This is not, as some might expect, the result of marijuana's having been legalized in the state, but due to Waterville's altitude. At an elevation of 2,622 feet above sea level, it is, indeed, the highest incorporated town in Washington State. A quiet little town with a downtown comprised primarily of a historic district, pretty much everything in the town is close at hand, including the town's public park, Pioneer Park.
This UR Here map is at the western edge of the park, just off East Park Street and north of the museum. The map is of the Waterville area, indicating the roads east to Wilbur, west to the Okanogan, north past the Grand Coulee Dam and south to Wenatchee. This map is on the east, park, side of the marquee, while a city map is on the west, street side.
Though the park is a block south of Locust Street, the official park entrance is on Locust, or at least that's where the sign has been placed. From the sign, it's a short walk of about 125 feet to the park proper and the shade of the many mature trees. In the dog days of summer, these alone make the park an inviting and quite popular place. Nearby to the entrance is a weeping birch tree which has been planted as a memorial to those who served in World War II. Just west of that are a pair of covered picnic tables in front of a large stone barbecue dedicated to one Charles R. Osborne, a past resident of Waterville. Scattered about the park are several more picnic tables and benches. To the south of the barbecue is a small cairn built by the I.O.O.F. and the Masons in 1939, dedicated to the pioneers of Waterville and commemorating the Golden Jubilees of Waterville, the Badger Mountain Lodge of the Masons and the State of Washington.
The park is divided into two halves by Walnut Street (which is, sensibly, blocked to vehicular traffic) with the north half mostly open grassed area under many mature trees. In the south half are a small ball diamond, a children's playground and a tennis court. At the western edge of the south half is the Douglas County Museum.
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