From a nearby living ghost town to local history and architecture to barns galore, our conference’s mobile tours offerings are sure to have something for everyone, with even more tours coming soon. Learn more about these offerings below, and be sure to add them on when you register for the conference. Snag your spot before they fill up!
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Information for All Tours
- Please wear comfortable walking shoes/clothes and bring a water bottle!
- Tours will happen rain or shine, so be sure to bring a rain coat, umbrella, and whatever else you’d want to enjoy your tour in the rain.
- Please arrive at least 10 minutes in advance of your tour’s departure time. Tours will leave promptly, so if you are late, you will have to navigate to catch up with your tour yourself, even for bus-based tours. Several tours will be meeting at the same time, so look out for your tour usher, who will have a sign with the appropriate tour name on it. (Check the schedule for your mobile tour meeting location.)
Tuesday, October 6
Liberty: A Living Ghost Town
Guide: Michelle Thompson, Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, with Wes Engstrom and Dan Sanders
What better way to get into the season than with a tour of a “living ghost town” led by DAHP’s Michelle Thompson? Settled in 1883, Liberty, Washington’s oldest mining townsite, is just 28 miles from Ellensburg but feels like stepping back in time. We’ll explore Liberty’s history, buildings, and preservation. Although many of Liberty’s buildings have come and gone, many are still standing and inhabited as the town currently boasts a population of 12!
Time: 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Cost: $50
Meet-up location: Ellensburg Downtown Association Office
Good to know:
- Walking: This tour will include light walking (about 1/2 mile total) on a (generally) flat paved road. There may be a few potholes.
- Buildings: We will be entering a privately owned historic cabin that does not have ADA access. If the weather is not so nice we can meet inside the Fire Hall. The cabin we will tour is in decent shape, but is an uninhabited historic building. Watch your step in and around the building.
- Our wonderful guide Wes Engstrom is the oldest living resident currently residing in Liberty. He is sharp as a tack, but please be mindful. Feel free to bring a blanket or something to sit on on the grass, as we will be gathering around Wes.
- There are public bathrooms in Liberty. There is a small patch of grass to cross, but there is a well maintained concrete ramp to access restrooms.
- Liberty is tiny. Our tour cap is bigger than the town population!
Explore Ellensburg’s Mid-Century Modern Gems
Guide: Michael Houser, Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation
Join State Architectural Historian and mid-century modern aficionado Michael Houser on a tour of mid-century modern resources in Ellensburg. This bus tour includes stops at a variety of modern masterpieces, including architect Paul Thiry’s cabin and architect Paul H. Kirk’s award-winning Fine & Applied Arts Complex on the Central Washington University campus. Additional stops include modern homes and churches. Fun commentary along the way will open your eyes to the wonders of mid-century design.
Time: 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Cost: $40
Meet-up location: Ellensburg Downtown Association Office
Good to know:
- Attendees will be driven between more distant sites via bus, but will get off the bus at each stop, including walking between multiple buildings on CWU’s campus. Expected walking distance is approximately 0.3 miles.
- Tour will be visiting homes and public buildings and will highlight interior and exterior spaces. Some spaces include paved concrete walkways, uneven ground, and stairs.
Tracing Downtown Ellensburg from Ashes to Identity
Guides: Sadie Thayer, Kittitas County Historical Museum; and Mike McCloskey, Local Historian/Tour Guide at the Kittitas County Historical Museum
Explore historic downtown Ellensburg with a local historian, tracing how the Great Fire of 1889 transformed the built environment and how those post‑fire decisions continue to define Ellensburg today. Discover landmark buildings, evolving streetscapes, and the layered stories of the people and industries that shaped the district. Attendees will be invited to read the physical landscape, consider what has endured or changed, and reflect on how interpretation and stewardship keep historic places meaningful and alive.
Time: 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Cost: $20
Meet-up location: Kittitas County Historical Museum
Good to know:
- The tour will take place entirely outdoors and on foot, using flat public sidewalks. Most sidewalks are brick-lined with ADA-compliant curb ramps at intersections. Participants should expect typical downtown conditions, including some uneven surfaces and minor elevation changes. The tour is entirely standing and walking; there will not be opportunities to sit or use the restroom.
- Estimated walking mileage: The tour will cover approximately 1.5 miles total, including interpretive stops and discussion.
- Packing list: Your tour guides recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes and a hat, and bringing your water and sunscreen.
From Walls to Welcome: Designing Walks, Talks, and Tours Through Community Storytelling
Guides: Emily Jacobs, Story Quilters LLC; Chuck Lennox, Lennox Insites
How do you turn a mural into a meaningful visitor experience? In this interactive workshop, participants will use Ellensburg’s new Phoenix Alley mural installation to sketch a tour while learning the basics of audience, flow, messaging, and interpretive technique. Attendees will leave with practical tools for creating place-based walks, talks, and tours that support heritage, tourism, and vibrant downtowns.
Time: 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Cost: $20
Meet-up location: The INK
Good to know:
- As a workshop, the majority of this mobile tour will take place in a classroom space. It will also include a short walk to (and through!) Phoenix Alley, which will involve crossing downtown streets and is wheelchair accessible.
- Estimated walking mileage: 0.6 miles
- Packing list: A clipboard may be helpful, but is not required.
Wednesday, October 7
Stop-Worthy, Shop-Worthy: What Makes a Magical Main Street Business?
Guides: Seanette Corkill and Anne Marie Luthro, Frontdoor Back Retail Store Design
We’ll kick off with a dynamic 60-minute presentation of retail best practices, where you’ll learn the foundational principles that build successful retail establishments and identify the challenges retailers face. With those principles in mind, we’ll split into two groups and embark on a 90-minute guided walking tour. Exploring Ellensburg’s downtown retail offerings, we’ll examine the stores to determine which elements are supporting a memorable shopping experience before reconvening briefly to share observations and lessons learned.
Time: 9:00-11:30 am
Cost: $20
Meet-up location: Yakima Room, Hotel Windrow
Good to know:
- This tour starts with an hour-long presentation before the walking tour of businesses. Attendees will not be able to leave items in the classroom where the session starts.
- Estimated walking mileage: Less than 1 mile
- We’ll be in and out of stores on Main Street, so be sure to dress for the weather!
- You’re welcome to make purchases at the stores we visit. While we won’t wait for you, you can catch us at the next stop.
Tax Credits in Action: Adaptive Reuse in Downtown Ellensburg
Guide: Jeronimo Roldan, Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation
This walking tour explores recent Federal Historic Preservation Tax Credit projects in downtown Ellensburg, showing how rehabilitation supports preservation, economic development, and community revitalization. Participants will visit a range of adaptive reuse projects in housing, commercial, and mixed-use buildings. The tour will highlight how preservation standards and financial incentives work together to support successful rehabilitation and long-term building reuse.
Time: 9:00-11:30 am
Cost: $20
Meet-up location: Ellensburg Downtown Association Office
Good to know:
- The walking distance for this tour will be less than a mile total, with standing at each stop and stairs/steps at different points of the tour to access the upper floors of buildings. Once we leave the EDA there won’t be any guaranteed seats. The tour will be mostly walking and standing.
- Estimated walking mileage: 0.3 miles
- None of the buildings are ADA compliant, except the Elks Lodge (Hotel Windrow).
- The only restroom access during the tour will be in the Elks Lodge (Hotel Windrow), at the end of the tour, but there will be multiple shops and restaurants along the way that may allow bathroom use.
Rooting Roslyn in Culture and Community
Guide: Cheri Marusa, Roslyn Downtown Association
Discover the heart of Roslyn through a morning of cultural learning, storytelling, and exploration. After a welcome at the Roslyn Downtown Association Creative Center, we’ll join Yakama Nation cultural leaders for a presentation about the public art masterpiece known as Creators Law before setting out on a guided walking tour of Roslyn’s historic downtown. Along the way, attendees will experience the town’s diverse array of small, locally owned businesses—each contributing to Roslyn’s identity and sense of togetherness. This tour offers an engaging look at how cultural partnership, Main Street values, and community pride shape a place where every initiative aims to uplift and connect. Note: This tour will include lunch on your own in downtown Roslyn. We will return to Ellensburg in time for afternoon sessions and tours.
Time: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Cost: $40 (Lunch not included)
Meet-up location: Ellensburg Downtown Association Office
Good to know:
- There are benches along the walking tour for anyone to sit down without becoming separated from the group.
- There will be 2-3 restroom stop options, which include ADA access.
- The tour is generally on flat terrain, with only a slight downhill section leading to the park. Each business selected for the tour has ADA access. However, some businesses have stairs to different levels, that may limit access for anyone who wishes to see these other spaces.
- There will be two designated location options along the tour for group and individual photos: the Creator’s Law and the Roslyn Café Northern Exposure mural.
Stepping Inside the Turbine: Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility Tour
Guide: Andrea Crawford, Wild Horse Wind Facility
Take in the sweeping views on a wild, windswept ridge at the Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility while learning about renewable energy production and the area’s unique history. Enjoy 360-degree views of Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and the Columbia River Basin from the visitor center, then embark on a guided walking tour. Survey shimmering silicon solar panels; get blown away by the scale of a turbine gearbox, generator, and blade; then step right inside a towering wind turbine!
Time: 1:30-4:30 pm
Cost: $40
Meet-up location: Ellensburg Downtown Association Office
Good to know:
- Signed liability forms must be turned in at the front desk prior to the tour (these will be sent to attendees in advance and/or available on site).
- Estimated walking distance: 0.5 miles round trip on the turbine tour, and another 0.25-mile walk on our stop on top of the mountain. Walking will generally be on a gravel trail with one steeper descent down to the turbine. As a note, participants may also drive their own vehicles to the base of the turbine instead of walking; please email if you would like to do this.
- Packing list: Please dress in layers for the wind, and sun and wear closed-toed shoes (ideally boots or sturdy walking shoes). A hard hat and safety glasses will be provided. Your guides recommend you bring camera/phone, water bottle/snacks, and sunscreen/sun clothing.
- There are two smaller public restrooms at the visitor center. They are ADA accessible.
- The initial presentation will be in a classroom with chairs. However, there are very few locations to sit along the walking tour route unless we decide to take the bus for the second half of the tour.
- Coffee, tea, and ice water are available at the visitor center (free/donation accepted). There is also a small gift shop (card only).
- Please review PSE’s tour liability form and Visitor Information and Checklist for a complete list of rules.
Knowledge Keepers: The Preservation of Indigenous Technologies and Culture
Guide: Sia Aronica & Janine Bufi
In our Native culture, beadwork is something that we use to adorn our regalia, to show honor to our plant and animal relatives, and to create our sense of self. Beading creates beautiful things and can contribute to one’s sense of peace and joy. In this workshop, you will have the experience of designing your own coiled beaded project. Supplies will be provided for registered participants. While you are working on your project, our presenters will share with you their journey of the preservation of Indigenous technologies and culture within their local community.
Time: 1:30-4:30 pm
Cost: $30
Meet-up location: Kittitas County Historical Museum
Good to know: In this workshop, you will learn to create a beaded keyring/bracelet using a coiling technique. You will need to be able to see up close so bring reading glasses if these are helpful for you. You will also be sitting and working on close up work for the duration of the workshop. You will be using a needle and thread to string the beads.
Thursday, October 8
Ellensburg Through a Main Street Lens
Guides: Stephanie Castillo and Kelle Vandenberg, Ellensburg Downtown Association
Discover downtown Ellensburg and explore how the district is applying the Main Street Approach to strengthen its core. This walking tour offers a pragmatic look at recent public space enhancements, small business incubator projects, and storefront reuses that are shaping local economic vitality. We’ll stop at Unity Park and visit a couple of key downtown shops to see firsthand how preservation, adaptive reuse, and everyday business activity contribute to a thriving district. Along the way, we’ll highlight restored historic buildings, community events and placemaking efforts and the local leadership, volunteers, and public/private partnerships that make these initiatives possible. We’ll also touch on future plans and the ongoing work required to maintain a vibrant downtown, offering an honest, nuanced look at Ellensburg’s Main Street—where continuous adaptation is just as important as milestone achievements.
Time: 9:00-11:30 am
Cost: $20
Meet-up location: Ellensburg Downtown Association Office
Good to know:
- All of the tour will take place on city sidewalks, and/or street crosswalks. Many of the sidewalks are brick pavers with artistic designs from Ellensburg Artist, Dick Elliott. The one exception is for Phoenix Alley, were the asphalt is has some areas of unevenness that is easily avoidable. The guide will flag any stairs/curb cuts in advance.
- There will be some public restrooms available along the route, and stops will include Unity Park, which has benches, as well as a couple downtown stores.
- Estimated walking distance: Less than one mile
- Packing List: Your guides recommend bringing water and dressing in layers with a jacket/windbreaker and sunglasses, as weather in October can change quickly.
If These Haylofts Could Talk: A Heritage Barn Tour
Guides: Michael Houser, Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation; Chris Moore, Washington Trust for Historic Preservation
Travel the backroads of the county to discover some of the rich agricultural history of the Kittitas Valley. This tour will highlight Washington’s award-winning Heritage Barn Register Program by touring several historic barns and other agricultural buildings. Come learn about barn types and construction methods and discover more about the state’s ongoing efforts to preserve these important structures.
Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Cost: $40
Meet-up location: Ellensburg Downtown Association Office
Good to know:
- This will be a bus-based tour from barn/farm sites with individual walking and exploration around at each site. Ground will be rough and likely a combination of dirt, rocks, and manure. Pending weather, it could be muddy as well. Barns are not ADA accessible.
- Expected walking distance: 0.5 miles
The Art of Observing Main Street
Guide: Samantha Lorenz, Terra Soma
What can we learn about Main Street and other public places simply by slowing down and looking more closely? In this art-filled walking workshop, participants will use simple drawing, sketching, and diagramming techniques to explore how people experience and use downtown Ellensburg. Moving through Unity Park and downtown Ellensburg public spaces, we’ll observe where people gather, how they cross and move along streets, and the small details that make places inviting, comfortable, and connected—from tree canopy, shade, seating, and building edges to gathering spaces, pedestrian movement, and the social life unfolding around us. No drawing experience is needed. The goal isn’t to make beautiful drawings but to use drawing as a tool for seeing. By slowing down, looking closely, and recording what we notice, you will discover new ways to understand how public spaces work and take home practical observation techniques you can use in your own community.
Time: 9:00-11:30 am
Cost: $30
Meet-up location: Ellensburg Downtown Association Office
Good to know: This is an outdoor, participatory walking workshop with frequent stops for observation, drawing, and discussion. Drawing materials will be provided. No previous art or sketching experience is necessary. The workshop will happen rain or shine, so be sure to dress for the weather!
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