If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Ilwaco was first explored by the Chinook Indians. Around 1805, Captain William Clark and men from the Corps of Discovery wandered along the riverbank and explored the hills around the area.
By the 1850s the area was booming with entrepreneurs who had heard about the abundance of Salmon. They fished from Chinook to beyond Ilwaco. Over the years there were many methods employed to harvest the salmon resulting in confrontations between the different fishermen. During these “Salmon Wars” there were numerous casualties leading to armed occupation by Washington Nation Guard and Federal Troops. Around 1880, Ilwaco had its first fish packing house, propelling Ilwaco to be a fishing industry center. Today Ilwaco still boasts a fish packing house where you can purchase the seasonal catch.
The entrepreneurs needed lodging so the second industry (Timber) was put into action. The “Ilwaco Mill & Lumber Co.” was built in “downtown” Ilwaco to help fill the need. In the 1890s the Ilwaco Railroad & Navigation Co. began feeding the mill with logs from the surrounding areas, eventually helping supply lumber for cities all over the west coast. Remnants of that mill are now part of the Ilwaco Boat Yard. In 1889 the Ilwaco Railroad expanded north to begin developing the Long Beach Peninsula.
Moving forward to 1987, the Town of Ilwaco became the “City of Ilwaco” on July 13th. Today’s Ilwaco is a city that has held on to its roots. The famous Fish Traps are now just some poles sticking out of the water. The bay is a place to go view wildlife and the changing tides. The wharfs and piers have been replaced with a full service marina and working boatyard. During the spring and summer the marina bustles with hopefuls trying to follow those entrepreneurs by catching a boatload of salmon. The charter offices will reserve you a place to try your luck for your favorite, whether its a salmon, tuna, halibut or sturgeon. Year round businesses and restaurants line the marina where the landlubbers can “catch” a work of art or dine at restaurants for the “Catch of the Day”
Just steps away is “Downtown Ilwaco” with many of the old homes either well maintained or restored to the turn of the century style. Visit the antique stores where you can take a trip down memory lane. Take some time to meander through the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum to learn even more about the area. Check out their website to see what is currently on display.
A short Drive away is Cape Disappointment State Park. The park has two lighthouses and a interpretive center. Visit any of these places and see where the Columbia meets the Pacific. The interpretive center has two floors of exhibits that will give you a quick history lesson. There are trails interconnecting from the beach to the interpretive center to the lighthouses. Walk these paths and imagine yourself exploring as Lewis and Clark did so long ago.
