 Nearby Alma was platted as an unincorporated community around 1886 . Alma was renamed Pogue in honor of orchardist J.I. Pogue , and was later renamed Okanogan — the present name . J.I. Pogue was upset that his name was replaced , and requested that surveyor , civil engineer and settler Ben Ross establish another town 4 miles ( 6 @.@ 4 km ) to the north . Born in Bureau County , Illinois , Ross worked for the Great Northern Railroad shortly before moving to Okanogan County . He decided to found a new community at Pogue 's proposed location during 1907 . It was named Omak , supposedly for the Salishan word Omache — said to mean " good medicine " or " plenty " — and referring to the town 's favorable climate ; although according to William Bright the name comes from the Okanagan placename [ umák ] . Ross sold various items on the present townsite , trying to have his town recognized , and built a cabin in 1907 to provide shelter for his daughter , son and grandchildren — becoming one of the first white men to settle the area . 
