The little city of Republic has reincarnated itself as a tourist destination over the course of the past couple of decades. The city has restored many of its historic buildings, creating a streetscape reminiscent of the Republic of the early 1900s. One of the major projects undertaken was the creation of a series of murals, a project of the Republic and Area Chamber of Commerce. Each mural in the city chronicles a distinct aspect of the history of the area and is accompanied by a textual explanation of the mural's theme.
This mural deals with life before the encroachment of Europeans, a time when life was much simpler and the pace markedly slower. This was the time of the North American Natives, stretching back as much as 13,000 years ago. The mural has been placed in J.W. Slagle Park, a small day use park along South Clark Avenue, near the southern end of the city. The mural is untitled. At the side of the mural is a map and a legend pointing out points of interest in Republic and surrounding area.
A relatively complete history of Republic can be found at
History Link.
The intersection of the San Poil—Kettle River Trail and the Okanogan—Kettle Falls Trail provided a popular summer gathering place for the Interior Salish Tribes. For many generations horse racing and gambling entertained the local tribes on the meadow at the confluence of Granite Creek and the San Poil River. In the late 19th century the area became part of Batiste Tonasket's ranch, son of Okanogan Chief Joseph Tonasket. The original Batiste Tonasket home and barn are still in use.
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