Kalama
By Curt Cunningham

The city of Kalama is located along the Columbia river about 35 miles north of Portland. The town is situated on a narrow piece of land between a bluff and the river. The terrain around the town has prevented it from expanding very much. This was one of the reasons Kalama never grew into a larger city. Before the railroad came in 1871, there wasn't many people living there. 

The earliest inhabitants of the area were the Chinook people who had a village at the mouth of the Kalama river about 2 miles north of the future town. The word Kalama is a variation of a Chinook word that means "beautiful" or "beautiful maiden." The Kalama river was once referred as the "Pretty Girl river." Another story of the origin of the word "Kalama" was in 1871 when it was said that Kalama is a Chinook word for "goose." This name was given to the river by the Chinook on account of the great numbers of geese that flocked there. The area still has an attraction for these birds.

The first European settlers to what will become the city of Kalama were; Thomas M. Hensil, Joseph and Mary Ann Ahles, Calvin H. and Mary A. Dray, Joseph and Elizabeth Dray, Robert Weldon and Ezra Meeker. When Meeker first arrived in the Northwest in 1853, he took a claim at Kalama on January 20, 1853, and built his first cabin. He lived there for about a year before he and his family moved north to the Puget Sound. Meeker sold his claim to John Davenport.

The Northern Pacific Builds a Town and a Railroad

In 1869, congress allowed the Northern Pacific to extend its Portland branch to Puget Sound, but there was a requirement that 25 miles of this section had to to be built by the end of 1871. Starting at Kalama in the spring of 1871, the Northern Pacific began to build northward. J. B. Montgomery was awarded the contract to build this first 25 miles of track. Olympia was originally going to be the end of the line, but the railroad later switched the terminus to Tacoma, which as you could imagine made the residents of Olympia pretty angry. There is more to that story in the Tenino section of this site. 

On January 27, 1871, the new town of Kalama was platted out by the Lake Superior and Puget Sound Company. This land company was a subsidiary of the Northern Pacific. The town was named Kalama by General John Wilson Sprague who was manager of the land company.

Soon after, Kalama experienced a "boom," and was fast becoming a rival to Portland. Residents from Vancouver and Freeport were packing up and moving to the new town. Wharves and warehouses were in the process of construction and the Northern Pacific dock was the largest on the Pacific Coast. Sam Blackwell, in partnership with a man named Smith, built a large hotel called the "Kazano House," and a restaurant was going full blast serving the railroad workers.

On February 24, 1871, a group of 70 people boarded the Dixie Thompson in Portland for a trip to Kalama to witness the ceremony of laying the cornerstone of the new St. Andrews' Episcopal Church. The group had commented that Kalama appeared rough and primitive in every way, though the site was picturesque and commanding. Buildings were going up in all directions and numerous tents dotted the landscape. One large tent had a sign that read; "Star Restaurant," and on another, "The Riverside."

On March 11, 1871, a first mail left Portland destined for the new post office at Kalama. E. G. Ingalls, the postmaster, was also in charge of the general store that was owned by Louis Sohns and himself. They sold supplies and other general merchandise to the railroad workmen. 

On April 8, 1871, Kalama had a population of around 400. There were 65 buildings with 30 more to be built when the weather cleared. The town had 10 hotels and restaurants, 5 general stores, 1 sawmill, 2 butcher shops, 3 shoe shops, 3 paint shops, 2 churches under construction and the railroad office. The Chicago Hotel was almost finished along a street with newly built wooden sidewalks.

Also on April 8, 1871, there was a small paragraph in the Oregonian that said; "Kalama is a riddle. Everyone seems to have doubts about its stability. It is certain that it will be a place of some importance while the road is being built. In all probability the company will then take off its shoes and turn it out to grass."

During May of 1871, Kalama was a booming place. The sailing ship Panama and the bark Rival were unloading materials for the construction of the line. The Panama was, towed up the Cowlitz river by the steamer Rescue. That month the Kalama Beacon was established. The publishers were; M. H. & M. L. Money and it was a weekly paper that was wholly owned and controlled by the Northern Pacific and was published in its interest. 

The Beacon was Cowlitz county's first newspaper and it did a good job of reporting the news and kept readers up to date on the construction of the line as it progressed northward. The paper printed instructions on how immigrants could buy Northern Pacific land on easy terms. Each issue had an article by Ezra Meeker, who told of the beauty and splendor of Washington Territory, that was written specifically for the railroad to entice immigrants to purchase and settle on land that was owned by the Northern Pacific. By the end of May, Kalama was home to 700 people, including 4 doctors and 3 lawyers.

On November 28, 1871, H. B. #144, "an act to incorporate the town of Kalama" was passed by the legislature. On December 2, 1871, George McConaha of King county introduced H. J. R. 10, relating to the incorporation of Kalama under the general incorporation law. It was resolved by the Council of the House and they agreed that Kalama may form a town organization under the general law passed on November 28, 1871, if the majority of the citizens so desired. The citizens overwhelmingly desired incorporation, which was approved that month. Dr. Louis Hanson Whitehouse became the first mayor.

On November 24, 1871, Abbott Lamb and R. A. Malthrop of Portland were awarded a contract for constructing the second section of the Northern Pacific line. Instead of fulfilling their obligations, on December 9th, the would-be contractors skipped town leaving a number of unlucky creditors. The 2 men were said to have left Portland a few days prior for the purpose of going to Kalama, but instead they went to Astoria, where they took passage on the Ajax for San Francisco. The railroad was swindled by these men to the tune of $16,000. This today would be a little over $300,000. Measures were quickly made to have the criminals arrested in San Francisco.

On January 13, 1872, It was stated that Kalama whiskey was a good "take off" - one drink and then a funeral.

On February 10, 1872 a fire began in Kalama that destroyed the new bakery of Mr. Woods and the furniture and contents of the upper story of the building. No other structures were damaged.

In 1872, the Cowlitz county seat was moved from Freeport to Kalama. This was when the Northern Pacific sent trains of flat cars out on its construction line, marshaled its workmen, took them to Kalama and voted them en masse to move the county seat to Kalama from Freeport. The crews, then in the role of workmen, made the journey to Monticello and loaded the county records and took them back to the new county seat.

The Northern Pacific Line Between Kalama and Tacoma

In July of 1872, the first 25 miles of track was completed from Kalama to a point about 4 miles south of the Olequa bridge, which at the time, was still under construction. Steamers from Portland would drop off passengers at Kalama, where they boarded the train for the trip to the end of the tracks. Here the railroad had built a landing on the river so another steamer could board the train passengers for Toledo where connections were made with stage coaches for Olympia and Steilacoom. After reaching the Sound, those who were going farther north would board another steamer for places such as; Tacoma, Seattle, Port Townsend and Victoria.

The construction prosperity of Kalama would begin to wane in the spring of 1873, and the residents of town started grumbling and complaining. On May 10, 1873, the Kalama Beacon published a long editorial that was intended to reassure those who had become fearful that Kalama wouldn't become a great city after all. The paper said the railroad would have to be completed all the way across the country before Kalama's destiny could be fulfilled. The Beacon couldn't see the worst that was to come as the following month a financial crash occurred in the east. 

On September 18, 1873, a major economic panic swept the nation when the banking firm of Jay Cooke and Company, a firm heavily invested in railroad construction, closed its doors. The crash caused Kalama to lose residents due to the lack of employment and the town was unincorporated.

On July 25, 1873, it was reported that travel on the new line had quadrupled between Kalama and the Puget Sound. That year, the Empire House with J. O'Brien as proprietor, was running an affordable hotel in Kalama that was located opposite the railroad depot and steamboat landing.

On December 16, 1873, and 15 days ahead of schedule, the "last spike" ceremony was held in Tacoma. The Puget Sound and the Columbia River were now connected by a band of steel marking the end of the pioneer era. The majority of the traffic through the Cowlitz Corridor had shifted to the eastside of the river, and the towns of Kelso and Castle Rock would grow into large communities. The stages would continue to run on the old V & S Military Road from Freeport north until sometime in the 1880's. The steamers would continue to haul cargo and passengers between Freeport and Toledo for another 40 years.

In the late summer of 1876, the Northern Pacific moved its headquarters to Tacoma. They had been using the Kazano House for their offices. On September 22, 1876, the Pacific Division of the Northern Pacific sent a letter to H. H. Holt, Cowlitz county auditor, offering the sale of the Kazano House to the county for $5,000 made in five annual payments of a $1,000. The county agreed to the sale and purchased the Kazano House for use as the county courthouse.

The Kalama Calamity

On Tuesday September 14, 1875 a horrible murder occurred near Kalama. Lewis Miller, the victim of the tragedy, a man who was well known in Cowlitz county, had been recently married to his second wife, and had been having considerable domestic trouble. It appeared that he was determined to move his household effects from the house where his wife was living to another place a few miles away. On Tuesday morning in company with a brother-in-law and son-in-law, went to his wife's house for his things.

She angrily objected to the removal and appealed to Hugill, a nephew of the deceased, to assist in preventing any removal from happening. In the ensuing melee Hugill grabbed a shotgun from the hands of a third party and fired it. Miller was struck under the left eye penetrating his brain. Hugill was then arrested, and after promising the Sheriff that he would not run away, was released until the trial was held. Lewis Miller was 56 years old.

The Calamity of Kalama

After the Northern Pacific completed their line from Kalama to Tacoma in 1874, the town once again began to experience anxiety about the future of their town. Many thought it was the end. A few years later during May of 1879, Portland resident and women's suffragette, Abigail Scott Duniway took a steamer to Kalama for a visit and lecture. This is what she said about the town;

"Kalama, or 'Calamity,' as the erewhile pretentious city of the Columbia was once prophetically called, which was for a time the headquarters of the Northern Pacific Railroad, the abode of the Kalama Beacon, and the general rendezvous for impecunious seekers after corner lots and landlords' bonanzas; Kalama, the disappointed, doomed and dying city of fizzled expectations, was the scene of the visit or visitation of the author of these peregrinations on Wednesday of last week." 

The full account of her story can be found on the side bar. (A trip to Kalama and Freeport 1879.)

The Fire of 1879

To make matters worse for Kalama than it already was. Only 2 months after Duniway's visit, on July 25, 1879 at about noon, a fire broke out that quickly destroyed half the town. Just before the telegraph office caught fire, the operator was able to send out one last message. It said that between the river and the old railroad headquarters building every house had been burned to the ground but 2. This included several railroad buildings, Patterson's hotel, a number of stores, saloons, residences, and other buildings, for a total of about 25 to 30 structures. Afterward there remained about 15 buildings.

The Flood of 1882

On June 16, 1882, the Columbia overflowed its banks and Kalama became flooded. The railroad sent a pile driver to drive in piles along the tracks and then fasten the track down to prevent the ties and rails from being carried away by the rushing water. From Kalama to Cowlitz station (Kelso), about 16 miles, the track was covered in places. Trains could only run as far north as Cowlitz station where the passengers boarded steamers for a trip to Castle Rock and then boarded another train.

The Northern Pacific Line is Expanded

On February 19, 1883, the Northern Pacific awarded J. B. Montgomery and company, a contract for the construction of the new spur line between Vancouver and Kalama. The construction work was completed by September of that year, and Kalama was now a railroad junction.

In April of 1883, the Northern Pacific completed the Goble-Portland connection and the first transfer of railcars from Goble to Kalama took place on October 9, 1884 on the new railroad ferry, the Tacoma. At 338 feet, the Tacoma (originally christened Kalama) was the second largest ferry built at the time. The ferry first boarded the trains at Hunters, which was about 2 miles upstream from Goble. Later about 1892, the trains were loaded at Goble on a new wharf. The entire train would be loaded aboard the ferry, which was 3 tracks wide. The ferry operated until the new line connecting Portland to Kalama was completed in 1908.

Portland Hotel Agents Fight for Kalama Customers

Printed in the Portland newspaper, the Christian Herald on August 21, 1883, a nice church group from Oregon had traveled to Tacoma for a meeting, and had this to say about their experience with the hotel agents while aboard the steamers; "At Kalama we took the boat, Mountain Queen, for Portland, at which place we arrived about six in the evening. On this boat we met the same old abomination that we encountered as we went down." 

"There were on this boat no less than four agents representing that number of hotels in Portland. If their lives had depended on it they could not have been more persistent in their efforts to out-do and oppose one another and try to make the passengers believe that they were all a company of boobies who did not know where they were from, where they were going or what their business was, and so needed the special oversight and protection of these angels of mercy. They went so far as to raise a war of words in and around the ladies’ cabin which was no credit to the boat officers, a disgrace to themselves and an outrage on the more respectful and better bred portion of the passengers." 

"They succeeded in so confusing two men of apparently good judgment under ordinary circumstances, that when the boat landed, a police officer had to actually take charge of them and set matters aright. Our carriage was delayed at the landing at least half an hour, for no other purpose than to give the runners time to pull timid and inexperienced travelers from one place to another. We have positively never witnessed anything to equal this disgraceful bable of hotel agents and hackmen, and hope never to again encounter anything like unto it."

Kalama Re-incorporates

According to The Coast printed in 1902 by Honor Wilhelm; "In 1890 Kalama was experiencing a steady growth with new people moving in. This influx of settlers allowed the town to be re-incorporated with William H. Imus as the mayor.

The Flood of 1894

On June 8, 1894, the Columbia river overflowed it banks and in certain places the river was 20 miles wide. Houses and wharves were wrenched from their foundations and carried away by the current. Portland and Woodland were underwater and Kalama had several of its streets flooded. Remnants of buildings and other debris could be seen from the decks of the steamers. There was a great deal of excitement from the passengers on the Tacoma who had braved the stormy weather in order to view the flooded river.

The river was so swollen that the north bank of the river near Kalama was from a half mile to 4 miles wide. Pilot W. H. Pope of the Transfer boat Tacoma, said; "The river at Kalama stands at 27 feet 10 inches, a rise of one inch. In the lowlands the water is up to the eaves of the houses, and it is high above the railroad tracks. The pontoons are safe. Three tons of iron rails were put on them as ballast yesterday to prevent them from being carried away. The same was done at Goble." At places, Capt. Pope says, "the Columbia is a sea from 15 to 20 miles wide, and water can be seen as far as the eye can reach."

Kalama at the Turn of the Century

In 1902, Kalama had a population of 750, and was enjoying a new period of growth since the construction of the Northern Pacific branch line to Vancouver. The Kalama city officials of 1902 were; Judge C. Callahan the mayor, and A. Bystrom, E. Carleston, Fred Arnold, D. J. Sullivan and J. I. Wood, the city council. The schools had an enrollment of 243 and employed 5 teachers, with Harley Taylor serving as principal. Kalama now had a gravity fed water system, and a good fire department. 

The Kalama Electric Light and Power company was in the process of building a plant at Kalama falls, 9 miles up the Kalama river, which was completed in September of 1902. The company provided lights and power for numerous sawmills and factories. Fishing and logging were now the chief industries. The city had 4 churches; Congregational, Catholic, German Episcopal and Methodist, and numerous secret orders and lodges. 

By 1905, Kalama had a population of about 800 people. Judge C. Callahan was still mayor and Edgar L. Collins was the city clerk. The town now had a bank, a large opera house, and a good hotel. The surrounding country, that originally was covered with immense forests, was now developing into a fine farming and fruit growing region.

In September of 1907, a mass meeting was held to protest against the dredge that was at work in the river, throwing the dirt from the Oregon side into the channel on the Washington side. There is a natural channel on this side of the river, one that does not need dredging, and Kalama citizens did not want it to be filled up artificially. Kalama had always prided itself on being at the head of deep water navigation on the Columbia, and had advantages for loading deep sea vessels at its wharf.

On October 6, 1907, the task of moving all the buildings off the right of way of the Northern Pacific was almost completed. Only two small buildings remained which were moved by the end of that week. This was done so that grade stakes could be set for the new double track line between Kalama and Vancouver, with construction beginning soon after the survey was completed. Also that month, contractors in Kalama were at work excavating for two big brick and concrete stores, one being for the Carlson heirs, and the other for Herman Kockritz. Streets were graded and Kalama was showing signs of a boom. 

Piling was driven for the new sawmill and work started on the mill's wharf. The mill was in operation by January of 1908. The main street was now running north and south instead of east and west. The town now had a fine brass band of 24 pieces and the members laid out a park and built a big dance pavilion. They wanted to make it the finest picnic ground this side of Portland.

End of the Transfer Boat Tacoma

With the completion of the Northern Pacific bridges across the Columbia and Willamette rivers at Portland and Vancouver in June of 1908, ended the need for the transfer boat Tacoma. The ferry had faithfully carried passengers and freight for 25 years without an accident or loss of life. To the citizens of Kalama she was a thing of life, a factor entering into the daily routine of the town. The little city had always known her and many of the younger generation were born and reared in hearing of its whistle. 

They knew of no more a familiar sight than her smokestacks looming up at the slip or her steaming across the Columbia, and when the first faint announcement was breathed that two great bridges were to be built that would carry traffic 40 miles to the south and that the time had come when the transfer would be no more, there were none to believe; it could not be. It was impossible that a thing that had cost so much, and had spent on it so much for repairs, could be given over for the sake of cutting down the time to Portland some 20 minutes.

In 1909, the Tacoma was used to transport rock from Longview in the construction of the north jetty, at the mouth of the Columbia river. In 1917, The Milwaukee Railroad purchased the Tacoma and towed her to Puget Sound where she was stripped to the hull except for the pilot house and then used as a barge that transported railcars across the Puget Sound. The once mighty Transfer boat Tacoma ended up as Barge No. 6.

Governor Mead Talks for Good Roads

On December 2, 1908, one of the largest and most enthusiastic gatherings ever held in Cowlitz county was the Good Roads convention held in Kalama. The convention was called to order at 2:30pm by I. N. Belghle, vice president of the Good Roads Association. The address of welcome was delivered by Judge Callahan of Kalama, after which the convention proceeded with the usual business.

The evening session was devoted to addresses, the first of which was delivered by Governor Mead, who emphasized the need of good roads and the benefit that would result from it, and said that he wanted to use his influence with the next legislature to build such roads as are now proposed by the Good Roads Association. One of the most interesting addresses of the evening was the stereopticon lecture by Samuel C. Lancaster, Government good roads expert, who had recently returned from Europe. 

Among others who delivered interesting addresses were Samuel Hill, Alfred Battle, James M. Snow, A. L. Valentine, H. F. Bronell and J. T. Ronald. Interest and enthusiasm marked the proceedings from beginning to end. Over 200 delegates from different parts of the state were present, besides a goodly number of farmers. At each session the Opera House was filled to standing room. The following resolutions were unanimously adopted at the meeting;

First, that the State Legislature appropriate the sum of $100,000 to be expended under the direction of the State Highway Board for the establishment of rock-crushing plants, to be operated by convict labor; second, that the geological department of the State University be established on a permanent basis; third, that a sufficient fund be appropriated by the State Legislature to establish a building on the University grounds to be occupied by the department of highway engineering and to house United States Government exhibits.

Double Tracks

On July 17, 1909, a party of Northern Pacific officials and railroad contractors came to Kalama for the purpose of viewing the new route of the soon to be built double track mainline. The party consisted or Mr. Darling and Mr. Sims, general contractors for the Northern Pacific; the Porter Brothers, W. O. Winters, Grant Smith, Frank Beckwith and A. B. Cook. The contract for the right of way work was let on July 19. The double track began at the yard limits in Kalama, extending northward to Chehalis. 

One of the heaviest parts of the work was the tunnel at Rocky Point. The tunnel is 1,100 feet in length, and required the moving of 25,000,000 to 30,000,000 cubic yards of principally ballast rock. The tunnel and double track took about 2 years to build. Kalama was the headquarters for the contractors, and most of the money of the employers was spent there. Work began on August 25, 1909 and was completed in the winter of 1911.

The Golden Potlatch Festival

On July 17, 1911, Seattle inaugurated the first annual carnival to celebrate the Yukon Gold Rush of 1897. The celebration was called "Golden Potlatch '97" and consisted of a week of pageantry and merry making in which the whole city took part. The celebration was to be known as "A Hot Time in a Cool Place," a catchy reference to the attractive summer climate of Puget Sound.

On July 2, 1911, Mel G. Johnson, manager of the Howard Automobile company took a drive from Portland to Kelso to check out the condition of the highway. Many motorists from the Portland area wanted to attend to Golden Potlatch in Seattle and were concerned about the road conditions. Johnson left Vancouver at 9:30am and had a good road to La Center. He reached La Center at 10:53am after a drive of 18.5 miles. Leaving La Center, the road conditions became more difficult, with many sharp pitches and turns, with high centers, both lengthwise and crosswise on the road. The 5.5 miles from La Center to the Woodland ferry was made in 33 minutes.

Between Woodland and Kelso was the worst part of the journey. Johnson said this about his trip; "The most difficult part of the road was encountered between the Woodland ferry and Kalama, a distance of a little over 10 miles. Along this stretch is considerable sand, the road is narrow, with high centers, and just before reaching Kalama many steep pitches leading over rocky points, which are in deplorable condition, are found."

Johnson reached Kalama at 12:15pm and after an hour for lunch, his journey resumed and the drive from Kalama to Kelso took exactly one hour. After reaching Kelso, he returned back to Portland as he was able to travel over the worst part of the journey, and that the rest of the way would be no problem for the drivers going to the festival.

Kalama Streets are Paved and the Town Begins to Grow

In September of 1912, the city of Kalama had 4 blocks on First and Fir Streets paved with bitulithic and 3 blocks on Elm and Fir Streets paved with 10 inch thick macadam that included concrete gutters and curbs. 

In 1913, Kalama became a subport of entry and had a deputy collector of customs stationed there. Kalama has a natural deep water harbor and the largest ocean going vessels had transferred cargo there. Also that year, the state established 2 large salmon hatcheries near Kalama that was turning out 12,000,000 fry into the Kalama river. There were well over 100 fishermen living in Kalama and many more were employed at the Doty Fish company's packing house and cold storage plant. There were 2 large lumber mills; the Hill mill and the Mountain Timber company, that employed around 500 workers.

That year, the paving and improvements to the sidewalks were extended up the hill into the residential district. The Washington & Oregon Electric Light company, was now operating an immense power plant 12 miles up the Kalama river, that lighted the cities of; Kalama, Kelso, Castle Rock, Woodland and Chehalis. The Rose City Shingle company and the Dupont Powder plant were operating just north of town. Kalama now had a bank, a postal savings bank, 2 newspapers, a department store, grocery stores, a grade school and high school, a commercial club of 150 members, and good hotels. All this in a city of just over 1,700 people.

Honor Camps and Day Labor

On September 10, 1913, 30 Honor Men were placed in the first honor camp, that was located a mile north of Hoodsport. The second camp was established 2 miles south of Kalama on December 3, 1913, for the construction of a section of the Pacific Highway, south of that city. Honor Camp No. 1, having completed the work assigned to it on the Olympic Highway was transferred on July 14, 1914, to Skamania County as Camp No. 3, for work on State Road No. 8, from Stevenson, west. On July 27, 1914, Honor Camp No. 2 was likewise transferred to Stevenson, as Camp No. 4.

After Camp No. 2 started work on the Pacific Highway, the length they were to work on, was reduced to 2 miles, and after the grading was completed, the road was then surfaced with gravel by force account. The road bed constructed by the honor men was the standard of 30 feet in cuts and 24 feet in fills. This work was completed on September 9, 1914.

During September of 1914, the highway department conducted road construction by the use of day labor. The sections constructed by this system were; the Olympic Highway, between the Hama Hama River and Lilliwaup, in Mason County, a distance of 9.1 miles; the National Park Highway between Mineral and Morton, in Lewis County, a distance of 7.0 miles; and the Pacific Highway between Kalama and Martin’s Bluff, a distance of 3.4 miles, less the portion that was completed by Honor Camp No. 2. For more information on the use of Honor camps and Day labor see the side bar of this page.

Pacific Highway Improvement Work Begins

In 1914, because of the conflicts in securing the right-of-way at “Stover Hill” and “Tom Brown's Hill” with the Northern Pacific. The state highway department which had planned to improve these sections, abandoned those projects and the money instead was apportioned to Cowlitz county and was spent on sections of the Pacific Highway from Kalama south and Carrollton north. The section from Carrollton north was let by contract to Jeffrey & Bufton, of Portland, for improving 3 miles of road. The contract did not provide for gravelling which made the road extremely difficult to travel on when wet.

In April of 1915, contract No. 224 was awarded to Porter & Conley of Portland, for surfacing with crushed rock, 3.3 miles of the Pacific Highway from Kalama southward. This was the portion of the highway that was graded by Honor Camp No. 2 and completed by day labor forces in 1914. The section of surfacing laid, was 16 feet in width and 8 inches thick, requiring 6,125 cubic yards of material. This work was completed August 13, 1915. The final estimate was $12,507.17.

During May of 1915, the state began to make preparations for the improvement of the Pacific Highway between Seattle and Vancouver. The Kelso-Kalama section, which was 9.7 miles, included 2.5 miles of macadam paving beginning at the Kelso city limits and extending southward. The next mile was built on an entirely new grade and the next 2 miles into Carrollton were widened. Between Carrolls mountain and Kalama, the state built a new grade, and the crews kept the roadway open during this construction work. Between Kalama and Woodland a distance of 10 miles, little work was completed except for gravel surfacing on the new grade between Kalama and Martin's bluff.

In June of 1915, state contract No. 229 was awarded to Hendricks and Ward of Centralia, for clearing, grading and draining of 1.5 miles of the Pacific Highway from Kalama northward. The road was constructed of a standard cross-section. This work was completed on August 12, 1915 and the final estimate was $8,066.47. This section was then surfaced with crushed rock by a force account contract with Porter and Conley, at a cost of $5,749.74.

Portland to Kelso in 1916

On June 6, 1916, Chester A. Moores and a party of 7, took a trip in a Reo six from Portland to Seattle and back. Charles M. Menzies, the sales manager of the Northwest Auto Company of Portland was at the wheel. Moores goes on the say; "Acting on the advice of all who have traveled the road this year, we decided to go by way of Vancouver rather than drive over the St. Helens road to Goble before ferrying across to Kalama, as was the custom last year. And we didn't regret this decision because on our way back from Tacoma we met a fellow who had taken the Vancouver route on his way to Portland and the Goble route on his way back north."

"By all means go through Vancouver," was his advice. "There are four or five miles of road between St. Helens and Goble, where I was up to the hubs and above, on my little roadster and I very much doubt if heavier cars could yank through. Besides the man on the Goble ferry stung me $2 for the trip across the river as compared with the 25 cents I paid on the Vancouver ferry. It took two and a half hours to ferry from Goble to Kalama because the engine on the boat got out of whack and we were held up twice." 

"In leaving Vancouver, Mr. Menzies aimed straight out Main street, a paved boulevard, and found the road paved for a distance of eight miles from Vancouver. Just before reaching Martin's Bluff we encountered some of the roughest going of the entire trip, but what Mr. Menzies chose to style a "real road" greeted us later on the four miles leading to Kalama and we forgot the few bumps that had thrown us about a bit as the car skirted the railroad track for a few miles." 

"We, sailed straight through Kalama and kept the direct road. About five miles beyond Kalama and just this side of Carrollton our eyes were treated to a commanding sweep of the Columbia river that almost matches some of the panoramas afforded on the Columbia River Highway. The six or seven miles of road that separate Carrollton from Kelso contained quite a few patches of unsatisfactory surface, but for the most part the conditions were at least fair. At Kelso, we turned right on Second street and proceeded over that thoroughfare out of the town."

Military Wants Pacific Highway Completed Quickly

The State Highway Commission on March 28, 1917, adopted a budget of expenditure designed to insure the completion of the Pacific Highway, particularly with reference to uncompleted sections between Chehalis and Vancouver. It was the first session since the Legislature authorized highway appropriations for 1917 and 1918. Prospects of war have given the highway an increased importance as a road for coast defense maneuvers north and south, especially since completion of the Columbia river bridge. 

Work was to be be commenced by May 1, if weather permitted, which was the earliest the road funds would be available from the 1916 levy. The appropriation included a bridge across the Cowlitz at Toledo and bridges across the Kalama and Coweeman rivers, with construction of improvement from Forest to Toledo, north and south from the Toutle river, north and south from Castle Rock, north from Kelso, from Martin's Bluff to Woodland, and from La Center to Pioneer.

Tijuana to Blaine Endurance Run

On October 31, 1920, E. G. "Cannonball" Baker made an endurance run between Tijuana and Blaine. He said that the Pacific Highway from Kalama north was the worst stretch throughout the entire length of the road between the Mexican border and the Canadian border. The completion of his run, which took 52 hours and 41 minutes set a new record for the trip, from Mexico to Canada. Baker traveled the 1,649 miles over all kinds of roads and through all kinds of weather.

Baker drove the same Templar roadster which he had already driven over a number of other record breaking long distance runs. The trip was made under the auspices of the army recruiting service, Baker carried a message from the commanding officer at Los Angeles to be delivered to the recruiting officer at Seattle. He had this to say after his return to Seattle from Blaine; "The run was the hardest motor vehicle trip I have ever made. The one outstanding thing that I learned from the trip is that Washington and portions of Oregon badly need paved roads. That portion of the road between Portland and Seattle was the worst, next to the Siskiyou mountain road."

"Arriving at Portland three hours and 40 minutes ahead of schedule, we started for Seattle. At Kalama another battle started which was really the most difficult portion of the trip. We found motorists stuck there who laughed at our efforts to forge ahead. They sympathized with us that our record had been broken. They ridiculed our attempts to proceed. At one place we struck a muddy slush which was a veritable lake. With chains on all four wheels we plunged in. Plunged is the proper word, for we went in nose first, throwing mud and slush more than 30 feet high. It would have been a wonderful picture for the motion picture camera but we had no time for delays."

"Finally, after burrowing into the mud and slush we were mired in solid, the radiator up against a bank of mud and the wheels spinning for lack of traction. We got two horses and 40 men who were in the vicinity and tugged and pulled until the little Templar was finally pulled out. It really was a  triumphant moment and was one of the worst mud holes I ever have been in."

The Kalama Auto Camp

On June 4, 1921, Kalama's business interests under the direction of the Commercial Club, opened and maintained an auto park campground at the southern outskirts of Kalama, that was open to the public free of charge. The grounds were comprised of about 2 acres, that contained a small grove of trees, adjoining the highway and could accommodate 75 cars. There was a spring on the grounds, with city water and electric lights available. Rustic tables, benches and 12 camp stoves were provided. Adjoining the grounds on the west, was a lake which provided swimming and bathing. It appears that the park only lasted a year as the new Pacific Highway was built right through the old camp grounds in 1922.

Vancouver to Kalama Paving Begins

On July 3, 1921, hundreds of motorists were planning on driving to Tacoma for the Fourth of July auto races at the Tacoma speedway. The Washington State Highway department was excited to announce that the new concrete paving north of Vancouver would be opened for the occasion and that the detour through Ridgefield, which was a terrible road, had been eliminated. The pavement was only a half mile long and extended from the end of the pavement that was laid the previous year to the town of Pioneer. 

This now made the Pacific Highway a continuous paved road from Vancouver north for 21 miles. The half mile of newly poured concrete was not supposed to be ready until July 4th, but the highway department decided that since none of the traffic would be of a weighty nature that could damage the concrete, the road could be opened a day early. With the opening of this new stretch of roadway on July 3rd at 5pm; the motorist found continuous pavement to Pioneer 21 miles north of Vancouver, and from Pioneer to Kalama, another 21 miles, the road was gravel. From Kalama to Toledo another 27 miles, the road was gravelled.

On June 8, 1922, a new ferry line was put into service by Peter Clift and Chris Hansen between Kalama and Goble. This service operated during the construction work and after the completion of the highway, this service was discontinued. Most of the tourists were using the ferries to avoid the poor condition of the road between Kalama and Woodland. The road to Kelso and on to Seattle was in good shape. Gravel was being put on the highway south of Kalama and the road bed soon would be ready for concrete. The crews made a cut about 25 feet deep through the hill at the Engleman home, and a fill was made across the former auto park that eliminated a bad curve at this point. Afterwards, a concrete culvert was built at the south end of First street.

Finished Highway

On September 24, 1922, the new pavement on the Pacific Highway, south of Kalama, was opened to traffic, the first autos to travel over the new pavement was a group starting from Vancouver and included motorists from Clark, Cowlitz and Multnomah counties. The day was designated as "Pacific Highway Day."

On October 2, the state highway department awarded the contract for placing 50,000 yards of gravel in stock piles for the final paving of the highway the following year.

The Prunarians Celebrate the Completion of the Pacific Highway

The Vancouver Prunarians were organized in 1919 to promote prune culture, consumption, and to foster cooperation between local growers and merchants. Initially limited to 100 members, the Prunarians would soon evolve into a major civic booster, increasing their membership and promoting the interests of Clark County in general. They were perhaps best remembered as the driving force behind the annual Prune Harvest Festivals.

To celebrate the completion of the Pacific Highway from Vancouver to Kalama, the Prunarian organization of Vancouver and Clark county extended an invitation to Portland and other Oregon motorists to come, see and enjoy one of the most interesting runs to Portland on Sunday, September 24, 1922. "This run from Portland via Vancouver to Kalama over the new concrete paved highway will be one continuous tour of scenic thrills, and new scenes." declared the Prunarians.

"The new work from La Center to Kalama is said to be one of the finest pieces of concrete paving in this state, being of 20-foot width, with all grades and curves standardized. The broad sweeping series of loops as one drops down into the La Center valley, through which flows the East fork of the Lewis river; the innumerable panoramic views covering the rich bottom lands of the Woodland and Kalama districts, with several bodies of water for contrast; charming views of Mt. Hood and St. Helens and pastoral scenes are features of this 34 mile run from Vancouver." 

Three loop tours had been outlined by the Prunarians for motorists; To Kalama and return to Portland via the Kalama-Goble ferry and lower Columbia River highway; to Kalama and thence to Kelso over a gravel section of the highway and thence to the Long-Bell ferry connecting with the lower Columbia Highway at Rainier and furnishing an opportunity to see the great development of the Long-Bell company in the making; to Kalama and thence back through La Center to Crabb's corner at Pioneer, then turn right over hard surface to Ridgefield and back to Vancouver through the prune sections of Sara, Felida and Fruit Valley, where the harvesting of this fruit could be seen from the gathering to the drying, packing and shipping.

County Seat Fight

On November 10, 1922, a suit was filed in the superior court of Cowlitz county by I. N. Beighle, against the commissioners Mauer, P. A. Parker and J. C. Ferguson, alleging that illegal voting in Kelso on the moving of the county seat from Kalama to Kelso. It had been alleged that persons not registered and not eligible to vote were sworn in, and that a large number who voted were not registered in the county, state, precinct books, but only in the city ward books.

It also has been alleged that the registration books were carried about from place to place to get some 200 residents to register. Judge Kirby issued a restraining order stopping the county commissioners from declaring the result of the election until the court passes on the legality of the votes cast. A hearing was set for 10 am on November 18. 

Kalama ended up losing the fight and the county seat was moved to Kelso. For more information of the county seat fight see the Kelso section.