The majority of Tonasket's civic facilities are grouped together, with city hall, the public library, the police station, the visitor's centre and a small park are all side-by-side along the east side of the highway, occupying the western half of the city block between 2nd and 3rd Streets. Furthest north of the group is the library/city hall building, set back behind the parking lot and the police station.
The library and city hall share a single building, even sharing an entrance in the centre of the building, with the library in the northern section and city hall in the southern section. It's a relatively new looking building, probably wood frame with a stucco covering.
A relatively small library, it seems to serve the city quite well, with all the facilities and amenities offered by all the libraries of the
North Central Regional Library (NCRL).
Some of the facilities listed as available at the library include a 24-hour Book Return, Public Restroom, an Covered Outdoor Area, Photocopier, Printer, Public Computers, Free Wireless Internet and Games & Children's Toys. As a member of the North Central Regional Library (NCRL), the Brewster Public Library provides access to over 700,000 books distributed among 30 branch libraries in Chelan, Douglas, Ferry, Grant, and Okanogan counties. The library offers an online catalog and a Mail Order Library, which was the first in the nation and is one of the few remaining.
The North Central Regional Library was established in 1960 and now serves over 250,000 residents. The library hosts a Friends of the Library group, story times for both school and preschool children, a Brown Bag Book Club, an Adult Coloring Night and even has Makerspaces for various ages from 8 years to adults.
City of Tonasket
Tonasket is a small community located along the eastern bank of the Okanogan River in north central Okanogan County, Washington. The City was named in honor of Chief Tonasket of the Okanogan Indians who historically used the present city site for an encampment. State Highway 97, the main north-south highway through central Washington, bisects the city on its way north to the Canadian border approximately twenty miles north. The City, with an elevation of approximately 900 feet above sea level, is bordered on the north by Siwash Creek, and the south by Bonaparte Creek. The present population is estimated to be approximately 995.
“The City, which has been the site of a U.S. Post Office since 1901, was platted in 1910 and incorporated in 1927.”
Tonasket serves as a hub for agricultural and forestry industries in north central Okanogan County.
It is home to the Offices of the Tonasket Ranger District of the Okanogan National Forest. The city is also increasingly becoming a convenient jumping off point for visitors coming to the area to enjoy the myriad of opportunities for outdoor recreation in the surrounding areas.
Many descendants of pioneer families still reside in Tonasket and the surrounding areas and are interested in preserving and sharing the history of their heritage.
From the City of Tonasket