Near Omak in Okanogan County, Washington — The American West (Northwest)

St. Mary's Mission

Photographed by Mark Teshera, April 10, 2025

1. St. Mary's Mission Marker

Inscription. A French nobleman turned priest, Etienne DeRouge, S.J. established St. Mary's Mission at the invitation of Chief Smitkin in 1886. From a single log cabin, St. Mary's grew into a junior college—complete with dormitories, hospital, band, museum, and baseball team—which served as a cultural and religious center for this entire area. In 1919 fire destroyed the original college building. Today about 175 Indian children attend grades one through eight. St. Mary's (visible beyond this sign) is the only Indian boarding school in Washington State.

Erected by Okanogan County Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1886.

Location. 48° 23.532′ N, 119° 27.474′ W. Marker is near Omak, Washington, in Okanogan County. It is on Washington 155 east of U.S. 97. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 7674 WA-155, Omak WA 98841, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Washington’s Okanogan Highlands.

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is also in the American Mountain West

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Cascade Range,

the Pacific Rim,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 7 other markers are within 12 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Okanogan County World War I Memorial (approx. 6 miles away); 1919- Baines Building (approx. 6 miles away); 1925 - Cariboo Hotel (approx. 6 miles away); Riverside (approx. 8 miles away); The Curtis Sheep Slaughter (approx. 9.9 miles away); The Cariboo Trail (approx. 9.9 miles away); Scotch Creek Basin (approx. 12.1 miles away).

Photographed by Mark Teshera, April 10, 2025

2. St. Mary's Mission Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on April 14, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 13, 2025, by Mark Teshera of Oroville, Washington. This page has been viewed 262 times since then and 97 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 13, 2025, by Mark Teshera of Oroville, Washington. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.