History of Bucoda
By Curt Cunningham

The Skookumchuck River

The Skookumchuck river begins its journey in the Huckleberry mountains southwest of Mt. Rainier. The river then flows in a northwest direction for 7 miles through the Skookum Chuck valley where it meets the Frost prairie which is located 2 miles south of Tenino. Here the river turns to the southwest and flows through a narrow canyon before it reaches Bucoda while on its way to the Chehalis river at Centralia.

During the Ice Age, the Puget Sound Glacier crossed the Tenino valley and scattered till along its south side. Evidence obtained from the outwash gravels of Grand Mound and Rock prairies, and in the valley from Tenino to the Skookumchuck at Bucoda, indicated that the glacier abutted against the south hills at its maximum, and forced the drainage of the Skookumchuck valley to take a circuitous course through Bucoda and back around to Grand Mound before continuing down the Chehalis river toward the ocean. 

One theory says; that before the Ice Age, the Skookumchuck river flowed northwest and then east toward Grand Mound. When the glacier blocked the river's path, the water began to fill the valley. There was a low spot in the hills north of Bucoda, and when the water reached the top, it began to drain over this gap. Over time, the water eroded the hill which further opened the gap that the river flows through today. This glacial drainage route was abandoned early in the retreat of the ice and the water would flow directly toward Grand Mound. Scatter creek runs in this drainage channel.

The Origin of Skookumchuck

Skookumchuck comes from the Chinook jargon, which was the universal language in the greater Pacific Northwest. The word translates to "strong water." During the rainy season the river becomes a rapid stream, making the crossings difficult. Skookum comes from the Lower Chehalis word "sku-kum" meaning strong, and chuck, which means water, comes from the Chinook word "Ti-tsuk." The Nootka word for water is "Chauk," and the Clatsop, say "Ti-chukw."

The area is Upper Chehalis territory and they once had a village on the Skookumchuck called Tewtn. This village was about 3 miles upstream from Centralia on a small prairie at the confluence of the Skookumchuck river and Hanaford creek. This prairie was first known as Hasaklamakum, and later became known as Waunch prairie. George Waunch was the first European to settle there. Today the place is known as Wabash.

There used to be a ford across the Skookumchuck river near the southwestern corner of Waunch's land. When the emigrants started to come through in the 1850's, George and his wife Mary, kept their house open to the settlers and told them they were welcome to stay until they could find a suitable location on the Skookumchuck. There was always plenty of food, and the Waunch's big barn held feed for their animals. The Waunch's never charged anyone for their hospitality.

The First Settlers of Bucoda

The town of Bucoda is located between Centralia and Tenino a mile south of the Frost prairie, and is situated in a narrow valley about a mile long and half a mile wide, leaving little room for expansion. The town is situated on the east side of the railroad mainline between Seattle and Portland, which was completed in 1874. After the completion of the railroad, people and animals had cross over the tracks at both ends of town. Today SR-507 passes Bucoda on the west side of the railroad.

One of Bucoda's first settlers was Aaron Webster, who was the son of William and Sarah Webster, born on July 30, 1828 near Barnesville, Ohio. In the Spring of 1852, Webster, who was looking to start a new life in the Pacific Northwest, started out from Iowa and crossed the Oregon Trail to Portland.

After his arrival in Portland, Webster turned south to the Rouge river mines in Oregon, and then traveled to California while in search of gold. After about 3 years he returned to Portland and later to Olympia. During the War of 1855, Webster joined a company of volunteers known as the Spokane Invincibles, under the command of Captain Benjamin F. Yantis. Webster was First Lieutenant of the company, and was mustered out of service after just two and a half months.

In 1857, Webster decided to move south from Olympia and settled on 160 acres along the Skookumchuck river about 7 miles upstream from Centralia and about 4 miles south of Tenino. Today, this is now the town of Bucoda. After his arrival, he built a cabin and a sawmill next to the river.

By the end of the 1850's there was a small cluster of families living along the Skookumchuck. The first marriage of this new community took place during April of 1861, when Aaron Webster married Sarah Yantis, daughter of Alexander and Sarah Yantis, and the niece of his old commander Benjamin Yantis. The Yantis' were living on the Skookumchuck a few miles upstream from Webster's place. Alexander and Sarah had 14 children, 10 of which were girls. The Yantis' home was a busy place with all the young eligible bachelors of the area competing for the hearts of the young ladies.

In 1864, Webster sold his land and the sawmill and bought another 160 acres along the Skookumchuck about 2 miles south of Bucoda. On August 7, 1866, Webster was able to make a pre-emptive purchase of another 160 acres. For payment of this property, Webster used a Military Land Warrant he bought from Andrew J. Moses who had acquired it from Zachariah Elliot. Elliot, an ex-soldier, was awarded the Warrant for his military service as a teamster for the Quartermasters Department in Mexico. The soldiers were allowed to sell their land warrants to private citizens.

In 1871, Sarah Webster passed away. She left behind her husband Aaron and 3 daughters; Anna, Sarah, and Maude. Aaron continued to live on his farm with his daughters, and remarried in 1879 to Louisa (Miles) Smith, who was recently widowed. In 1893, the Webster's were still living on their now 540 acre farm 2 miles south of Bucoda. Aaron Webster would pass away in 1911.

Sometime in the late 1850's or early 1860's, Jacob D. Bolander had settled on 160 acres along the Skookumchuck river south of Bucoda. On May 15, 1869, Bolander filed a claim for this land using the April 24, 1820 Land Act. This act by Congress allowed an individual to purchase land from the Government at the price of $1.25 per acre. Settlers who were living on land before the General Land Office had officially surveyed it and offered it for sale, were given a pre-emptive right to acquire the land from the United States. A law passed by the Government in 1841 allowed the squatter to claim 160 acres of un-surveyed land. On October 15, 1875, Bolander, using the 1862 Homestead Act, took another claim of 160 acres on the east side of Bucoda along the Skookumchuck on the north side of Tono Road.

In 1864, Oliver Shead arrived and purchased Webster's land and sawmill. Shead, who was living at Grand Mound, was a Captain during the War of 1855 and was in charge of a team of wagon guards who protected military shipments on the Military road between the Cowlitz Landing and Fort Steilacoom. He was also a member of the Territorial Legislature.

In the summer of 1869, Shead purchased a water powered sawmill from Jacob Bolander that was located at the foot of Skookumchuck falls. Not long after, he built the first lumber frame home in the settlement, that he called Seatco.

The Legend of Seatco

Seatco is an English version of a Salish word that means evil spirit or spirits. The Nisqually's legend of Seatco as told by Antonio Rabbeson in 1886 says that the Great Spirit long ago had gathered all the disease deformity and crime, and placed it in a back room of a house and secured its doors. The Great Spirit then appointed a certain family to take charge of the house and said that the family and its future descendants were to forever remain in charge of it. The Great Spirit gave strict orders that the doors to the room were never to be opened under any circumstances whatever.

What the house contained was only revealed to the head of the family, and thus it became to the remainder of his family and the rest of the tribe, a great mystery. In time this family became reduced in numbers, leaving but the old man with his wife and daughter. One day the old man, forgetting his duty went from the house to assist his wife who needed his help, thus leaving the daughter alone. Her curiosity had long been aroused as to the contents of the closed room, and this was an opportunity not to be neglected.

To satisfy that curiosity she undid the fastenings to the door and opened it but a short distance. But that was sufficient and the inmates got the advantage and all rushed out, and so the world was filled with disease, deformity, crime and woe. Thus is made manifest what woman's curiosity has brought upon mankind.

So offended became the Great Spirit at the crime of this woman that he created the Seatco. These are mountain spirits who sleep by day in the holes of rocks far off in the distant mountains. When nightfall comes they come out from their lairs and fly about looking to seize any woman who may be found out of her house with strange men. If the Seatco discover them he eats the man and carries the woman back to the mountains and makes her either his wife or slave.

Seatco is also associated with the "Stick People." These evil spirits roamed the dark forest and would be blamed for everything bad that happened. If a dead body was discovered and there was no explanation, the death would be attributed to Seatco. The area surrounding Bucoda was called Seatco by the Upper Chehalis. This was because they believed that the Seatco lived there and it was a place to avoid.

The legend of Seatco and the Stick People varies from tribe to tribe. Some described them as forest dwarves, and others, as large hairy creatures that are also known as Bigfoot. Some of these traditions claim the Stick People have magical powers to paralyze, hypnotize, or cause insanity in their victims. In other tribes, they merely lead people astray by making eerie whistling sounds or laughter in the woods at night. 

Other legends say that they would eat the people who fall prey to them, and would kidnap children, and molest the women. It's said, they mostly liked the women. They also took aggressive revenge against people who would try to do them harm, or show them disrespect, even if it was unintentional. Still others say that Seatco is the chief of all the evil spirits and is taller than the trees and can move the earth, and change the course of the rivers.

The legend of Seatco and the Stick People has not been widely recorded amongst the various tribes because of the superstitious nature of the story. To tell the tale may very well attract the evil spirits themselves. The name "Seatco" is the English version of the word. By saying the actual Salish names of these beings in public is considered to be an act of provocation that many Salish People still adhere to today, choosing only to refer to them by their English names, if they are brave enough to say them at all.

It is said that Shead named the town Seatco because he was an ornery man.

The Early Roads into Seatco

Before 1870 the only way into Bucoda was by a trail that followed up the Skookumchuck river from it's mouth. The first wagon road into the area came from Olympia in the 1860's and reached the upper Skookumchuck river a mile north of Bucoda. This road began at Tenino and ran south to the farms of Phillip Northcraft, Alexander S. Yantis, Gideon Miller, J. Prince, Christopher Thompson, Jeremiah Mabie, Joel Ticknor, and terminated at W. C. Hawk's Place. Hawk's was located where Salmon and Johnson creeks empty into the Skookumchuck at Johnson Creek Road. Today this old wagon road is known as Skookumchuck Road SE.

During November of 1869, the Legislature signed an act to create a wagon road from Bucoda to Centralia. The act described the route as follows; "Jacob Bolander, Oliver Shead and Joseph Remly were appointed as a board of commissioners to view and locate a Territorial road from a point where the county road crosses the township line near Ruben B. Steadman's in Thurston county, thence south to the corner of said Stedman's land claim; thence southwesterly, crossing the Skookumchuck near the west line of the claim known as the Webster mill claim; thence down the east side of the Skookumchuck to the county road near the south line of George Washington's land claim, in Lewis county."

Today this road is known as SR-507.

The Northern Pacific

In 1873, the Northern Pacific Railroad came through Seatco and built a station at the town. The railroad objected to the name Seatco and wanted them to change it. They wondered how a town that was named for an evil spirit, could hope to accomplish anything? The town leaders now had to come up with another name. William Buckley, who represented the railroad, called Samuel Coulter, of Olympia, and J. B. David of Portland to a meeting. They quickly decided that the old name of Seatco had to die.

They decided to take the first two letters of each of their names, Buckley, Coulter and David, and coined the new name Bu-co-da and re-christened the town. The post office would retain the original name of Seatco. During the 1870's, the town grew rapidly which now included; 2 sawmills, 2 coal mines, a box factory, shingle mill, a brickyard, a door factory, 2 churches, 3 stores, 5 saloons and a blacksmith shop.

For the next 14 years the town would be known as both Seatco and Bucoda depending on who you asked. In 1887 the Legislature passed an act officially changing the name of the town to Bucoda. Not long after, the post office adopted the new name.

Would changing the name of the town rid them of the evil spirit called Seatco? We shall soon see....

The Coal Mines

Coal was first discovered at Bucoda back in 1850, but it wasn't mined until 1853, when Samuel Coulter purchased the land with a partner from Portland named J. B. David. They hired the Edward D. Warbass & Co. to haul out 200 sacks of coal that was sent to San Francisco from Olympia. The coal was of such good quality that they made a survey for a proposed railroad from Olympia to Bucoda, though it was never built. 

In 1878, the Seatco Coal Company took a 20 year lease on Coulter's land and hired the Thurston Coal Company to work the mines. The entrance to the mine was on the bank of the Skookumchuck, across from where the prison would be built. There was an 80 foot bridge that crossed the stream so the prisoners could get to the mine. On the north side of the entrance to the mines, a track was laid to take the coal a half mile down to the Northern Pacific mainline. Over 1,500 feet of this track was built on a trestle.

The tunnel was about 9 feet wide running in a due south direction. The vein was 7 feet thick and had a downward pitch of about 5 to 10 degrees. The coal at Bucoda was as cheap and easy to mine as the coal at Newcastle. The Bucoda coal was of good quality and burnt very bright. Some compared it to English coal that could burn at the light of a match, and smell like pitch wood. When the mine closed down in 1898 they were producing about a 100 tons a day.

The Territorial Prison

In 1878, William Billings, sheriff of Thurston county and Jerry Smith, sheriff of Pierce county came up with an idea to take the Territorial prisoners incarcerated in the county jails and use their labor to make a profit. Other politicians and businessmen were quick to see the potential of this kind of arrangement and the Legislature soon received several similar offers. Billings and Smith, not liking the prospect of competition, decided to pool their interests and formed a partnership. 

Billings and Smith were able to secure a contract from the Territory and now needed a place to build the prison. They would be paid 70 cents a day for each prisoner, and the prison company could keep all the wages the prisoners earned from their labor. Oliver Shead was enlisted to put their plan in motion. The contract with Shead split the partnership and profits into thirds, on condition that Shead provide the lumber from his sawmill for the prison structures. 

The prison company purchased 20 acres from Shead that was located next to both his mill and the coal mine. Work on the prison began during February of 1878 and the prison was completed on July 1, 1878, when the first prisoners moved in. 

The structure was 2 stories high, 36 x 150 feet long, with outer walls made of lumber 12 inches thick, that were spiked together on the flat sides. The inside walls, made of 3X6's, was of just half the thickness of the outer walls. The entrance to the building was through the second story which was reached by an outside stairway. In the second story was the kitchen, dining room, and rooms for the guards. The first floor, contained the cells in which convicts were confined. Above the second story was an attic that was left unfinished.

The right to keep the wages earned by the prisoners was a great incentive to keep the men working 9 to 12 hours a day. At first, the prisoners were made to work in the coal mine and sawmill. Other work performed by the inmates included, cutting firewood for the railroad, clearing roads and land, and helping out at the local farms.

In 1883, Frederick Brown started the Seatco Manufacturing Company, and built 2 sawmills, and a large sash and door factory. The prisoners were then put to work in the factory making sashes, doors and blinds. They also worked in the prison shoe and tailor shops, and made casks and barrels in a cooper shop. The prisoners were also used to make bricks at the short lived brick factory.

For 10 years prisoners were confined in this gloomy structure that was dubbed "Hell on Earth" by those who were locked up there. They would be shackled at all times and made to do the most dangerous jobs in town.

The officers of the prison were; J. D. McAllister, Warden; Oliver Shead, Superintendent; Physician and surgeon, Dr. J. D. Reynolds; Guards, D. B. Morrell, J. C. Jameson, W. C. Hawk and J. K. Smith, and Night watchman, Jacob Engstrom. 

In 1879, there were 36 prisoners, 35 men and 1 woman. The woman was sent to prison for bigamy, to serve an 18 month sentence. Being the only woman in the building, the prison officials had to basically keep her in solitary confinement, which more than doubled the rigor of punishment compared to that of the men, who could associate with each other when locked up in their cells at night. This poor woman's sad fate should have allowed for her to have had a shorter sentence.

Another poor woman was sentenced to 5 years at Seatco for the killing of a man who was vandalizing her property. The sad story begins when the woman, who had a large family of small children, told her oldest boy to defend their home which they had just dug out of the forest, against a man who was tearing down their fence. This man was a member of a gang of claim jumpers.

During the confrontation between the young boy and the man, the boy shot and killed the intruder. The mother was then convicted of murder and sent to Seatco for 5 years, never to see her children again. Her agony and heart rending moanings for her little children, left her in distress as she paced the floor each night and day in a frenzy of grief and despair, that would make any honest man curse the court that would commit a person to such cruel and unusual punishment.

One morning this kind loving mother of a large family of helpless children, was found hanging in her cell. Was this a suicide or could it have been something more sinister.

The 35 male prisoners slept in cells on the lower floor. Each cell was supposed to house 2 prisoners. In 1879 only half the cells were used. One prisoner was convicted of murder in the first degree. 6 were in for murder of the second degree, and each had 10 years or more to serve. Another 3 were in for manslaughter and served less than 10 years. There were 2 who were in for shooting with intent to kill, 3 for horse stealing, 1 for bigamy, and the rest for burglary and grand larceny.

By 1887, there were 90 inmates. This was also the year the prison closed down. The prisoners were then transferred to the new penitentiary at Walla Walla. The old prison remained empty, and in 1905, a fire broke out and the building burned to the ground. Today the site is a city park and a plaque has been placed marking the site of the infamous prison.

Bucoda, the Town on the Other Side of the Tracks - Figuratively

On December 7, 1887, the residents of Seatco, decided to formally change the name of their town which had had been named after an evil spirit, and was now associated with an awful prison. The Legislature then presented a bill to change the name to Bucoda, which was at first denied. After a third reading, the bill would be approved and the name Seatco was officially changed to Bucoda.

Did Seatco try to the prevent the name change?

In the summer of 1890, the Seatco Manufacturing Company's lumber mill burnt down. The fire began in a dry house the eventually engulfed the entire mill. The fire then spread to the lumber piles and 3,000,000 feet of lumber was destroyed. The loss was over $150,000 and insurance only covered $43,000 of it. By October 31, 1890 the plant was rebuilt and ready to start up again.

Could Seatco have started the fire?

On November 1, 1889, the Bucoda Enterprise, the towns first and only newspaper was founded by Jessie Ferney as editor and Mr. Hosford was the publisher. Not long after the paper was founded, Ferney, began to borrow small amounts of money from some of his subscribers, and after about a year, ran off with their money never to be seen again. W. F. Pattison and his partner Julian, became the new owners of the paper.

Due to the low number of subscribers, most likely because of what Ferney had done to them, caused the newspaper to shut down forever on October 3, 1894.

At the beginning of the 1890s, the Chehalis Weekly News reported on the wayward ways of Bucoda. They said that the town was going the way of Solomon and Gomorrah. They quoted from the Bucoda Enterprise which said that; "there will be no preaching here next Sunday.” The Centralia newspaper continued to say that; "Since the Seatco Manufacturing company started up, the town now has no use for divine interference in their worldly affairs."

Was this the influence of Seatco?

A Bucoda Romance

The following story is from the Seattle Post Intelligencer printed on June 27, 1893; "It is reported that the town of Bucoda was somewhat perturbed during the closing days of last week over an attempted elopement, the result of which disproves the old saw about love laughing at locksmiths. G. W. Coates, who until recently was postmaster at Bucoda, is the parent of two prepossessing daughters."

"About two years ago the eldest of the girls created a sensation in the community by marrying Eli Bonnases, a farmer living about two miles from town, against the will of her father, who has since disowned her. Recently Maude, the younger daughter, who is about 18 and said to be as "pretty as a picture," has been the object of the affections of Alfred Wilson, son of the Methodist minister."

"Alfred won the heart of the pretty damsel, but her stern parent would not smile on the union and say "God bless you my children." like a father should, according to the story books. On the contrary. Mr. Coates prepared to move to California to take up his residence near Los Angeles and vowed that his daughter Maude should go with him."

"Young 'Lochinvar' Wilson would not take the parental no as is usual in such cases, in these small towns. The love affair of the preacher's son and postmaster's daughter was known to every one. Both sides had their champions. The young man's friends, however, were the more aggressive. They urged an elopement, and promised aid. Last Thursday evening was the time set for the elopement."

"A buggy was stationed near the Coates residence and Rev. Wilson was in readiness to tie the nuptial knot at the Bonnases' place when the young couple were to fly from parental anger. Young Wilson's confederates engaged Mr. Coates' attention in one direction, while the young man and his expectant bride were scaling the back fence."

"They were discovered, however, and the girl was led home, while the young man was warned not to make another attempt. Then the whole town began to talk. The young man's friends, anxious for any diversion, urged another attempt, but Mr. Coates held the fort all day Friday and nothing came of it. On Saturday he started for California with his family."

"His lares and penates were loaded in a box car, and just before the train was to depart the station, he marched his family down to the depot, covering their retreat with a Winchester. It is unnecessary to say the ardor of the anxious swan did not lead him too near his lady love. The whole family got into the box car with his chattels and the train pulled out, leaving the disconsolate Alfred on the platform."

"It is said that in the agony of despair he telegraphed to an intimate friend in Portland, a barkeeper named Hickman, to get the girl if he could and to bring her back to Bucoda. When last heard from, Maude Coates had not returned." 

Was Seatco responsible for the lost love?

Maybe not this time as in the Spokane Times printed on March 4, 1880, they said that a romantic marriage over in Chehalis county is when several of the neighbors get the bride's father into a back room and sit on him to prevent his interrupting and breaking up the wedding.

Bucoda, Largest Commercial District in Thurston County

The summer of 1891 was a very prosperous time for Bucoda. Many improvements to the town were underway and the mill was busy filling orders for eastern firms, and the coal company was doing a good business. The Seatco Manufacturing Company had also added a sawdust blower to its machinery. The town from the late 1880's to the early 1900's, was the largest commercial district in Thurston County.

On December 1, 1892, the Bucoda I.O.O.F. Hall was dedicated as the Skookumchuck Lodge No. 129. There were 52 new initiates sworn in that day and a large meeting was held. The visitors from the other lodges in the state were royally entertained at the best restaurants in town. The installation of this lodge was the largest that had ever taken place in that jurisdiction at the time.

By 1898, 4 passenger and several freight trains a day came through Bucoda. The post office changed hands that year and Isaac Blummauer became the new postmaster and shopkeeper. Bucoda was also busy that year dealing with the numerous peddlers and beggars who were coming through town on their way between Portland and Puget Sound.

In 1899, on the Thurston County Coal Company's land, a large seam of high quality coal was supposedly discovered. After a larger test hole was drilled, the company discovered that the coal was planted by a man named Henritzi. It had been ascertained that at the bottom of the first 200 foot test hole which was drilled by Henritzi, that he had salted it with a superior grade of coal he received from Wisconsin. 

After the coal was planted, he covered it with cement so when the coal company drilled their test hole, it would seem as though they broke through into the coal seam. After the company drilled the hole, they quickly discovered that they were had. Some of the local residents remembered that a while ago, they saw that Henritzi had received a large box by express from his family back in Wisconsin who happened to live in the coal region. After the company stock started to rise on the anticipation of the new find, Henritzi was gradually disposing of his stock in the company. His last sale was to a worker in exchange for a horse. Henritzi quickly left town for Seattle and was last seen in Victoria.

On October 14, 1904, a fire broke out and destroyed the store of Blummauer & Son and the saloon of Joseph Farrington. The post office was in the store and all that was saved was the first class stamps and some cash. The telephone exchange that was in the same building was also destroyed. The origin of the fire was unknown.

Did Seatco strike again?

On May 27, 1910, the town of Bucoda was officially incorporated with a population of about 300.

On October 17, 1912, another fire broke out that destroyed the Mutual Lumber Company's mill. The fire also destroyed between 3,000,000 and 4,000,000 feet of lumber. After the fire, the company decided not to rebuild, which caused the town to experience a decline. The cause of the fire was unknown.

Was this also the work of Seatco?

Bucoda, the Town on the Other Side of the Tracks - Literally

When the Pacific Highway was established in 1913, only the towns for which the highway was to pass through were chosen. The route between these towns was not yet designated. In 1913 there were 2 routes a motorist could take when traveling between Tenino and Centralia, which were designated towns on the route. Because of this, Bucoda and Grand Mound had to fight for the highway to be routed through their respective town. By 1914 the accepted route was through Grand Mound.

On September 8, 1914, a meeting of the Tenino-Bucoda-Centralia-Tono Committee was held. The meeting was called to have the route of the Pacific Highway between Tenino and Centralia, changed to run through Bucoda instead of through Grand Mound. The meeting was called by Gus Bannse, chairman, who had taken a trip to visit the residents who lived along the proposed route. He found many who were enthusiastic of the change and were willing to cooperate. Thurston County Engineer W. Dean Hays had also given his support for the route change. The debate would continue for a couple of years, but the route remained unchanged. 

Another attempt to change the route was on April 21, 1916, when State Highway Commissioner James Allen who was in favor of the Bucoda route, was unable to persuade the state highway board to change the route during their final hearing. That day the Pacific Highway between Tenino and Centralia was officially routed through Grand Mound, ending the controversy.

The main reason that Grand Mound was selected, was that Bucoda happened to be on the wrong side of the tracks. There were 2 dangerous railroad crossings at each end of town that would have to be changed. The highway department was trying to eliminate all the dangerous crossings on the new highway. The Grand Mound route would also be cheaper, because Lewis county had already paved the highway up to the Thurston county line, and the entire road was practically completed.

The Prohibition Era

In 1914, Washington voted to become a "dry" state and outlawed the sale of liquor. Although the devil juice was denied to its citizens, it did not mean that it wasn't still readily available. Many a legitimate businessmen and honest hard working citizens, became outlaws overnight when they decided to fill the great demand for booze that did not stop just because it was now illegal.

In the afternoon on April 21, 1916, Joe Dootsen's home, poolroom, and an abandoned building in Bucoda were raided by Prosecuting Attorney George P. Yantis, Deputy Sheriff Jack Gifford and Chief of Police Caton. The next day, Dootsen volunteered to plead guilty when confronted with a superior court warrant issued by Prosecuting Attorney Yantis. Dootsen was then taken before Justice of the Peace Nichols in Bucoda and was fined $75 and costs for selling whisky in violation of the prohibition law.

The raid of Dootsen's property began after several complaints telling of considerable amounts of booze that was being sold around Bucoda. The officers reached town at about 4 o'clock in the afternoon and raided Dootsen's properties and found large quantities of the forbidden spirits in each of his 3 buildings, most of it was in Dootsen's home, including some on his person. There was about 5 gallons found altogether.

The Influenza Pandemic of 1918-1919

During the winter of 1919, nearly everyone in Bucoda was stricken with the deadly influenza. The Red Cross quickly established a hospital in town, and as a result of their promptness and efficiency not one life was lost to the flu.

The Mills Reopen

In 1919, Bucoda's prosperity continued when the Mutual Lumber Company had their mill rebuilt after a fire destroyed it 7 years ago. When the fire destroyed the mill back in 1912, the company bought another mill in Tenino and had their workers move there to operate that mill so they could keep their jobs. After the new mill was completed in Bucoda in 1919, the company had the families move back.

In addition to the mill, a large machine shop was built and new homes were constructed. Several new businesses opened up as the direct result of the new mills. The Centralia Meat Company had purchased a building on Main Street and opened up a store. C. N. Martindale of Centralia had rented out the former Krupp confectionary store and she opened a racket and millinery shop. Lee Morgan opened a paint and wallpaper store in the Dootsen Building. Adam Max and Floyd Thomas opened an auto garage in a new building, and W. V. Miller opened a barber shop in the building formerly occupied by W. V. Cales.

During the summer of 1920, the Bucoda land company was formed by W. A. Perkins, a real estate developer from Seattle. The purpose of the company was to place on the market, small lots located in the center of town. Bucoda was now enjoying an era of unprecedented prosperity that had a payroll of approximately $60,000 a month. New concrete sidewalks were installed on Main Street and on 7th and 8th between Main and Nenant Street.

Was Bucoda finally rid of the evil spirit called Seatco?

Fire Breaks out Again

On August 13, 1920, another fire broke out in town. This time it destroyed W. H. Maloney's grocery and Gilbert's grocery along with 2 city blocks before it was brought under control and extinguished. The volunteer fire department acted quickly, but the blaze was so large that it took the heroic work of the volunteers to put it out. Several families who were staying in the businesses lost their household belongings, but no lives were lost. The cause of the fire was unknown.

Do I need to say that Seatco may have had a hand in this?

Coal Mines Reopen

On August 27, 1920, the Bucoda coal mines opened up after being shutdown for the past 20 years. The mines only operated for about 2 years before they closed down operations as the demand for coal was beginning to decline.

The Bucoda Route Redux 

During the construction and paving of the Pacific Highway between Tenino and the Lewis county line from 1918 to 1921, motorists were detoured onto the Bucoda route. Seeing an increase in traffic through town must have given the citizens some false hope of getting the highway rerouted, as another appeal was soon made to the state highway commission to change the route of the Pacific Highway. 

On October 5, 1920; W. A. Perkins, F. R. Stokes, P. F. Knight, E. H. Sanford, and Robert Gibson, all from Bucoda, George Ellbury of Centralia and Mr. Newbegin of Tacoma, came before the highway board to ask that the Pacific Highway be sent directly south from Tenino through Bucoda instead of going through Grand Mound. There were also a number of citizens from Grand Mound in attendance protesting the proposed change.

The Bucoda people asserted that a right-of-way could be obtained along the west side of the railroad that would be donated by the land owners. This would eliminate the 2 dangerous crossings that prevented the board from granting the change back in 1916. They said that the Bucoda route would benefit a greater population that is now served by the present route through Grand Mound, and that the route through Bucoda is 4 miles shorter. The appeal would be denied and the Pacific Highway continued to be routed through Grand Mound. 

In the 1940's, the Bucoda route received the designation of Permanent Highway 1N, and was considered an option to the Pacific Highway between Centralia and Tenino.

Bucoda Today

Bucoda is now a small quiet and friendly town along the BNSF mainline. When the highway was improved in the late 1930's, the 2 railroad crossings that prevented the Pacific Highway from being routed through town were eliminated. In 1964 the road would be designated as State Route 507. Bucoda continues to be the town on the other side of the tracks.

Bucoda has around 600 residents and the old I.O.O.F. building, which still stands today, is now the town hall and community center. Other businesses in town include, Joe's Place and the Liberty Market, with the post office around the corner.

During Halloween the "Boo-Coda Spooktacular" takes place in town. The event runs the entire month of October. Visit the Boo-Coda website at boo-coda.com for more information. The town of Bucoda is to be called "Boo-coda" throughout the month of October by an official town council proclamation. Just don't say the name of...... you know who.