1775 - The Spanish explorer Bruno Heceta visited the area and claimed it for Spain.
1792 - On May 11, 1792, Captain Robert Gray (1755-1806) discovered the Columbia River and named it after his ship, 'The Columbia.' Gray was the first American to circumnavigate the world. Lieutenenat William R. Broughton, in command of the British ship Chatham, sailed past the mouth of the Columbia and 100 miles upriver to present-day Vancouver. He named Mount Hood, where he believed the headwaters of the Columbia River were located, after Lord Samuel Hood, a British Admiral. Broughton's map of the Columbia was used by Lewis and Clark. George Vancouver, a British naval officer, explored Puget Sound.
1805 - Meriwether Lewis and William Clark expedition.
1811 - John Jacob Astor established a fur-trading post near the mouth of the Columbia and a fort at the mouth of the Okanogan River.
1818 - Hudson Bay Company sent Simon Plamondon (Plomondon) up the Cowlitz River to explore it for its trapping possibilities. He discovered the Cowlitz area up to Toledo, then returned to Vancouver to report that trapping possibilities on the river were good. Cowlitz is the name for the Indian nation that was in the area.
1820 - Simon Plamondon returned to the prairie (Drew's Prairie), south of Winlock (and currently west of Intertstate 5), and settled on the land now owned by Floyd Henriot and Herb Leonard at Cowlitz Corner near Toledo. He took the Indian Chief's daughter, Veronica, to be his wife. Simon had four wives.
1824 - Hudson Bay Company established a large farm on the Cowlitz Prairie, just north of Toledo. Dr. John McLaughlin was the overseer. Cowlitz Farm of the Puget Sound Agricultural Company on Cowlitz Prairie was established in the 1830s. Goods were also sold to the Russian settlers in the 'Far North.' Nisqually Fram was created about the same time.
1829 - Indian population decimated by smallpox epidemic.
1831 - Lewis District (later county) was named by John McLaughlin, Chief Factor of Fort Vancover, Hudson Bay Company. It was named after one of the company's stockholders. Lewis District was all lands north of the Columbia River to the southern tip of Canada (54 degress 40 minutes parallel), and west from the Pacific Ocean to the tip of the Cascade mountains. All lands east of the Cascade mountains was named Vancouver District, which was later changed to Clark District, and later Clark county.
1831 - George B. Roberts, a British naval apprentice, arrived at Fort Astoria, then to Fort Vancouver. We has assigned to clerk for McLaughlin, then clerked for David Douglas, the noted botanist which the Douglas-Fir is named after. He returned to England, married, then returned to Fort Vancouver (1840-1843). He was manager of the Cowlitz Farm, Puget Sound Agricultural Company.
1834 - There were 46 people in Cowlitz Prairie ( 6 miles from present day Winlock), mostly employees of the Hudson Bay Company farm. These families included Oliver Bouchard, Pierre Charles, Michael Cottonware, Louis La Due, Joseph St. Germain, and Simon Plamondon. They were mostly French Canadians and Catholic. Mr Cottonware settled on a piece of land, a part of which is now the farms of Stan Henriot and Sam Woody. He married Simon Plamondon's oldest daughter.
1838 - In the late fall, Reverands Francis Norbert Blanchet and Modists Demers arrived on Cowlitz Prairie to establish a church, They built the first church in Washinton state.
1843 - A group of citizens from the Oregon territory met at Champoeg, near Oregon City, Oregon, and formed and adopted a provisional form of government, patterned after the state of Iowa. The territory was formed into four districts. That part of the territory north of the Columbia river was named Columbia.
1844 - A large party of 80 wagons, headed by Colonel Michael Simmons crossed the plains, headed for the Great Oregon country.
1845 - Party led by Col. Simmons went up to Cowlitz landing, and then on to Tumwater. The session of the provisional legislature divided Columbia (the Vancouver District of Oregon Country) into two counties. Everything north of the Cowlitz river, to the British line (54 degrees, 40 minutes), and everything west of the Cowlitz river to the Pacific ocean was named Lewis County in honor of Merriweather Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.. The rest was named Vancouver county. George Waunch was an early settler in Lewis county.
In 1845 John R. Jackson was the first American man to establish a residence in Washington Territory. The Jackson home later became the first Federal Circuit Court, which was held in 1851.
1846 - The dispute with Great Britain was settled, and the boundary established where it is now. James Birnie, an employee of the Hudson's Bay Company, locates his family in what is now Cathlamet.
1847 - The first census of Lewis County was taken - 275 whites (British and U.S. citizens). Most of the citizens lived at three locations. They were Tumwater, Fort Nisqually, and Cowlitz Farm (present day Toledo).
The first sawmill was buit in 1847 by Simon Plamondon on is farm near Cowlitz Prairie.
The Oregon Territory was not established until 1847.
1848 - Congress passed an act dividing Oregon territory which autmatically abolished the provisional form of government.
1849 - General William Winlock Miller crossed the plains from Illinois and settled at Olympia. He had been a teacher in Illinois but moved to the Northwest to improve his health. After a period of teaching in the Oregon Territory, he took over the accounts of M. T. Simmons, a storekeeper in Tum Water. He became one of the first settlers in what later became Washington Territory.
1850 - Congress passed the Donation Land Claim Act, which bestowed U.S. recognition upon land claims of settlers - 320 acres for a single person and 640 acres for a married couple. In 1850 the white population of Lewis County was 457.
1851 - Schuyler Saunders settled in Lewis county and took up a Donation Land Claim. He founded the town of Saundersville, which eventually became Chehalis (in 1872). William Winlock Miller became the first surveyor and inspector of revenue for the port of Nisqually, dealing with the Hudson Bay Company and with W. F. Tolmie, head of the Puget Sound Agricultural Company. Miller was a friend and supporter of Isaac I. Stevens (1818-62), the first Governor of Washington Territory, and later administered his estate. Miller served as Quarter Master General of the Washington Territory Militia during the Indian hostilities (1857-1861); Director and Commissioner for Olympia of the North Pacific Railroad Company (1857); Notary Public in the District Court (1861); Treasurer for the Territory Fund for the Relief of Sick and Disable Soldiers (1862); Mayor of Olympia (1872).
1852 - George Drew took a donation land claim on what he then named Drews Prairie, the present site of Boys Ranch. He established a litle store in his home, built a small saw mill, and made that the trading center for all the territory between the present site of Winlock and Cowlitz Prairie, The whole area then became known as Grand Prairie.
The first of the Roundtrees crossed the plains in 1852, and settled in Boistfort, Lewis County, Washington. Boistfort is located 15 miles southwest of Chehalis on the fork of the Chehalis River. It was originally named Bawfaw, but was renamed by the new settlers. Pierre Charles named it for the French "boisfort," meaning strong wood. The area was settled in the 1850s by the Goff, Roundtree, Tullis, Fay, Mallis, Purcell, Hogue, Buchanan, White, Stillman, and Newland families. The Boistfort school district, established in 1853, was the first school district in Lewis County.
August, 1852 Doc Harp was born. Settled in Winlock was lived to be over 100 years old. George Washington platted the land that became Centerville, later renamed Centralia.
On January 12, 1852 Thurston County was created by the Oregon Territorial Legislature. Initially, the proposed act specified that the new county, broken off from Lewis County, be named Simmons County for Michael J. Simmons, leader of the first party of Americans to settle in the Puget Sound basin. However, it was changed to honor Samuel R. Thurston, Oregon's first delegate to Congress.
1853 - On March 2, Congress passed an act dividing the Oregon territory at the Columbia river, and creating the territory of Columbia. But an admendment was attached changing the name to Washington. President Pierce named Isaac I. Stevens to be the first territorial governor. He arrived in the territory on Nov 26, 1853. On Nov 28, 1853 he called for delegates from over the territory to meet at Cowlitz Landing, county seat of Lewis county. The first public school in Lewis county was established on Cowlitz Prairie, with H. H. Pinto as the teacher. Mr Miller was made territorial surveyor. C. Pagget arrived at Cowlitz landing, one mile below the present site of Toledo. Joshua Tibeau had squatted on the land now comprising the townsite of Toledo. Mr. Pagget paid him something for his squatter's rights, and then filed a donation land claim.
1854 - On January 2, a general territorial convention was held. On Apr 29, the first post office in the county was established in Toledo, at Cowlitz Landing, one mile below the present site of Toledo, and it was called Cowlitz. John Provo took a donation land claim just east of Winlock. In April of 1854 Cowlitz County was one of the first counties organized by the newly-formed Washington Territorial Government.
1855 - A school was established in Grand Prairie. This was the second public school to be established in the county. R. R. Powell was the first teacher. These schools were not county supervised. They were built by popular subscription operating for three months of the year. Surviving Indians in the area were removed to the Yakima Indian reservation. A gathering of Indian tribes at Ford's Prairie showed a population of 5,000. On October 6, 1855 the Chehalis Presbyterian Church was organized, and is the oldest Presbyterian church in the State of Washington.
William Winlock Miller became Quarter Master General of the Washington Territory Militia during the Indian Hostilities, 1857-1861.
1858 - On Jan 30, the Washington Territorial Legislature passed a bill to establish a state university. At that time Cowlitz Prairie was the most populated area of the territory. So the bill as passed was that the State University be located at Cowlitz Prairie, provided someone doanate 160 acreas of land for the site. No one was interested in donating land, so the offer was defaulted. The land was donated in 1860. On May 8, the Chehalis post office was established at Saunders Prairie, and the name changed to Chehalis on Sep 23, 1870. Mr. Pagget acquired title to the land in Toledo. Mr. Miller surveyd this land for Mr. Pagget. The Mannings settled on Grand Prairie.
1858 - The Pioneer Claquato Church near Chehalis built. It is the oldest remaining Protestant church in the Pacific Northwest. It was the 3rd church erected in the vast area north of the Columbia River.
1859 - Mr. Pagget accepted a position as teacher in the Squaxon Reservation, just outside Olumpia. Jonas Pike settled in the Winlock area. A party left Missouri and settled in the area. They include more Roundtrees and Mr. T.J. Spooner. In April, A.J. Roundtree married Susan Spooner, settling in Boistfort.
1860 - Col. Simmons and Joseph Broshears moved down to Grand Prairie to make thier future home.
1861 - The state had been divided into counties pretty much as they are today. In this division, Vancouver county was changed to Clark county. On July 25, 1861 a post office was established in Winlock and named Grand Prairie. George Drew as the first postmaster. First steamboat began operating on the Cowlitz.
1863 - Mr Pagget sold his claim in Toledo to Javan Hall, and moved to Mason County.
1864 - On Nov 23, Joseph P. Manning was appointed postmaster, and the post office moved to his place on Grand Prairie. In 1864 Congress passed the Land Grant Act. This was a plan to subsidize the building of railroads. Indians moved to Chehalis Reservation in Grays Harbor County.
1865 - In January, Jean Baptiste Plamondon married Matilda Provost. The town of Bucoda (originally called Seatco) was first settled in Thurston County, south of Olympia. It became the site of the first territorial prison in 1877.
1866 - The Henriots came to Cowlitz Prairie and had a large acreage of hops. It was one of the big early day crops.
1867 - Mr. Pagget moved back to Toledo and bought his old homestead back from Javan Hall. He remained there until 1871, when he sold out and moved over to the railroad. William champ settled in Winlock in 1867.
1869 - In November, General W.W. Miller married Mary McFaden of Chehalis. There oldest son was Winlock Miller.
1870 - On Feb 15, Northern Pacific Railway started building their line. They started from Superior, Wisconsin, and from Kalama toward Tacoma in August, 1870.
1871 - Christoppher C. Pagett was the first settler in Winlock. Pagget bought 80 acres from the U.S. Government on the east side of the proposed railroad track. In July 23, 1871 A.J. Flesher married Nancy Broshears.
1872 - Jack Nealy rode his horse into Winlock, all the way from Georgia. He filed a homestead right on the land west of the proposed railroad track . Jack Nealy married Gertrude Broshears. There is a stone in the local cemetery showing the date of death as 1872. Railroad arrived in the Twin Cities (Centralia and Chehalis) from Kalama, Oregon. In 1872 "Saundersville" was changed to Chehalis and became the county seat.
In 1872 an earthquake of magnitude 7.4 hit the area.
1873 - Christopher C. Pagett was appointed postmaster, and the office moved into what is now Winlock, and the name of the office changed to Winlock. Succeeding postmasters were:
John A. Adams (Nov 28, 1887) William T. Byham (Apr 9, 1889) William Jesse Wall (Apr 26, 1893) John L. Gruber (Jul 30, 1898) Charles E. Leonard (Nov 12, 1912) George P. Wall (Sep 3, 1913) M. E. Meloy (May 23, 1922) Connie Cullen Wall (Jun 6, 1934) - postmaster until 1957 (23 years)
On Dec 16, 1873 the railroad line from Kalama to Tacoma was completed. On Dec 27, 1873, Chrisopher Pagett filed with the County Auditor the orignal plot of the area in the present business district and he named it Winlock. The town was named after Winlock Miller, eldest son of General William Winlock Miller. Miller's wife's maiden name was also Winlock. The family gave the town a bell for the school. Mr Pagett was good friends of the Miller family. Both had been Indian War fighters. An affidavit by Mr. Miller stated:
Whereas, on the 17th day of November 1873, General W.W. Miller of Olympia, Washington Territory, having been asked to give a name to the place, then known as Grand Prairie, did on the day above written submit the following name, "WINLOCK," in the words following, to wit. "If however you should fancy the name, and adopt it, I will agree to give a nice bell to the church or schoolhouse, that is built in the town."
Mr. Pagett's reply came in a letter dated November 22, 1873:
Dear General: I received your letter a few days ago from you in reference to the name of this place, and have to say the name pleased me very much. There is a strange coincidence connected with the name which I tell you some time. We have a subscription already for the schoolhouse preparatory for the bell. I think better to use it in that capacity, than for the church. Let the churchman hang their own church bells. I have forgotten to say when I file the plat for record, the name by WINLOCK, named by W.W. Miller of Olympia.
1874 - On Feb 2, Grand Prairie post office changed its name to Winlock. David Ainslie settled in the area. He bought 80 acres of land 4 miles south of town and built a small lumber mill.
1875 - Mr. Doernbecher built a small plant alongside the Ainslie mill and started the manufacture of furniture. Indian population in the county was 1,200.
In 1875, Theodore and Martha Harrington came to Winlock.
1876 - General William Winlock Miller died. His papers and book collection of the Northwest was donated to Yale University. University of Washington in Seattle graduates its first student in 15 years. In April 1876 William Boone married Sarah V. Roundtree. In August 1876 James M. Champ married Mary Layton. The first person was buried in the Loval cemetery.
1877 - W.G. Nevil settled in the area. On May 7 Andrew J. Miller and Eugele L. Finch bought 8 acres of land from Jack Nealy. They built a small saw mill, operated by waterpower from Olequa creek. Logs were hauled to the mill by ox teams.
1878 - The first Territory Penitentiary was built at Bucoda, north of Winlock in Thurston County. It remained until 1886, when a new facility was built in Walla Walla, Washington. A Broshears girl (married L.M. Hughes) died and was the first person to be buried in the local cemetery. The cemetery land was owned by L.M. Hughes.
1879 - On April 9, 1879 George F. Dueber bought the first lot in Winlock, lot #1, Block #1. He built two hotels on this lot. Mr. and Mrs. Dueber had a son born to them, Charles E. Dueber, and he was the first child born in Winlock. Homesteaders included:
St. Urban area - Anton Meier (1879), John Dickman and the Schlittlers (1880), Joel Hamilton (1883), Joe Bremgartner (1884), John Meier (1886), Joe Lachine (1887), and Radants (1889)
North of town - Levi Rose (1883), Jim Porter (1889), Louie Krueger (1889), Nels Peterson and Chris Peterson (1889), S.P. Graverson (1889), Rudolph Sobolsky (1890)
King Road - Leslie Crim (1887), William Haupt and the Berstingers (1888), Mel Lewis (1886), Lew Baird (1890).
Finn Hill - Billy Walters (1879)
Jones Road - Mr. Jones, Richard Lentz, Roland Smith (from Pennsylvania), and H.C. Griffith.
Ainslie district - David Ainsle (1874), Hans Yansen (1888), William Cunningham (1887), Pat Duffy (1885), John Roe (1884), Tom Toy, Doc Carns, Mr. Henderson (1888).
others - the Mincklers (1883), the Larges (1893), A.J. Flesher (1872),
1880 - On Nov 30, The Cowlitz Landing post office was moved to Toledo, and the name changed to Toledo. In August, Otho McLaughlin married a lady. They were married for over 72 years. Otho live to be 100. Railroad completed from Kalama, Oregon to Tacoma, Washington.
1881 - The new school was completed in October, and called District #19. Early settlers included Dr. Whiteside (1881), Phil Erckenbrack (1882), Walt Seamon (1882), Gordon Sweany (1882), A.J. Rhodes (1879), Ole Roste (1879), Jim Smith (1882), J.P. Ellis (1886), Link and Mel Lewis (1886), the Walls (1884), Andy Johnson (1885), Vic Gaume (1890), Tom Crocker (1888), McNellys (1900), Dr. N.E. Woody (1890 - died in 1903), Chas Rockafellow (1890), C.F. Leonard (1885), H.H. Fatland (1882), Charles Harkins (1889), Joel Werne (1890), Whislers (1886), Larges (1893), Jim Smith (1882), and George Brown (1888). In 1881, John Pieckman married Emily Schlittler.
1882 - On Jan 18, a bell was received from San Francisco and hung on the school. This bell was transferred to the new school on the hill in 1891. On Feb 20, 1882 a statement was written and filed with the county auditor on Feb 23, 1882. It stated that the bell would always become the property of the school district in Winlock. The statement was signed by George F. Dueber, E.L. Finch, F.M. Frost, H.C. Griffith, L.M. Hughes, E.P. McClure, J.S. Nealy, C.C. Pagett, J.L. Pennington, and H.P. Whiteside.
On April 30, 1882 at 10:48 pm an earthquake hit that lasted for 15 minutes.
1883 - The United Methodist church had a missionary preacher in Winlock. On Feb 28, 1883 Winlock was officially incorporated. It was the first town in Lewis county to be incorporated. Its population was 100. Soon, the railroad companies offered cheap fares on the trains in order to sell land in the Territory of Washington. In 1883 Chehalis was incorporated as a city and re-incorporated in 1890.
The towns in Lewis County included Centralia, Chehalis, Morton, Mossyrock, Napavine, Pe Ell, Toledo, Vader, and Winlock.
1884 - Winlock's first church, a Methodist church, was established on September 1, 1884. The charter members were Mr. and Mrs. William J. Byham, Mr. and Mrs. Levi Rose, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Motz, and Mrs. A.J. Rhodes. The first few meetings were held in the home of Mr. Bryson Wall. The Methodist Sunday School was established shortly after the church was founded, with Henry Metz as Superintendent.
The Methodist pastors were:
Rev. J.W. Patterson, 1884 Mr. David Motter, 1886 Rev Hackett, 1887 Rev. A.H. Marsh, 1888 W.M. Ludwick, 1890 Rev. R.A. Atkins 1892 Rev. W.H. Wilson, 1893 Rev. S.P. Brokaw, 1894 Rev. G.G. Ferguson, 1895 Rev. R. Benjamin, 1896 Rev G.G. Ferguson, 1897 Rev. W.M. Ludwick, 1898 Rev. E.L. Huges, 1901 Rev. J.W. Williams, 1902 Rev. T.H. Downs, 1903 Rev. J.F. Redfern, 1905
On April 25, 1884, 43 members of the Wall clan, headed by William Bryson Wall (1821-1904), arrived in Winlock from Parrottsville, Tennessee. They rented the full upstairs of one of Mr. George Dueber's buildings. They then decided to go up to the Big Bottom country (between Randle and Morton). After that, they went to the Buckhorn hills. It was some of the worst homesteads in the state. Elmer Flesher was born in 1884. In 1884 the saw mill burned down.
In 1884 the Lodge of Good Templars had a membership drive in Winlock. In July, 1884 the membership was 60. In September is was 75.
In April, 1885 a district lodge convened in Winlock. There were donations to the I.O.G.T. (International Order of Good Templars). Contributers included E. McClure, Theodore McFadden, E.E. McFadden, Charles and William Snodgrass, S.H. Berry, the Champ family, C.C. Pagett, J. Cresswell, J. Patterson, H. Metz, C. Knowls, W. Nevil, F. Lewis, W. Gossell, F. Rohdes, A. Ball, J. Champ, etc.
1885 - Andrew Johnson, a pioneer, came to Winlock. He started a ship knee business for wooden ships. Frank Owen started a newspaper in Toledo called "The Cowlitz River Pilot." On June 6, 1885, the Masonic Lodge #47 was organized. William Champ was the first Master. Other members were R.G. Sands, C.A. Burchard, Henry Metz, William Boone, S.L. Ferrier. They met in the Good Templar Hall until 1891. On June 20, 1885, the I.O.O.F., Lodge #36 was organized. The first officers were F. Gunder, W.T. Byham, and H.C. Griffith.
In 1885, Rufus Siler moved to Winlock from Tennessee.
On July 9, 1885, Hugh Wall was born in Winlock.
1886 - In February 1886, the Baptist church was organized by Marion M. Lewis. After a few months, they secured the services of Rev. Pulliam of North Carolina. The St. Urban school was established. By 1886, only 13 lots were sold in Winlock. There were 3 grocery stores, 1 hardware store, 1 general merchandise, 1 meat market, 3 blacksmith shops, 1 millincry, 1 saloon, 2 hotels, and 1 drug store. There were also 2 ministers, 1 lawyer, 1 shoemaker, and 1 doctor. A little saw mill had been operating. Completion of the Northern Pacific Railroad.
In 1886 the Backman family settled in Winlock with a donation land claim. The family originated in Russia and Sweden, then came west to Portland in 1884 before settling in Winlock.
In 1886, the Darrah family settled in Winlock from Pennsylvania.
On Feb 11, 1887 David G. Ainslie (1865-1948) established a post office 1 mile south of Winlock. The town of Ainslie formed, operated by the Ainslie Lumber Company. The post office was discontinued in 1897. On March 27, 1887 Florence Talley Wall (1867-1937) married Theodore F. McFadden in Winlock. She had been married to James Walter Wall (born in 1859), who died on September 24, 1886 in Winlock. In April Dr. Whiteside bought a tract of land from Jack Nealy, in the southwest part of town and platted the first residence addition to the town. On Aug 7, 1887 Connie Cullen Wall (1887-1972) was born on Buckhorn Ridge. On Nov 15 the Methodist church bought two lots from J.S. Nealy and started construction of a church. First telephone system, between Winlock and Toledo. Installed by Dr. J.H. Hepburn. In 1887 more new settlers came into Winlock than to any other town in the country. Several did prospecting around Sam Henry mountain, and up the East fork of the Olequa creek. A little gold was found up the East fork of the Olequa. There were 20 new buildings built in 1887, including an addition to the school. First land additions to Winlock were E.P. McClure (1887), Jack Nealy (1887), J.A. Adams (1888), Investers (1890), August Mayers (1890), Smith, Hinings, Harts (1891), Mallorys (1891). William Warne came to Winlock and built a home on the bank of the Olequa. He started the first commercial poultry business. 1887 saw the earliest arrivals of the Bukovina Germans in Lewis County. The earliest family was Jacob and Regina (Sobolka) Ast.
In 1887 other Bukovina Germans arrived in Lewis County, including Adam and Marianna (Boehmer) Huber Roos, Johann and Elizabeth (Ast) Roos, Antone Roos, Franz Roos, Katharina Roos, and Dorothea Roos.
In 1887 Rufus and Matilda Hendersen came to Lewis County from Tennessee. William and Rhoda (McGill) Cunningham came to Lewis County at this time.
1888 - Methodist church completed. Construction began on the Baptist church. It was used until 1936. Frank Owen moved to Winlock and started its first newspaper, "The Winlock Pilot." Ole Hong started the first photograph gallery. He operated it until 1902, when he sold the gallery to Mrs. George Hall.
In May, 1888, Joseph and Margaret (Laymance) Snow traveled to Washington from their native Morgan County, Tennessee. They came with their seven children. Also from Morgan County came James H. and Harriet (Alley) McGill, Jr. James McGill and Rhoda McGill Cunningham were brother and sister. On May 9, 1888 James McGill and William Cunningham filed for homesteads in Lewis County (4 miles southwest of Winlock) near a community called Ainslie. Tom Toy and Doc Carns also came in 1888.
In 1888, Frank Jones was born in Winlock. His parents, Gabriel and Julia, came from Nebraska in 1882.
In 1888, a Church of Christ was organized in Winlock by James McCallum. The church disbanded in 1909.
1889 - In January, the construction of the Baptist church was completed. Rev. J.M. Haskell was the pastor at the baptist church. On Nov 11, Washington was admitted to the union as a state. The Ainslie school district #47 was established. The Ainslie school was first established on what is now the Haapala property. Sam Herren was the first mayor.
Mayors were: Sam Herren, 1889 C.T. Hall, 1891 Frank J. Shields, 1892 J.P. Ellis, 1893 Roland Smith, 1894 Ole Rosten, 1895-97 A.B. Kennedy, 1898-1889 George P. Wall, 1900-1902 William Fowler, 1903 J.A. Veness, 1904 C.C. Wall, 1926 V.O. Harkins, 1951
In 1889 Mr Owen sold his newspaper to C.E. Cassel. Succeeding owners have been: J.R. Buxton (1890), W.B. Phillips (1897), C.E. Leonard (1900), G.I. Brooks (1901), C.H. Williams (1903), Harry Malone (1903), I. Rosenthal (1904), J.D. Quillen (1905).
In 1889, Rice & Campbell came in and started the first bank. In 1889, E.A. Andrews came to Winlock from Kansas and started a mill. in 1889, the first commercial strawberries were grown by Julius Krebs. In 1889 there was the Lewis County Territorial Census. Centralia's population went from 700 in 1888 to 3,200 in 1889. Washington becomes a state.
In 1889 a sawmill was constructed 1.5 miles south of Winlock on SR 603. The town was called Meneffe after L. B. Menefee, who constructed the sawmill.
In 1889, the Herrington family moved to Winlock from Illinois.
On November 11, 1889 Washington became the 42nd state.
1890 - The Church of Christ was organized in 1890. The school, in the middle of town, had over 140 students. A fire destroys the whole business district. All city records were destroyed. Winlock was reorganized and incorporated on May 7, 1890.
In 1890 a post office was establshed 20 miles east of Winlock on the Cowlitz river. Its first postmaster was H. T. Mayfield. The town was named Mayfield in May, 1895.
On June 22, 1890, Fannie Lee Wall was born in Winlock.
1891 - In February the Church of Christ bought a lot and built a large two story building, leasing the upper story to the Masonic Lodge. A new school was built on land donated by Jack Nealy. There was no high school. Teachers included Mr. Eddy as Principal, George I. Brooks, Sadie Smith, and Jennie Sargent. Mr. Eddy got $40 per month as Principal, and the other got $30 per month. Town council asks city attorney, J.R. Buxton, to see if the town was incorporated. City administration is: Mayor C.T. Hall, Marshall F.M. Lewis, Treasurer Charles W. Whisler, Police Judge Maurice Langhorne, City Clerk William Jesse Wall, City Attorney J.R. Buxton, councilment C.R. Hadley, G.W. Skinner, H.P. Whiteside, E.E. McFadden, and L.F. Furber.
On July 2, 1891 Joseph and Margaret Snow applied for a homestead in Lewis County (Winlock).
1892 - On June 30, fire department established. Disbanded in 1894. H.H. Fatland started a general merchandise store. Tom Lynch was the first Black settler in the area. Bought 80 acres of land from the Northern Pacific Railroad. In 1892 the Lost Valley School in Boistfort School District was established. This was established by and for the Bukovina Germans. In 1892 a state census of Lewis County was performed.
On November 14, 1892, Walter William Wall was born in Winlock.
1893 - Financial Panic of 1893 and depression. Led to economic decline. The first Fir street bridge was built. William Jesse Wall and George P. Wall started a hardware and furniture store. In 1898 they sold out to Sam Cavenaugh. John Baptiste Aschenbrenner in Winlock. Completion of the Great Northern Railroad.
1894 - A Catholic church was built in the St. Urban district. The Home Missionary Society of the Methodist church bought a tract of land from Mr. J.V. Warne, and built a large three story building for an orphan's home. It was named Mothers Jewels Home. It closed down in 1900. In 1894 the Centralia bank failed, taking the Winlock branch with it. Ben Sorenson started a meat market.
In 1894, there was a big fire in Winlock that burned down many buildings.
In 1894, the Jensen family moved to Winlock and settled on a 40-acre farm.
1895 - University of Washington moves to its new location which is the present site today. Winlock has its first electric lights. Veness Lumber Company installed a dynamo at their mill. F.H. Brodahl started a grocery store. The first planked road was built.
1896 - First year of a high school.
1897 - St. Paul's Lutheran Evangical Church established.
1898 - Charles Metsker was the first high school graduate. Mrs. George P Wall opened a millinery store. In 1898, there was a Depression, the result of a silver panic. This caused many men to go to Alaska in their goldrush. Big gold rush to the Yukon in 1898.
1899 - T.F. Spooner came to Winlock and bought the Jack Nealy home.
1900 - J.V. Warne bought the Mothers Jewels Home, tore it down, and built the Commercial Hotel building. This building was destroyed by fire in 1911. The Christian Science church acquired the home of A.J. Rhodes, the mill man. In 1900 J.H. England walked into town with 20 cents and retired a millionare from the saw mill. In 1900 the population was 655.
1902 - Sam Henry school district #95 was established. Snoqualmie Falls Power Company brought in power service. In September, a large forest fire near Yacolt, near Vancouver. Over 150,000 acres were burned. Over 30 settlers died. In 1902 came the greatest manhunt of the Northwest when Harry Tracy and Dave Merrill broke out of Portland jail. Tracy killed several people.
1903 - First Finnish settlers, Nick Kolanen, Charles Martalla, and Henry Pistenen.
1904 - The first grange to be organized was Hope Grange #155. On January 1, 104, William Bryson Wall died in Winlock.
1905 - Maude Arct and Al Raught were the only two high school graduates that year. C.E. Dueber got a franchise from the town for a telephone system, and put in a few phones. In November, 1905 Mr. A.N. Cheney came in and started the State Bank of Winlock. C.E. Leonard was the first depositor, with a deposit of $50.90. Fred Veness brought the first car into town, a Winston. On Aug 31 Ben Merrill and Mary Wagoner were married. In 1905 the St. Paul's Lutheran Church established in Winlock, after a division in St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church. The two churches were not reunified until 1970.
1906 - On Feb 1 rural delivery service was first started under John L. Gruber. Julius Nichols was the first rural carrier. It was a 20 mile route. In Feb, the first service club was organized. It was called "The Winlock Improvement League." Mr. J.A. Veness bought the lots where the Methodist church stood and moved it away from his saw mill because the mill presented a fire hazard to the church.
On Feb 14, 1906 Sedate W. Porter (1867-1927) founded the town of Evaline 3 miles north of Winlock. He established a post office there which was discontinued in 1930.
1907 - Mr. Veness sold out to the O'Connell Lumber Company. On Dec 12, robbers hit the bank and post office.
1908 - A one room school was established on the Jones road, on the Rowland Smith property. In 1908 the newspaper name was changed from Winlock Pilot to Winlock News. Later publishers were O.L. Isbell, M.E. Meloy, and Larry Alexander. Frank Miller started the first laundry in Winlock.
On June 3, 1908 George Veness established a post office 1 mile south of Winlock. The town was called Veness. The post office was discontinued in 1912.
1909 - The first Catholic church was built on the hill, near Joe Denzingers home. Mr. Andrew Johnson gave the bell for the first Catholic church. In July, The Church of Christ disbanded. They sold thier church to the Masonic Lodge for $200. The Masonic Lodge used it until 1918, when they sold it to Lew Livingston. Mr. S.O. Oistad was hired as school Superintendent. The Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company took over the franchise of C.E. Dueber, and installed a general telephone system.
1910 - A bell was purchased to be used for curfew and fire alarm. Sam Henry district was consolidated with Winlock district #19, and became known as King school. Dr. W.W. Webb came to Winlock and practiced medicine until 1937. In 1910 the population was 1140. The 1910 census was taken in April. In 1910 there were 900 acres of hops in Lewis county. By 1950 there were none. Prohibition killed the hops industry. Joseph Aschenbrenner was in Winlock working as a logger. In 1910 Winlock has its first full, four-year high school.
On June 4, 1910, William Jesse Wall died in Winlock.
1911 - The first four year graduates were graduated. They were Georgia Veness, Winnifred Dove, and Ethel Warne. The school became fully accredited. The big O"Connell saw mill burned down.
1912 - High school graduates were Cyril Colbath, Emma Viste, Edgar Bryans, Myrtle Davis, Russell Hall, and Martha Johansen. This was the first year of bus service for shcool. A Manual Training class was first adopted. Herman Klaber had the largest hop field in the county. He went to London in 1912 to sell his 1912 hop crop. He was returning on the Titanic when it sunk and he went down with the ship. He was in the First Class section (ticket was $1,700 in today's money).
1914 - City Hall built. Fire destroyed a city block, including the laundry store.
1915 - The Torgerson (Buckhorn) school and the Marttala schools were established. Margaret Sargent was the first teacher. J.H. England acquired the mill site which burned down on April 20, 1951. In December the "Bungalow City Club" was organized. C.C. Wall was President and George W. Ruhl, Vice President. There were 55 members.
1917 - On May 16, 1917 Connie Cullen Wall married Zella Verne Metcalf in Winlock, WA. She was a school teacher. Her parents, Henry K Metcalf and Lunetter Ellen Robinson, were from Illinois. Henry Metcalf was a methodist minister.
1918 - C.C. Wall, Guy Wall, Roy Wall, Sanford Wall, and Walter William Wall all enlisted in the Army to fight during World War I. Walter W. Wall, age 25, fought at Chateau Thierry, at Soissons, St Mihiel, Champagne, and the Argonne Forest. He was singled out for conspicuous bravery and received the Distinguised Service Cross and the Croix de Guerre. He left France for home on Jul 23, 1918 and the Princess Matokia and was discharged from the Army on Aug 19, 1919 at Camp Lewis.
The citation for Private Walter William Wall read that on July 18, 1918, after 12 hours of hard fighting near Soissons, France, he volunteered to cross the shell-swept territory for water. Other men attempting to make similar trips in the same vicinity were either killed or wounded. After several hours, he was able to return with canteens filled with water. He was in Company B, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Division.
Other men from Winlock that entered the military service in 1918 included Charles Rowland Darrah, Sgt. Davis, and Nick Diester.
1920 - The population was 832. Start of the first concrete road between Winlock and Cowlitz Corner. On Jan 4, 1920 William Raymond Wall was born in Winlock to CC and Zella Wall.
1921 - In November the new Johnson school was completed. The first Parent Teacher Association (PTA) was organized. Mrs. R.W. Fletcher was the first president. On Aug 13, the completion of the first concrete road. To celebrate, Winlock started "Winlock Poultry and Egg Day" to commemorate the importance of this industry. Egg Day is now an annual event held in the 3rd week of June. At one time Winlock was America's second largest egg producing town (from 1921 to 1951).
On November 16, 1921, Betty Wall (Thompson) was born in Winlock to CC and Zella Wall.
In the early 1920's, Winlock had three taxi cab companies - Orrie Edwards, Perry Castater, and Marvin Clark.
1922 - On Feb 2, the old school on the hill burned down.
1923 - On Oct 23, the Pacific Highway bridge over the Columbia river at Vancouver was completed and opened. Winlock was represented in the celebration with a huge canvas egg, mounted on a truck. Winlock boasts of the world's largest egg (11 feet in length on a 10 foot pole), located at the corner of Kerron and Fir Streets.
1925 - First hot lunches in school. Mayor Floyd Hancock appointed Max Atlason as the first Fire Chief. The volunteer fire department consisted of Clyde Dubel, Earl Harkins, Joe Murray, Howard Nixon, Lloyd Raught, Alvin Strand, and Harry Warne.
1926 - The present catholic church was built. C.C. Wall elected mayor of Winlock. Purchase of the first fire truck. In 1926 William Waring was hit by a train in Winlock and died of his injuries.
1927 - The St. Urban and Grand Prairie school (Pikes Hill) voted to consolidate with the Winlock district. In 1927, the Winlock Standard Hatchery became operational.
1928 - A gym for the school was built.
1930 - Population was 864.
In 1932, the Ainslie school consolidated with the Winlock district.
In 1933, the Winlock Baptist Church burned down.
1934 - First agriculture class.
In 1938, Pacific Northwest Bell Company took over the Winlock Home Telephone Company.
1940 - Population was 861.
1944 - The canvas egg was replaced by one made of plastic.
1945 - On March 23, Dr. W.W. Web died.
1947 - William Waxmith became school superintendent.
1949 - On April 14 an earthquake hit. Eight people were killed. On Jun 26, 1949 William Raymond Wall (1920-1980) married Bobbie Lueginia Brown (1931-2001) in Winlock, WA.
1950 - Population was 878.
1952 - There were 176 students enrolled in high school, 355 in grade school, and 30 graduated from high school. The school board consisted of Emil Hofman, Ralph Nelson, Jack Sarvels, Walter Annonen, and Fritz Korpi. In 1952 the Winlock Fire Department consisted of: N. Dubel, Lloyd Raught, Howard Nixon, Tom Elliott, Ed Schilittler, George Deuber, Rolla Matthews, Bob Craft, Bob Brosey, Bob Johnson, John Gibbs, Sanford Wall, Fritz Korpi, Edgar McNelly, Larry Jones, and Jerry Schlittler. In 1952 the city council consisted of: mayor V.O. Harkins, city clerk Dale Whisler, city treasurer Fred Veness, councilmen George Prigmore, Jess Odoms, Laurel Gibbs, Dewey Prehm, and George England.
In 1952 Connie C. Wall wrote Historical Sketches of Winlock, Washington and presented it to the Winlock Community Development Group on May 12, 1952.
During the Vietnamese war, three men from Winlock were killed in battle. They were William Beckwith (1946-1968), Gary Booth (1950-1970), and Rene Malarz (1944-1967).
1980 - May 17 Mount St Helens volcano. William R. Wall was being buried at the Winlock cemetery when it blew up. 57 people died in the eruption, some from Lewis county and Winlock.
1992 - Population was 1,060
1993 - Population was 1,090
1994 - Population was 1,110
1995 - Population was 1,162
1996 - Population was 1,205
1999 - Population: 1,225
2000 - Population: 1,166
2002 - Population: 1,175
2003 - Population: 1,183
Winlock is 309 feet above sea level. ZIP code is 98596. Area code is 360. Olequa Creek runs in the center of the town. Winlock is 2 miles west of Interstate 5. Highway 505 crosses Interstate 5 and connects Winlock with Toledo. The town is 19 miles SW of Chehalis on SR 603. Land area is 1.1 square miles.
Thanks to Howard Mayhew for providing me some corrections.