The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON-The sprawling Blue Mountain Station has become a key player in Dayton and Columbia County's economy. It provides production space for fine candy makers, craft spirit distillers, soap crafters, and growers of organic produce. The road to success has been long and, at times, rather difficult.

The idea for the Station first came to light in 2007, when Jennie Dickinson was hired as Executive Director of the Port of Columbia.

"When I moved from the Chamber to the Port, it was June of 2007, and Downtown Dayton was full," Dickinson recalled. "I had been at the Chamber for eight years, tourism...