Finley, Washington — Community That Grew Beyond the Original Townsite

Finley's early promoters expected a traditional town to emerge from irrigation, rail service and settlement southeast of Kennewick.

A post office, school and stores appeared as dry land became productive farmland. Larger transportation and urban investments eventually favored Kennewick and Pasco, so the compact commercial boom boosters imagined never arrived on the same scale.

Finley nevertheless kept growing in another form. Irrigated agriculture, homes and industry became durable parts of the area, and later Tri-Cities expansion brought thousands of residents into the unincorporated community.

The original townsite did not become the city promoters predicted. The community around it ultimately became much larger than they could have measured from the first street plan.