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 European settlers arrived, the two main tribes that lived in the area that became Grays Harbor County were the Chehalis and the Quinault. Their descendants still live in the area, continuing their tribal traditions and communities to this day.
The first white settler in the area was a man named James Karr. Not much later, Ed Cambell moved to the settlement, becoming the first postmaster of Hoquiam. Today, his house stands as the oldest home in town. Other settlers followed, and by 1890, the settlement 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.
Over the past one hundred and twenty years, about three hundred different logging companies have existed in Grays Harbor. The most important of these was the Polson Logging Company. Today, the Polson Museum, operating from the old Polson home, tells the story of the lumber industry in Hoquiam. Exhibits and photographs illustrate the lives of past logger. It holds almost 10,000 artifacts concerning the 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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