January 21, 2011
History built upon wood
Located in western Washington State, Hoquiam is a small town with an interesting and charming present. The settlement’s place near stretches of wooded land and the Pacific Ocean have influenced the past as well as the present. The story of the lumber and shipping industries is the story of the town.
What is now Grays Harbor County was once home to Native American tribes. The two main tribes in the area were the Chehalis and the Quinault. Today, the previous inhabitants’ descendants still live near Grays Harbor.
The first white resident to live in the area was a man named James Karr. Soon after he arrived, Ed Campbell moved to the town, becoming the first postmaster of Hoquiam. Today, his family’s home still exists as the oldest home in town. After James Karr and Ed Campbell, many other people moved to the area, and by 1890 the town had a population of over 1300 people.
During the late nineteenth century, logging became the main industry for Grays Harbor. The first lumber company in the area, the Northwestern Lumber Company, found success from the 1880′s until the 1930′s, employing the locals and helping the town grow. More settlers and money came to town when the railroad made its way to the area. The Northwestern Lumber Company basically controlled the local lumber industry into the next century.
The past century and a half has seen hundreds of logging businesses work the local forests. The Polson Logging Company had the greatest impact on the town. Currently, the Polson Museum, operating in the old Polson mansion, teaches visitors about the history of the local logging industry. Exhibits and photographs show the lifestyle of past loggers. The museum has almost 10,000 artifacts concerning local history and the logging industry in the area.
Throughout the Twentieth Century, Grays Harbor’s economy and society reflected the state of the rest of the country. As a one-industry town, Hoquiam felt greatly the impact of the Great Depression and the labor strikes of the times. By the last two decades of the Twentieth Century, logging was on the decline, especially in Grays Harbor. The industry’s effect on the environment caused governmental restrictions on logging, thus causing unemployment and the closing of businesses.
However, the locals have shown great spirit in fighting to stay in business. The town is home to many tourist attractions such as the Logger’s Playday, the Shorebird Festival, and the Hoquiam Riverfest. These events celebrate the past while serving the future. By bringing visitors to the town, the festivals fuel money and investment into the economy. The town has worked to restore sites of historical significance and to 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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