chapter No. 1 said researching those connections was one of the most eye-opening parts of the nomination process. 

"The connections that Nat and his dad had to building the dams on the Columbia River was a surprise to me," Jonas said. "There was some history that I never knew about that was pretty interesting." 

Jonas also pointed to Washington's contributions as an amateur archaeologist who worked closely with tribal members. 

"He returned artifacts that he had discovered to the tribes," Jonas said. 

Obtaining the nomination required extensive research. 

Victor described the application process as highly competitive and documentation intensive. 

"They want every single thing verified," she said. "Every single word has got to have proof positive. Not just because we think it's true, but because we have primary documentation showing it's true." 

Researchers worked through property records, historical archives and original documents to confirm dates, ownership records and details about the house's history. 

"We had to change the wording on the plaque two or three different times because we couldn't prove some things that we knew were true," Victor said. 

Jonas said the process involved months of collaboration between local historians, volunteers and Grant County staff members. Victor said Elections Coordinator Rebecca Pettingill played a crucial role in finding information for them, even taking time to go to the museum and find records for them while they were working on the application.  

"It was quite the process," he said. "They do a really good job of verifying information and making sure everything is factual." 

Supporters hope the marker will increase tourism and encourage more residents to explore the state's history. 

"People will travel from all over the United States to visit these Pomeroy markers," Scellick said. "It puts Ephrata and Grant County on the map." 

Victor hopes visitors leave with a deeper understanding of Washington state itself. 

"I hope people learn that history is very important, particularly for our state, because we are named after the father of our country," she said. "We have the pride of having people from his lineage in our community." 

Jonas echoed that sentiment. 

"I hope they see the marker and it encourages them to do a little more historical research themselves," he said. "And I hope it spurs the community to help preserve and promote the Nat Washington House." 

    An inside look at the dining room of the Nat Washington House. After two years of work, the house has been approved for the William G. Pomeroy Foundation Hometown Heritage Marker. Supporters say the recognition not only honors the house itself but also highlights the lasting influence of the Washington family on the Columbia Basin, Grand Coulee Dam and the state's development.
  

    Mike Scellick, owner of the Nat Washington House speaks during an event May 22 where the house was placed on the Washington Heritage Register.