Electric City at Banks Lake

Electric City lies on the shore of Banks Lake. The city combines its lakeside setting with a history closely tied to the construction of Grand Coulee Dam. If you’re looking for a hotel in Electric City, the lakeside scenery, fishing, and local history offer concrete points of reference for getting to know the destination before you search for deals. The landscape and local past offer two different perspectives on a stay.

Lakeside Setting and Scenery

The Banks Lake shoreline within Electric City lies near the northeastern end of the lake. A 2013 shoreline description states that nearly the entire shoreline within the city is publicly accessible by roads and paths. If you plan to visit a specific section, check access beforehand. The location places Electric City on the lake; the 2013 description refers to road and path access along the city’s shoreline.

Banks Lake Golf Course is surrounded by the lake’s shores and colorful basalt cliffs in the coulee landscape. Electric City also offers fishing opportunities. For trip planning, these details answer different questions: the golf course illustrates the scenic setting, while the fishing opportunities identify a recreational activity in the city.

Coulee Playland is a recreational campground on the shore of Banks Lake. A 2013 description of Coulee Playland Resort mentions campsites and RV sites.

Dam Construction and Local History

Electric City was established in 1934 as a community to house workers employed in the construction of Grand Coulee Dam. Dam construction is therefore not only part of the city’s history but also part of the reason it was founded.

The historic district consists of buildings relocated to Electric City from the town of Osburn or Osborne, which was flooded by Grand Coulee Dam. The Coulee Pioneer Museum preserves the history of dam construction and early settlement. It presents local artifacts and stories. Osburn and Osborne are alternative spellings of the same place name; the relocated buildings connect the historic district to this place of origin.

The district and museum offer different ways to explore the past: the buildings point to the relocation from Osburn or Osborne; the museum covers dam construction and early settlement and presents local artifacts and stories. For orientation, the district offers an architectural reference point, while the museum offers a thematic one.

Regional Context

Steamboat Rock State Park is approximately 11 miles south of Electric City and has two campground areas. Its distance and direction make it a distinct point of reference in the surrounding region. Its campground areas are part of the state park, distinguishing this destination from Electric City’s immediate lakeside setting.

Discover more destinations: Moses Lake, Quincy, Ephrata

Go to the broader travel overview: Grant County.