Carrolls Bluff
By Curt Cunningham

The Carrolls channel of the Columbia river runs along the north side of Cottonwood island between the Cowlitz and Kalama rivers. Carrolls bluff is located at the upstream end of this channel about 4 miles north of Kalama. The bluff rises about 300 feet almost straight up from the river bank and is about 2 miles across. 

The Indian trail that came north from Vancouver crossed the bluffs on a narrow ledge over 100 feet above the ground. The bluffs have been used as a navigational landmark for the Cowlitz and Chinook canoemen and the Hudson's Bay voyageurs as they plied the Columbia river in their bateaux's. In 1792, Captain George Vancouver sent William Broughton in the Chatham to explore the Columbia river and Broughton mentioned the bluffs in his journal. On November 6, 1805, Lewis and Clark passed by the bluffs on their way to the ocean and also made a notation in their journal.

Carrolls bluff was one of the toughest places to build the Pacific Highway on the entire route, and it could be compared to the construction of the Sunset Highway along the shores of Lake Keechelus, that made travel over Snoqualmie Pass just as difficult.

In 1856, the only known person living near the bluffs was Neils Anderson who had taken a claim at the north end. Around 1862, Major William Carroll and his wife Katherine, purchased a lot from Anderson and built a home. Carroll for whom the bluff, and town was named after, was known as "Major Carroll," and together with his wife, they raised 6 children. In 1870, some of the Carroll's neighbors were; Francis and Maria Ward, Ila S. Bennett, Calvin and Mary Dray, Joseph and Elizabeth Dray, George Girty, Francis M. Phelan, Edgar Stone and Jasper Stone.

The only way in to Carrolls from Portland, was either by boat or over the dangerous trail across the bluff. The first attempts to build a wagon road over the hill was in the late 1860's, when the trail was widened so wagons could get through. The road was on a ledge over 100 feet above the river that required heavy rock removal that was done by hand. The completed road only managed to open a very narrow path.

On February 23, 1871, the Northern Pacific railroad purchased property at Carroll's Landing, which is located on the south side of the bluff. They used it as a steamer wharf for the unloading of materials for the construction of the line.

On March 19, 1871, the railroad began construction of its mainline from Kalama to Tacoma. They built a depot at the north end of the bluff near the settlement that had formed on the Anderson claim. The Carrollton depot was the first stop on the line to Tacoma.

The small settlement became known as Carrollton in March of 1879 when a post office was established. Issac Newton became the postmaster. The post office would continue to operate for 36 years and close on March 17, 1915.

By 1882, Major William Carroll, A. E. Houchin, Edward Berner, Samuel Adams, John Lysons, Pierce Choate, Thomas Ballard, James Huntington, William Choate, Warren Turner, and William Huntington were all living in or near Carrollton. By 1902, the village had the depot, general store and post office ran by John Lysons, a church with Rev. Reese, and a blacksmith shop ran by C. D. Huntington.  

Profanity Hill

In 1907, the Carrollton Hill Road as it was known, became State Aid Road No. 26 and in the spring of 1908, the first 1,000 feet of this narrow road was graded. A year later during the summer and fall of 1909, another 3rd of a mile was graded. This was to make the old wagon trail passable for automobiles.

The Carrollton Hill Road was no picnic for the early motorist. Those intrepid travelers who dared to cross over the bluff, had to traverse a rocky and narrow road built on a ledge over a hundred feet above the ground that was barely wide enough for an automobile. It would take a good driver anywhere from 2 to 5 hours to cross over this dangerous hill. Word had spread in the hotels, restaurants and auto garages about a hill that everyone cursed at while they drove over the miserable road. It soon came to be known as "Profanity Hill." 

On Tuesday, September 13, 1910, W. A. Cadwell drove his car from Portland to Seattle, spending several days on the journey. He made overnight stops at Kelso, Olympia and Tacoma, on the trip up. For the return trip, the stops were made at Chehalis and Kalama. He wrote about his experience driving over Carrolls Bluff;

"Going over the famous Carrolls hill, between Kalama and Kelso, saw no terrors for the Chalmers. The car was run up and over this grade at the rate of about 4 or 5 miles an hour. Ascending, the road was easily negotiated, but descending 11 days later, the hill seemed much worse."

On September 16, 1910, a caravan of automobiles came together for a road trip from Portland to Seattle. The cars were loaded on the steamer Joseph Kellogg, at Portland and were transported down the Columbia river to the old Norther Pacific Wharf at Carrolls Landing. After the cars were unloaded, the trip north was described as follows;

"On that memorable morning there was thunder and rain and the landscape was dismal. Three automobiles, consequently, unloaded at Carrolls Landing with the rest going back to Portland. They decided to go back after they found out what lies ahead on this primitive road. The three cars then set out and after two miles from Carroll's Landing, the Buick broke down."

"The steering gear had been troublesome, for Mr. Griffith and he thought he, had safely repaired it. The steering gear suddenly broke while the auto was running with a precipice on one side and a high bank on the other. It seemed almost a mercy of Providence that the unmanageable car ran up the embankment instead of over the precipice. A very small swerve would have meant death for the whole party. The Locomobile and the White Gas Car waited for the Buick at Kelso and when it did not appear they went back. Repairs were made and the Buick proceeded to a point about two miles north of Kelso, when again the steering gear broke. All hope of repairs was given up and the Buick's passengers boarded the train for Seattle."

On October 2, 1910, a party of 4 adventurous souls, took an Overland car from Seattle to San Francisco. The 11 day 900 mile trip was mostly through a sea of mud. The first real obstacle they met on the way south was about 5 miles out from Castle Rock. Here the party drove over roads that were not in the best of motoring condition, being muddy, rocky and steep. However, this trio of conditions did not falter the car in the least, and it skimmed right along as blithely as though over the paved streets of a city.

Upon their arrival at a Portland garage, the Seattle men brought reports of the splendid work being done on the road between Castle Rock and Kalama. This was where the first real mountain climbing and rough going was found. The new road over the bluff was temporarily closed to travel so they were forced to take a detour that was known as the "Corduroy Road." This detour connected to the old road at the south end of the bluff, which took them to the Kalama river bridge. This was one of the worst experiences they encountered on the trip to Portland. Fortunately they reported no accidents on the first leg of the trip to San Francisco.

Work Begins

To build a good road over Carrolls Bluff, a large amount of rock needed to be blasted out of the hillside and removed. This heavy work was done by hand using convict labor. The convicts who worked on the roads, volunteered for the work and they were well fed, clothed, and had better housing in the camps than in the prison. Plus it was a way to get outdoors. During January of 1911, a work force of 100 convicts began to move the rock on Carrollton hill. In the spring of 1911, work was almost suspended due to the lack of funding when the state-aid road bill was defeated. To keep this important project from shutting down, Governor Hay agreed to let Cowlitz county continue to use the convicts if they would pay for the cost, to which they agreed.

The construction work along the most difficult part of the hill, had destroyed the old right-of-way, and if the work did not resume, there would have been been no road between Kalama and Kelso. The only way for autos to get through would have been to ship the car from Portland to Kelso by steamer at a cost of $15 per each car and an additional charge for each passenger.

To help drum up money to complete the project, Washington Senator F. L. Stewart from Kelso traveled to Portland in April of 1911 to talk with various automotive interests in the city. He told the group that; "Owing to the jealousness of Portland's rapidly growing business that had been secured from Southwestern Washington and the fact that the Pacific Highway, as the road is called, would largely benefit Portland, 27 members of the Washington Senate forced a deadlock during the closing hours of the recent session and blocked all action upon the good roads bills, thus leaving the Carrollton Mountain road without funds for the completion of the project."

The construction was completed except for the last half mile. Over a mile and a half of the most difficult portion of roadway had been built. The city of Kelso, through its county officials, had expended $51,000 on this single piece of road. The expenditure of that large amount of money was a heavy burden on the Kelso citizens and they felt that some of this burden should be lifted by other interests assisting them, so that the costs would not fail entirely upon one community to pay for something that would be benefited by all the surrounding communities. Believing that Portland would be interested in the opening of this road, which leads directly to it and opens up communication with a vast territory tributary. Senator Stewart expressed the opinion that it was Portland's duty to come to the rescue.

Stewart told the Portland people that he would have secured the money from the Legislature had it not been for the Seattle-Spokane spirit. He said; "They pretended to see in the project, a further widening of the Portland trade territory and for that reason they proposed in the Legislature the construction of a state highway across the state from Seattle to Spokane and in this fight, managed to leave the Pacific Highway project without funding."

"Upon my arrival at my home in Kelso it was proposed to suspend the work, but I secured the aid of the state officials and the friends of the good road work in our community to retain the labor of the 100 convicts and they are all working. But we must have funds to pay for their maintenance. There is no way to get it out of the state unless we have a special session, and it is barely possible that we will." 

"This piece of roadway is the most important in the country surrounding Portland, in my judgment. It is the only road which is used in making the run to Seattle. It is a very difficult piece of work. So far we have a fine piece of road building, and it only requires a small amount of work to finish it. But after spending $51,000 the citizens of Kelso and neighboring country find the burden very heavy to carry. If we can get Portland to see its way clear to aid us, it will be one of the most successful business strokes this city has ever accomplished in the history of its commercial progress."

Senator Stewart said before returning to Kelso that he hoped the Portland Commercial Club would help contribute to the project. "We are doing all we can up our way." said the Senator, "and would have secured the funds from the Legislature had it not been for the fear of Seattle that Kelso would give all of its trade to Portland."

The Automobile Club made an appropriation of $500 and appointed a committee to raise by individual subscription and additional $1500. The Commissioners of Cowlitz County then decided to proceed with the improvement and assume the cost.

On April 30, 1911, Lewis I. Thompson, a prominent young architect of Portland, son of F. L Thompson, of Hartman & Thompson, bankers, of Portland, accompanied by E. J. Hoffman, drove the first automobile over the completed part of the new Carrollton Hill Road. When the Portland motorists reached Kalama, they met Senator Stewart, who acted as the pilot.

With the exception of the last half of a mile, which was unfinished, the trio followed the new road. To get around the uncompleted portion, the old road was traveled and a trail was blazed to drop down to the new highway. Thompson and Hoffman continued the trip through Kelso to Castle Rock and on their return to Portland, arranged for the shipping of the machine on the Kellogg. The trip was shortened owing to the illness of Hoffman. Thompson, who had motored extensively through California and other sections of the Coast country, was very enthusiastic over the new road, which gives an indescribably beautiful view of the Columbia river.

M. C. Dickinson, manager of the Oregon Hotel and the Portland Automobile Club said; "I consider the improvement by the Cowlitz county people of the Carrollton Mountain road of very great worth to Portland and its business interests. It is the only natural highway gateway between Seattle and Portland and the improvement means much in the way of facilitating overland traffic between the two cities. Because of the actual worth of this road to Portland, the businessmen of this city should not hesitate in giving the Cowlitz people liberal assistance and encouragement in the enterprise they have shown."

Work is Completed

The new Carrollton Road was completed by August of 1911, except for the last half mile. Governor Hay and a delegation of notables then took a trip south to inspect the new road. The placing of convict labor on this re-grading and improvement project was an innovation that was used later in the most difficult places to build on the state's highways. The plan to use convict labor was simply an experiment, but when the work was completed it was ample proof that such a plan was practicable, economical and productive of fine results.

The improvement of the Carrollton Hill Road was the most important piece of work done on the Pacific Highway that year. That particular section, once the worst part of the entire journey, was now one of the best. The work was done under the direct supervision of W. J. Roberts State Highway Commissioner. Governor Hay was an ardent supporter of the Pacific Highway and asserted that those having property along it will be greatly benefited.

Those who accompanied Governor Hay on the inspection trip were: W. W. Perley of the State Railroad Commission, Oliver Byerly, John I. Harris, President of the Kelso Commercial Club,  Judge H. E. McKenney, Senator F. L. Stewart, Judge J. J. King, C. C. Rullfson, County Commissioner from Carrollton, Dr. F. A. Bird, S. A. Stewart, C. A. Peters, W. P. Ely. Lee C. Wallace. and Jesse Platter.

While the road was completed and the leaders declared it a good road, it was still narrow and dangerous. On April 28, 1912, a motorist tells of the trip over Carrollton Hill; "We ran into some bad road between Kalama and Kelso, and had some rough going for two or three hours. This road is very narrow and rutty and slippery from recent rains. Besides this, we skirted along a bluff, and in many places the wheels of the car had barely room to clear the edge of a precipice, where a little skidding might easily have meant a drop of 100 or 125 feet. We didn't make any false moves, however, and from there on had a delightful drive until we had reached a point about five miles beyond Bucoda between Chehalis and Olympia."

After an expenditure of $60.000 and 6 months' work by a crew of 100 convicts, a trip over the hill that used to take 2 to 5 hours could be made in 5 to 15 minutes on high gear. 

Carrolls Hill is Improved Again

In 1911, when the construction over the bluff was completed, the Carrollton Hill Road was considered a good road. By 1914, the road was obsolete. The automobile was becoming faster and larger and they needed a wider and straighter highway.

On July 12, 1914, work was progressing on the improvement of a 2 mile section over the bluff. A Portland newspaper reported that; "Practically the worst part of the Pacific Highway in Washington state is around Carrollton in Cowlitz County. Those motorists who drove to Tacoma will remember what the road looked like even after most of the really hard work had been done. James Harbick, who contracted for this stretch of about 2 miles, made a very good job out of a very bad piece." Harbick said;

"In many cases the highway had to be rebuilt completely, while there was a super abundance of arduous clearing and blasting. These pictures (below) give a faint idea of some of the work as it was in the beginning. When finished this will make the stretch fully the equal of the road from Chehalis to Tacoma." This improvement was completed in 1915.

In March of 1923 concrete paving work began between Kalama and Kelso. Construction continued throughout the spring and summer and was completed in the fall of that year. The Pacific Highway over the once treacherous Carrollton Bluff was now a paved thoroughfare 20 feet wide.

Today you can still drive over this old section of the highway. It overlooks the Cowlitz river and offers the traveler a beautiful view of the surrounding Cowlitz valley. You can see the ships anchored out in the river waiting their turn to be loaded. You can also watch the trains running down the tracks hauling millions of pounds of freight and grain, while the cars speed down the freeway to Seattle or Portland. It is well worth the time for the traveler to get off the freeway for a moment and take in the scenery of this historic transportation corridor.