Moses Lake, Washington
Encyclopedia
Moses Lake is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States
. The population was 20,366 as of the 2010 census. Moses Lake is the largest city in Grant County.
, on which the city lies, is made up of three main arms over 18 miles (29 km) long and up to one mile (1½ km) wide. It is the largest natural body of fresh water in Grant County and has over 120 miles (190 km) of shoreline covering 6,500 acres (2,600 ha). Before it was dammed in the early 1900s and then incorporated into the Columbia Basin Project
, Moses Lake was a smaller, salty, shallow lake. One of its early names was "Salt Lake". To the south of the town is the Potholes Wildlife reservation that has a number of seep
lakes and vast amounts of migratory birds and other fauna natural to the area.
on the Columbia River
in 1941 and Larson Air Base in 1942 the area was largely barren. Native Americans knew the area as Houaph, which meant willow. Chief Moses was leader of the Sinkiuse tribe from 1859 to 1899, and was forced to negotiate with white settlers who began to settle in the area in the 1880s. Under pressure from the government, Chief Moses traded the Columbia Basin
land for a reservation that stretched from Lake Chelan
north to the Canadian border. The government quickly realized that was a mistake and later traded again for what is now the Colville Tribes’ reservation.
The new settlers named the lake in honor of the chief, however, and established a small town in 1911 they called Neppel, after a town in Germany where one of the settlers had lived.
The first settlers established fisheries and farms — some of the first exported items were carp, jackrabbits and fruit — but irrigation attempts failed and settlers left at about the same rate as they came. When the town was incorporated and renamed Moses Lake in 1938, the population was estimated at 301 people.
Arrival of the air base in 1942 and irrigation water pumped from Grand Coulee Dam
in 1955 offered newcomers a reason and a way to settle in an area that previously had little to offer other than good fishing and a place to water sheep and cattle. Moses Lake was quickly transformed into a hub for a vast region where transportation, agriculture and recreation came together.
The air base was built to train World War II
pilots to fly the P-38 Lightning
and B-17 Flying Fortress, two planes that were essential to the war effort. The base was closed after the war ended, but reopened in 1948 as a U.S. Air Force base and test area for Boeing’s B-47 Stratojet
and B-50 Superfortress
.
The B-47 tests led to development of modern commercial jetliners still used today. Fighter jets were stationed there to protect Grand Coulee Dam
to the north and the Hanford site
to the south. Boeing
still uses the airport as a test and evaluation facility for its aircraft. Japan Airlines
used the airport as a training area from November 1968 until March 2009. The old air base is now owned by the Port of Grant County and home to Grant County International Airport
, Big Bend Community College
and several businesses. Farmers, meanwhile, had developed new methods to irrigate water from the lake and from the Columbia River
and began planting expansive irrigated acreage. When the Columbia Basin Project
was completed in the mid-1950s, farms expanded by thousands of acres, growing potatoes, corn, onions, carrots and sugar beets.
In little more than a decade, Moses Lake’s population grew from 300 to 2,679 in 1950. Today, the population is 20,366.
, five miles from the city of Moses Lake, Washington, originally was named Moses Lake Army Air Base. It was activated on November 24, 1942 as a temporary World War II
training center. Major Donald A. Larson, for whom the base was later renamed, was from Yakima, Washington.
The Secretary of Defense announced on November 19, 1965 that Larson was to be closed by June 1966. Larson Air Force Base, since renamed Grant County International Airport
, is now a world-class heavy jet training and testing facility used by the Boeing Company, the U.S. Military and NASA. Columbia Pacific Aviation now handles charter passenger service to and from Moses Lake.
With 4,700 acres (19 km²) and a main runway 13,500 feet (4,100 m) long, it is one of the largest airports in the United States.
of 2000, there were 14,953 people, 5,642 households, and 3,740 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,468.6 people per square mile (567.1/km²). There were 6,263 housing units at an average density of 615.1 per square mile (237.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.16% White, 1.69% African American, 1.02% Native American, 1.43% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 15.44% from other races
, and 3.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 25.41% of the population. It should be noted that the population of the Moses lake School District board boundaries service area is 39,664 (people living in the district).
There were 5,642 households out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples
living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.8% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,467, and the median income for a family was $42,096. Males had a median income of $34,945 versus $25,193 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,644. About 11.0% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.7% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.
.
Moses Lake, WA climate is warm during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 80's and somewhat cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 30's.
The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 88.20 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 21.70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperature variations between night and day tend to be moderate during summer with a difference that can reach 27 degrees Fahrenheit, and fairly limited during winter with an average difference of 14 degrees Fahrenheit.
The annual average precipitation at Moses Lake is 7.69 Inches. Rainfall is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. In mid-summer though, it is not unusual for a month or six weeks to pass without any measurable rainfall. The wettest month of the year is December with an average rainfall of 1.19 Inches
(one of the world’s largest manufacturers of polysilicon, used in solar panels), as well as tech companies including Microsoft
, Yahoo and Intuit who have built large data storage facilities in Moses Lake and other nearby cities. Moses Lake has also attracted some alternative fuel companies, such as Washington Ethanol & Washington Biodiesel.
BMW
, in partnership with the SGL Group, broke ground in July of 2010 to begin construction of a $100 million carbon fiber manufacturing plant in Moses Lake. Hiring of approximately 80 permanent employees is set to begin in 2011 and should increase to 200 full-time positions.
weekend the Spring Festival is celebrated. The festival includes carnivals & parades as well as many other family activities.
A new event intended to be an annual event is scheduled for June, 2008. The Moses Lake Water Sports Festival is to coincide with the declaration that Moses Lake is the water sports capital of the Northwest.
Lion's Field, located Downtown near Frontier Middle School, is undergoing remodel after a voter-approved levy. The FieldTurf portion of the field is completed and the first game held on the new turf was a soccer game between the Moses Lake Chiefs and the Wenatchee Panthers. The Football team opened the completed stadium on September 12, 2008.
Yonezawa, Japan
Moses Lake has a long history with its sister city; Yonezawa, Japan
. The two cities have been exchanging students every summer for over 20 years. There is a street named after Yonezawa in Moses Lake and a street named after Moses Lake in Yonezawa.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 20,366 as of the 2010 census. Moses Lake is the largest city in Grant County.
Background
Moses LakeMoses Lake
Moses Lake is a lake and reservoir along the course of Crab Creek, in Washington state, USA.Moses Lake is part of the Columbia River basin, as Crab Creek is a tributary of the Columbia River....
, on which the city lies, is made up of three main arms over 18 miles (29 km) long and up to one mile (1½ km) wide. It is the largest natural body of fresh water in Grant County and has over 120 miles (190 km) of shoreline covering 6,500 acres (2,600 ha). Before it was dammed in the early 1900s and then incorporated into the Columbia Basin Project
Columbia Basin Project
The Columbia Basin Project in Central Washington, USA, is the irrigation network that the Grand Coulee Dam makes possible. It is the largest water reclamation project in the United States, supplying irrigation water to over of the large project area, all of which was originally intended to be...
, Moses Lake was a smaller, salty, shallow lake. One of its early names was "Salt Lake". To the south of the town is the Potholes Wildlife reservation that has a number of seep
Seep
A petroleum seep is a place where natural liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons escape to the earth's atmosphere and surface, normally under low pressure or flow. Seeps generally occur above either terrestrial or offshore petroleum accumulation structures...
lakes and vast amounts of migratory birds and other fauna natural to the area.
History
Before the construction of Grand Coulee DamGrand Coulee Dam
Grand Coulee Dam is a gravity dam on the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington built to produce hydroelectric power and provide irrigation. It was constructed between 1933 and 1942, originally with two power plants. A third power station was completed in 1974 to increase its energy...
on the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
in 1941 and Larson Air Base in 1942 the area was largely barren. Native Americans knew the area as Houaph, which meant willow. Chief Moses was leader of the Sinkiuse tribe from 1859 to 1899, and was forced to negotiate with white settlers who began to settle in the area in the 1880s. Under pressure from the government, Chief Moses traded the Columbia Basin
Columbia Basin
The Columbia Basin, the drainage basin of the Columbia River, occupies a large area–about —of the Pacific Northwest region of North America. In common usage, the term often refers to a smaller area, generally the portion of the drainage basin that lies within eastern Washington.Usage of the term...
land for a reservation that stretched from Lake Chelan
Lake Chelan
Lake Chelan is a narrow, 55-mile-long lake in Chelan County, northern Washington state, U.S. It is the largest natural lake in Washington state...
north to the Canadian border. The government quickly realized that was a mistake and later traded again for what is now the Colville Tribes’ reservation.
The new settlers named the lake in honor of the chief, however, and established a small town in 1911 they called Neppel, after a town in Germany where one of the settlers had lived.
The first settlers established fisheries and farms — some of the first exported items were carp, jackrabbits and fruit — but irrigation attempts failed and settlers left at about the same rate as they came. When the town was incorporated and renamed Moses Lake in 1938, the population was estimated at 301 people.
Arrival of the air base in 1942 and irrigation water pumped from Grand Coulee Dam
Grand Coulee Dam
Grand Coulee Dam is a gravity dam on the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington built to produce hydroelectric power and provide irrigation. It was constructed between 1933 and 1942, originally with two power plants. A third power station was completed in 1974 to increase its energy...
in 1955 offered newcomers a reason and a way to settle in an area that previously had little to offer other than good fishing and a place to water sheep and cattle. Moses Lake was quickly transformed into a hub for a vast region where transportation, agriculture and recreation came together.
The air base was built to train World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
pilots to fly the P-38 Lightning
P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
and B-17 Flying Fortress, two planes that were essential to the war effort. The base was closed after the war ended, but reopened in 1948 as a U.S. Air Force base and test area for Boeing’s B-47 Stratojet
B-47 Stratojet
The Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
and B-50 Superfortress
B-50 Superfortress
The Boeing B-50 Superfortress strategic bomber was a post-World War II revision of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, fitted with more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-4360 radial engines, stronger structure, a taller fin, and other improvements. It was the last piston-engined bomber designed by Boeing for...
.
The B-47 tests led to development of modern commercial jetliners still used today. Fighter jets were stationed there to protect Grand Coulee Dam
Grand Coulee Dam
Grand Coulee Dam is a gravity dam on the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington built to produce hydroelectric power and provide irrigation. It was constructed between 1933 and 1942, originally with two power plants. A third power station was completed in 1974 to increase its energy...
to the north and the Hanford site
Hanford Site
The Hanford Site is a mostly decommissioned nuclear production complex on the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington, operated by the United States federal government. The site has been known by many names, including Hanford Works, Hanford Engineer Works or HEW, Hanford Nuclear Reservation...
to the south. Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
still uses the airport as a test and evaluation facility for its aircraft. Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines
is an airline headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan. It is the flag carrier of Japan and its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport and Tokyo International Airport , as well as Nagoya's Chūbu Centrair International Airport and Osaka's Kansai International Airport...
used the airport as a training area from November 1968 until March 2009. The old air base is now owned by the Port of Grant County and home to Grant County International Airport
Grant County International Airport
Grant County International Airport is a public use airport located five nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Moses Lake, in Grant County, Washington, United States. It is owned by the Port of Moses Lake....
, Big Bend Community College
Big Bend Community College
Big Bend Community College is a two-year college in Moses Lake, Washington. It offers several associate's degrees in academic and vocational fields.- History :...
and several businesses. Farmers, meanwhile, had developed new methods to irrigate water from the lake and from the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
and began planting expansive irrigated acreage. When the Columbia Basin Project
Columbia Basin Project
The Columbia Basin Project in Central Washington, USA, is the irrigation network that the Grand Coulee Dam makes possible. It is the largest water reclamation project in the United States, supplying irrigation water to over of the large project area, all of which was originally intended to be...
was completed in the mid-1950s, farms expanded by thousands of acres, growing potatoes, corn, onions, carrots and sugar beets.
In little more than a decade, Moses Lake’s population grew from 300 to 2,679 in 1950. Today, the population is 20,366.
Larson Air Force Base/Grant County Airport
Larson AFBGrant County International Airport
Grant County International Airport is a public use airport located five nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Moses Lake, in Grant County, Washington, United States. It is owned by the Port of Moses Lake....
, five miles from the city of Moses Lake, Washington, originally was named Moses Lake Army Air Base. It was activated on November 24, 1942 as a temporary World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
training center. Major Donald A. Larson, for whom the base was later renamed, was from Yakima, Washington.
The Secretary of Defense announced on November 19, 1965 that Larson was to be closed by June 1966. Larson Air Force Base, since renamed Grant County International Airport
Grant County International Airport
Grant County International Airport is a public use airport located five nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Moses Lake, in Grant County, Washington, United States. It is owned by the Port of Moses Lake....
, is now a world-class heavy jet training and testing facility used by the Boeing Company, the U.S. Military and NASA. Columbia Pacific Aviation now handles charter passenger service to and from Moses Lake.
With 4,700 acres (19 km²) and a main runway 13,500 feet (4,100 m) long, it is one of the largest airports in the United States.
Elementary schools
- Midway Learning Center
- Discover Elementary
- Lakeview Elementary
- Garden Heights Elementary
- Larson Heights Elementary
- North Elementary
- Peninsula Elementary
- Knolls Vista Elementary
- Longview Elementary
- Sage Point Elementary
- Park Orchard Elementary
Private schools
- AIM School (Kindergarten and 1st Grade)
- Glenn J. Kimber Academy
- Moses Lake Christian Academy
- Crest View Christian School
Learning Centers
- Family Services of Grant County / Head Start
- Skillsource
- Columbia Basin Job Corp Civilian Conservation Center
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 14,953 people, 5,642 households, and 3,740 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,468.6 people per square mile (567.1/km²). There were 6,263 housing units at an average density of 615.1 per square mile (237.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.16% White, 1.69% African American, 1.02% Native American, 1.43% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 15.44% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 25.41% of the population. It should be noted that the population of the Moses lake School District board boundaries service area is 39,664 (people living in the district).
There were 5,642 households out of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.8% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,467, and the median income for a family was $42,096. Males had a median income of $34,945 versus $25,193 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $16,644. About 11.0% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.7% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.
Climate
Unlike nearby Seattle, Moses Lake has a very dry climate, and is sometimes called a desertDesert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
.
Moses Lake, WA climate is warm during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 80's and somewhat cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 30's.
The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 88.20 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 21.70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperature variations between night and day tend to be moderate during summer with a difference that can reach 27 degrees Fahrenheit, and fairly limited during winter with an average difference of 14 degrees Fahrenheit.
The annual average precipitation at Moses Lake is 7.69 Inches. Rainfall is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. In mid-summer though, it is not unusual for a month or six weeks to pass without any measurable rainfall. The wettest month of the year is December with an average rainfall of 1.19 Inches
Economy
Moses Lake's economy in the past has been mainly supported by the vast amount of agricultural business there. However in recent years Moses Lake and its surrounding area has experienced a considerable amount of growth in manufacturing & technology. Due to the availability of affordable power & inexpensive land many companies have moved to the area, including REC SiliconRenewable Energy Corporation
The Renewable Energy Corporation is a solar power company with headquarters in Norway. REC produces silicon materials for photovoltaics applications and multicrystalline wafers, as well as solar cells and modules...
(one of the world’s largest manufacturers of polysilicon, used in solar panels), as well as tech companies including Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
, Yahoo and Intuit who have built large data storage facilities in Moses Lake and other nearby cities. Moses Lake has also attracted some alternative fuel companies, such as Washington Ethanol & Washington Biodiesel.
BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
, in partnership with the SGL Group, broke ground in July of 2010 to begin construction of a $100 million carbon fiber manufacturing plant in Moses Lake. Hiring of approximately 80 permanent employees is set to begin in 2011 and should increase to 200 full-time positions.
Activities
Every late May during Memorial DayMemorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
weekend the Spring Festival is celebrated. The festival includes carnivals & parades as well as many other family activities.
A new event intended to be an annual event is scheduled for June, 2008. The Moses Lake Water Sports Festival is to coincide with the declaration that Moses Lake is the water sports capital of the Northwest.
Lion's Field, located Downtown near Frontier Middle School, is undergoing remodel after a voter-approved levy. The FieldTurf portion of the field is completed and the first game held on the new turf was a soccer game between the Moses Lake Chiefs and the Wenatchee Panthers. The Football team opened the completed stadium on September 12, 2008.
Sister cities
Moses Lake has one sister city, according to the Washington State Lt. Governor's list of Washington Sister Cities:Yonezawa, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
Moses Lake has a long history with its sister city; Yonezawa, Japan
Yonezawa, Yamagata
is a city located in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 91,704 and the population density of 167 persons per square kilometer...
. The two cities have been exchanging students every summer for over 20 years. There is a street named after Yonezawa in Moses Lake and a street named after Moses Lake in Yonezawa.
Prominent people from Moses Lake
The following people were born in Moses Lake or lived there.- Jason BuckJason BuckJason Ogden Buck is a former American football defensive lineman in the National Football League. As a player for Brigham Young University, he won the Outland Trophy in 1986. He was taken with the 17th pick of the first round of the 1987 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He recorded six...
- NFL Defensive Lineman - born in Moses Lake July 27, 1963 - Matt CedeñoMatt CedeñoMatt Cedeño is an American actor and former male fashion model.He was born in Moses Lake, Washington to an Afro-Cuban father and an Irish-English mother. He became a model doing gigs in Milan, Spain, New York and Los Angeles, which Cedeno juggled, along with academics, until he finished school...
- Actor - born in Moses Lake November 14, 1973 - Ryan DoumitRyan DoumitRyan Matthew Doumit is an American professional baseball catcher for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball. He played the first seven years of his career for the Pittsburgh Pirates.-Professional career:...
- MLB catcher for the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
- born and raised in Moses Lake - Clarence Gilyard Jr. - Actor who played in Matlock and Walker, Texas Ranger - born there December 24, 1955 who
- Dave HeaverloDave HeaverloDavid Wallace Heaverlo is a former right-handed Major League Baseball relief pitcher.He attended Moses Lake High School in Moses Lake, Washington, graduating in 1968. He then went on to Central Washington University, in Ellensburg, Washington, where he graduated in 1973...
- MLB Pitcher - born in Ellensburg, Washington but grew up in Moses Lake - Joe HooperJoe Hooper (soldier)Captain Joe Ronnie Hooper was a Vietnam veteran whose combat decorations surpassed those of Audie Murphy or Alvin York...
- Medal of Honor recipient in Vietnam - Evel KnievelEvel KnievelEvel Knievel , born Robert Craig Knievel, was an American daredevil and entertainer. In his career he attempted over 75 ramp-to-ramp motorcycle jumps between 1965 and 1980, and in 1974, a failed jump across Snake River Canyon in the Skycycle X-2, a steam-powered rocket...
- Daredevil - lived in Moses Lake for some time - Reid StoweReid StoweWilliam Reid Stowe is an American artist and mariner. Stowe grew up around sailboats on the East Coast, sailing on the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans in his late teens and early 20's. By age 26, he had built two of his own sailboats with the help of his family and friends...
- Sailor, Adventurer - born January 6, 1952, on Larson Air Force Base near Moses Lake - Martha Thomsen - Model - born in Moses Lake January 25, 1957
- Kirk A. TriplettKirk TriplettKirk Alan Triplett is an American professional golfer, currently playing on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour.Triplett was born in Moses Lake, Washington, and grew up in Pullman. He graduated from Pullman High School in 1980 and accepted a golf scholarship to the University of Nevada in Reno,...
- PGA golfer - born in Moses Lake March 29, 1962 - Joseph J. TysonJoseph J. TysonJoseph Jude Tyson is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who is currently the Bishop of the Diocese of Yakima, Washington. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Seattle from 2005–2011....
- Roman Catholic bishop of Yakima diocese - Bryan WarrickBryan WarrickBryan Anthony Warrick is a retired American professional basketball player. He was a 6'5" 218 lb shooting guard and played collegiately at Saint Joseph's University where he was named to the East Coast Conference and Philadelphia Big 5 First Teams.Warrick was selected with the 2nd pick of the...
- NBA player of the Washington Bullets, Los Angeles ClippersLos Angeles ClippersThe Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee BucksThe Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
, and the Indiana PacersIndiana PacersThe Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
- born in Moses Lake - Caitlynn Lawson - contestant on So You Think You Can Dance (season 8)So You Think You Can Dance (season 8)So You Think You Can Dance is an American television reality program and dance competition airing on the Fox network. The show's eighth season premiered on May 26, 2011. It features the return of Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe as permanent judges and Cat Deeley as host. Also returning is the...
- born in Moses Lake