Gumbo Hill
By Curt Cunningham

The Pacific Highway between Castle Rock and Toledo was one of the most difficult sections for motorists to drive over and probably was second only to Carrollton hill. The 7 mile section from Castle Rock north was through swampy land and over 2 very steep hills. Driving north from the Toutle river, the first hill encountered is Tom Brown's hill, and a mile further is "Gumbo hill." Gumbo hill is located about 5.5 miles north of Castle Rock and about 8 miles south of Toledo. The grade on the south side was 12% and on the north side was an even steeper grade of 17%. 

The old Ford's needed at least 5 gallons in the tank to make it over the hill going forward. Those that had less than 5 gallons had to go up the hill in reverse. During the wet season, the road was so muddy, that cars had to pay the farmers to have their horses pull them over the hill. Between Tom Brown's hill and Gumbo hill, after 1911, cars would use the abandoned railroad right-of-way instead of the muddy wagon road.

Work Begins

On January 24, 1914, John T. Peterson's company began construction on 6.6 miles of the highway south of Toledo to Gumbo hill. The construction equipment was brought in the week of the 19th and the company had over 10 teams with a great number of workers so the job could be completed within 5 months. For reasons unknown, the contractor had some problem with the contract and construction stopped leaving the highway unfinished. 

On July 12, 1914, motorists from Portland began making their way to the Tacoma racetrack for a day of auto races. Many of the Portland motorists who planned to drive to Tacoma heard alarming reports as to the condition of the highway. The reports were so terrifying that it scared many drivers who ended up leaving their cars at home and they took the train instead.

The drivers that did decide to undertake the arduous journey, were advised to ship their cars by boat to Kelso as the road was better from there to Chehalis. They were also warned to steer clear of the Pacific Highway, as that road was tore up from Vancouver to Kalama and was in the worst condition it had been in years. Drivers instead, came up the Oregon side of the Columbia from Portland to Goble and took the $2.50 ferry over to Kalama. 

Drivers said that the Vancouver ferry was more expensive at 3 bucks and took 30 minutes longer than the Goble ferry. The Pacific Highway was then followed north through Castle Rock. After climbing over Gumbo Hill, motorists were advised to take the left fork to the Olequa ferry and then the north bank road to Toledo. This was because of the unfinished roadway south of Toledo. On October 18, 1914, the work on the 6.6 miles of highway south of Toledo to Gumbo hill had been completed.

A Sea of Mud

On April 25, 1920, A. D. Beckley of Portland came through from Seattle in his Chevrolet, and described the highway as being in an awful condition. "Tell any motorist who asks for information about the Pacific Highway to Seattle to stay at home or take the train," was his heartfelt advice. "There are mud holes north of Castle Rock that are 3 1/2 feet deep, and it will take at least a week of dry weather, and probably two, to make the highway passable at all."

Mr. Beckley first tried to drive through Toledo, but had to turn back. He then detoured over Pike's hill to Winlock, and when he arrived there he was told that the detour road down the west bank of the Cowlitz into Castle Rock was out of the question. So he took the Olequa ferry. He managed to get along very nicely until the road joined the main highway again. At a point about a mile and a half south of the fork, toward Castle Rock, he got stuck. He had plenty of company, for about a dozen other cars were also stuck in the mud. "The road was in terrible condition," said Mr. Beckley. "No bottom at all, the rain has turned everything into a sea of mud."

"This is absolutely impassible to man or beast. A temporary detour runs around it over a small hill. This hill detour is so bad that the contractor there had to quit trying to haul wagons up it with horses. I had to wait an hour for a tow, and I was towed for three miles with the car in low gear. They charge from $6 to $10, or more if you look prosperous. They sized me up and I was lucky to get off at $7.50, but a man in a new Ford right after me had to pay $9.50, because his car looked new and shiny, and I suppose it didn't look so new and shiny when he got out of the mud."

Paving Begins

On April 16, 1923, paving work began on the highway between Laughlin's (Toutle river) and Neal's (Gee Cee's Truck Stop). Neal's was named after Byron E. Neal, an early homesteader. Contract #692 was awarded to the McHugh Construction Company of Seattle for a 20 foot wide concrete paved roadbed. The project was completed on December 22, 1923 and the road was opened to traffic after the concrete had setup. This was one of the final stages in the completion of the Pacific Highway through Washington State. This construction included a new road around the steepest part of Gumbo hill to lessen the grade.

The Castle Rock Expressway

In 1950, construction began on a new section of US Highway 99 between south Castle Rock at exit 46 and Neal's at exit 57. This new 4-lane expressway was completed and opened for traffic in 1953. The new highway bypassed Gumbo hill and Tom Brown's hill on a level grade. At Neal's the expressway was routed back onto the Pacific Highway.

Last Improvement at Gumbo hill

During the 1960's, the grade on Barnes Drive over the hill north of the Toutle river was improved again. The curve was eliminated at the top of the hill and the original alignment was reused by digging out a deep cut to lessen the old grade, that was a such a difficult challenge for the early motorists. Today you would drive over Gumbo hill and not even realize how difficult it used to be.