A History of Hoquiam
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.
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.
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.
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.
As the rest of the country experienced tough times throughout the Twentieth century, so did Grays Harbor. As a one-industry town, Hoquiam was hurt by the Great Depression and the labor strikes over the years. By the end of the Twentieth Century, logging was on the decline, especially in Grays Harbor. The government placed restrictions on the business due to environmental concerns, therefore causing companies to close and people to be laid off.
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 will and personality of Hoquiam’s community is evident in the town today. The residents are proud of their history and enjoy sharing it with others. They have worked to bring new opportunities and events into the county, showing that lumber is not their greatest resource. That would be the local’s creativity and love for their home.
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