Buckner Homestead Historic District, Historic farmstead in Stehekin Valley, Washington.
Buckner Homestead Historic District is a preserved farmstead containing 15 buildings, hand-dug irrigation channels, and approximately 50 acres of apple orchards in Stehekin Valley. The site sits within the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area and includes structures ranging from residences to agricultural outbuildings that document early 20th-century rural settlement.
William Buzzard established the original settlement in 1889 with a log cabin and land clearing, then sold the property to William Buckner in 1910. The Buckner family then expanded the farm, developing the irrigation channels and planting the orchards that shaped the valley's landscape for decades to come.
The site reflects how early settlers adapted to remote mountain living by building their own irrigation infrastructure and maintaining self-sufficient farming practices. Visitors walking through can still see how the community once organized itself around agriculture and apple cultivation.
This remote site is accessible only by boat on Lake Chelan, small aircraft, or hiking trails through the recreation area. Visitors should come prepared for a backcountry experience and check conditions before visiting, as access can be limited by weather and season.
The National Park Service continues to actively maintain and harvest the historic apple orchards using the original trees planted before 1945. This living tradition keeps the farmstead functioning as it did generations ago rather than serving only as a preserved artifact.
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