Cashmere is a small town by the river just outside of Wenatchee, Washington. The area was always home to the Wenatchi indigenous people who now lend their name to both the city as well as the Wenatchee River that flows through Cashmere. When Catholic missionaries first ventured out to Washington in the mid-19th century, they began to settle among the natives to teach them about their religion. There was no real town to speak of, however, until the year 1888 when stores were first opened to accommodate the rising population of ranchers in the vicinity. In 1892, the Great Northern Railroad announced it would lay tracks down through Cashmere, making it an important stop along the line. This, of course, would bring with it prosperity and investment from outsiders.