1859 saw two of the first white settlers of Lyle, James Williamson and Egbert French who lived with the natives for a short time and French took an Indian bride. 

In 1876 this area was known as "Klickitat Landing," and the first post office east of the Cascades on the north side of the river opened under that name.  James O. Lyle settled here and in 1880, he saw great potential in the area as the transportation hub and trade center for the rich plateau lands to the North and East.  Sternwheeler traffic on the Columbia was on the increase.  Too, it was a natural ferry point.  Lyle bought the French and Williamson holdings when he became postmaster.  He saw a chance to apply his name to the growing settlement.  The Lyle family established a store and a ferry.  A pioneer village began to grow on the peninsula that jutted into the Columbia and a dock was built to serve the sternwheelers.

In 1882, the Oregon Rail and Navigation Company brought a rail along the south shore of the Columbia, but it took 26 years for a rail line to come down the north bank.  Still, a brisk ferry business took people, product (mainly livestock) to meet the Oregon rail line.

In 1892, Lord Thomas Balfour of London came and bought the James O. Lyle holdings and adjoining land.  A total of 1,200 acres was farmed.  Prunes and prune dryers dominated the lower land, grapes were planted on the hillsides, and cattle grazed on the higher land.  During the so-called "Balfour years" from 1892 to 1912 exciting things were happening in Lyle.  Commercial lumbering was beginning and Lyle was becoming the focus of a brisk sheep business.

Sheep raising became big business in the 1880s and 1890s.  Lyle became the natural river crossing point and the main shipping point for early Mt. Adams lambs there were favored in the Chicago market.  Two of the largest buildings ever seen in Klickitat County appeared in Lyle.  In each, 10,000 sheep could be wintered while lambs were fattened for market.  It was an industry that prospered into the 1930s.

A growing business district sprawled across the peninsula until a serious fire around 1912 stimulated rebuilding to the north of the two rail lines which were built during this period.  Shortly after the turn of the century the growing community boasted three hotels, a bank, a title company, several mercantiles, a livery stable, blacksmith, and at least two saloons.  I've heard heard there was even a jail.

Various lumber milling and shipping firms have located on Lyle's waterfront over the years. The ups and downs of its industries, combined with the coming of the automobile made it increasingly easy to get to larger trade centers, and foiled Lyle's dreams of substantial growth.

Contributed by Barbara Sexton.