Broad Form, SR-22 & Auto Insurance for Twisp – Top Quotes

Twisp is a town in Okanogan County in north central Washington, United States, which sits at the confluence of the Twisp and Methow rivers. The population was 938 at the 2000 census and decreased to 919 at the 2010 census.

On July 30, 1897, Henry C. Glover platted a town in the Methow Valley he called Gloversville, in which a small store and post office were soon established. In 1898, Glover became postmaster of the town, which was now called Twisp, the origin of which is unclear. The common explanation is that it comes from the Okanagan placename /txʷəc’p/, which possibly translates to wasp, yellowjacket, or the sound made by a wasp. On June 29, 1899, Amanda P. Burgar platted the town of Twisp adjacent to the original Gloversville site, which was thereafter considered part of Twisp.

Twisp soon contained a population of miners and ranchers who were supported by many local businesses, including a drug store, a bank, a hotel, two saloons and a Methodist church. The Methow tribe was also a common sight, who continued to camp in their traditional sites and traded with the settlers. On August 6, 1909, the town was incorporated and elected its first officers. One of the first issues the five-member town council faced was liquor licenses for the two saloons, and a 1910 election was held to determine whether Twisp would implement Prohibition. The saloons served free drinks on election day, which allegedly all 88 voters partook in, and Prohibition was rejected by a vote of 56-32. In 1911, electricity was brought to Twisp and the first movie house opened. On January 15, 1912, the Twisp School, constructed at a cost of $12,109.68, opened its doors.