Yesteryear built upon wood
January 5th, 2011 by Ralph Mills, under Travel and Leisure. No Comments
Situated in western Washington State, Hoquiam is a small town rich in history and local flavor. The town’s location close to large stretches of forest and the Pacific Ocean have shaped the past as well as the present. The history of the town reflects the history of logging and shipping.
Before white settlers arrived in the area, Native American tribes lived in what is now Grays Harbor County. The two main tribes in the county were the Chehalis and the Quinault. The descendants of the early Native Americans still live in the area, continuing their tribal traditions and communities to this day.
James Karr was the first Caucasian resident of the area. Soon after that, Ed Campbell moved to the settlement village, becoming the first postmaster of Hoquiam. His house still exists in town as the oldest home in the area. Other people soon joined them, and by 1890, the town had over 1300 people as residents.
Around that time, logging became the primary industry for Grays Harbor. From the 1880′s until the 1930′s, the Northwestern Lumber Company thrived, providing jobs and a supporting economy to the area. The lumber industry was responsible for eventually bringing a railroad to the town, and therefore more settlers and investors. The Northwestern Lumber Company maintained a virtual monopoly on the lumber business until the Twentieth Century.
Hundreds of logging companies have worked in Grays Harbor over the past hundred and twenty years. The most prominent of these was the Polson Logging Company. Today, the Polson Museum, located in the old Polson home, provides a glimpse into the past of the logging industry. Exhibits and photographs detail the life loggers in the past lived. It houses almost 10,000 artifacts related to local history and the logging industry in the area.
Throughout the Twentieth Century, Grays Harbor, like the rest of the country, experienced ups and downs in the economy. As a one-industry town, Hoquiam was hurt by the downturn of the Great Depression and the labor strikes of the following years. By the last two decades of the Twentieth Century, logging was no longer a booming business, especially in Grays Harbor. Logging’s effect on the environment and animals’ habitats caused the government to pass laws restricting logging, thus causing layoffs and fewer businesses.
However, the residents of the area have worked to keep their town alive. Several local events, such as the Logger’s Playday, the Shorebird Festival, and the Hoquiam Riverfest, bring tourists to the town. These festivals teach people about the past while providing for the future. By bringing visitors to the town, the festivals stimulate the economy and create new revenue. Many buildings of historical significance have been restored and become a resource for historical research.
The strength and humor of Hoquiam’s community is evident in the town today. The residents display pride in their history as well as in their current achievements. They have worked to bring new businesses and events into the area, proving that lumber is not their greatest resource. That would be the local’s ingenuity and passion for their home.
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