George is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States. The population was 809 at the 2020 census. The "humorous homage" to President George Washington has landed George on lists of unusual place names.
The city is known for being near The Gorge Amphitheatre, sometimes called "The Gorge at George". The Gorge Amphitheatre was the location of the annual Sasquatch! Music Festival.
The city also celebrates national holidays such as the Fourth of July and Washington's Birthday, with cherry pies. The world's largest cherry pie is also baked every year on July 4, and served to a crowd.
History
George began as a large irrigation district between Quincy and Moses Lake. In the early 1950s, the need for a town to support local agricultural businesses was evident, and the Bureau of Land Management agreed to for this purpose. The sole bid was from a local pharmacist, Charlie Brown, who invested his own money in the venture and solicited planning help from a University of Washington instructor. The plan included streets, utilities, and other infrastructure.
When filing the papers for the town with the BLM, Brown decided that the town should be named after the first President of the United States, George Washington.
The citizens of the town have named their streets after varieties of cherries grown in the area, such as Bing and Royal Anne.
The town was officially incorporated on November 4, 1957, at a ceremony including Governor Albert Rosellini and a cherry pie.
Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, George has a cold desert climate, abbreviated "BWk" on climate maps.