Lewis County, Washington

History

The county was created as Vancouver County on December 19, 1845, by the Provisional Government of Oregon, named for George Vancouver. In 1849, the county name was changed to honor Meriwether Lewis. At the time, the county included all U.S. lands north of the Cowlitz River, including much of the Puget Sound region and British Columbia. Despite the county being named for him, Meriwether Lewis never traveled in the present-day boundaries of Lewis County.

The initial establishment of a county seat was Claquato in 1862, the honor being relinquished in 1874 in favor of Chehalis. The first recognized court hearing in the Washington Territory was held in Lewis County at the John R. Jackson Courthouse, the oldest standing courthouse in Washington.

The county received official recognition as a "Purple Heart County" in November 2019.

Geography

Lewis County sits along the Interstate 5 corridor. Lewis shares a border with eight other counties. Clockwise from the top left, those are: Grays Harbor, Thurston, Pierce, Yakima, Skamania, Cowlitz, Wahkiakum, and Pacific counties.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2436 sqmi, of which 2403 sqmi is land and 33 sqmi (1.4%) is water. One of the world's tallest Douglas fir trees was in the town of Mineral within Lewis County, attaining a height of 120 m.

Geographic features

• Cascade Mountains
• Chehalis River and three of its tributaries, the South Fork Chehalis River, Newaukum River, the Skookumchuck River, along with several major creeks including Centralia's China Creek.
• Cowlitz River and its tributaries, including the Ohanapecosh River, Cispus River, and Tilton River.
• Nisqually River
• Lake Mayfield
• Riffe Lake
• Big Horn, the highest point in Lewis county
• Boistfort Peak, the highest point in the Willapa Hills
• Walupt Creek Falls

Major highways

• [[File:I-5.svg|20px]] Interstate 5
• [[File:US 12.svg|20px]] U.S. Route 12
• [[File:WA-6.svg|20px]] State Route 6
• [[File:WA-7.svg|20px]] State Route 7

Adjacent counties

• Grays Harbor County – north/northwest
• Thurston County – north
• Pierce County – north/northeast
• Yakima County – east
• Skamania County – south/southeast
• Cowlitz County – south
• Wahkiakum County – south/southwest
• Pacific County – west

National protected areas

• Gifford Pinchot National Forest (part)
• Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (part)
• Mount Rainier National Park (part)
• Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument (part)
• Goat Rocks Wilderness (part)

Communities

Cities

• Centralia
• Chehalis (county seat)
• Morton
• Mossyrock
• Napavine
• Toledo
• Vader
• Winlock

Town

• Pe Ell

Census-designated places

• Fords Prairie
• Mineral
• Onalaska
• Packwood

Unincorporated communities

• Adna
• Alpha
• Boistfort
• Bunker
• Cinebar
• Curtis
• Doty
• Dryad
• Ethel
• Evaline
• Forest
• Galvin
• Glenoma
• Harmony
• Klaber
• Lacamas
• Littell
• Mary's Corner
• Mayfield
• McCormick
• Meskill
• Newaukum
• Randle
• Saint Urban
• Salkum
• Silver Creek
• Swofford
• Wildwood
• Wilson
• Winston

Former communities

• Burnt Ridge
• Ceres
• Cora
• Kopiah
• Kosmos (inundated)
• Lindberg
• Mendota
• Nesika (inundated)
• Riffe (inundated)
• Walville

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 82,149. Of the residents, 22.1% were under the age of 18 and 21.6% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 42.6 years. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.1 males. 39.8% of residents lived in urban areas and 60.2% lived in rural areas.

The racial makeup of the county was 82.6% White, 0.7% Black or African American, 1.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% Asian, 5.1% from some other race, and 9.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 10.7% of the population.

There were 31,693 households in the county, of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 23.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 35,412 housing units, of which 10.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 71.0% were owner-occupied and 29.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 4.7%.

2010 census

As of the 2010 Census, there were 75,455 people, 29,743 households, and 20,104 families residing in the county. The population density was 31.4 /mi2. There were 34,050 housing units at an average density of 14.2 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county's population: 89.7% white, 1.4% American Indian, 0.9% Asian, 0.5% black or African American, 0.2% Pacific islander, 4.0% from other races, and 3.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 8.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 24.1% were German, 14.9% were Irish, 12.5% were English, 7.7% were American, and 5.1% were Norwegian.

Of the 29,743 households, 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.4% were non-families, and 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.97. The median age was 41.5 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $43,874 and the median income for a family was $53,358. Males had a median income of $43,695 versus $31,720 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,695. About 10.3% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.2% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

Homelessness

Lewis County participates in the Point In Time Count (PTC), a census of the homeless population as required by law. Beginning in 2003 as mandated by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the annual PTC, which tracks the number of individuals and families experiencing homelessness on a specified date, is usually held in January.

Homeless residents in the county were listed as 309 in 2012, falling to 205 in 2013. A count in 2018 reported 132 homeless residents, and following counts reported 161 in 2019, 142 in 2020, 120 in 2022, and 153 in 2023. There was no census of homeless residents taken in 2021.

Students and children under the age of 18 who are described as, "in an overnight accommodation insecure situation", are not officially recorded as part of the PTC, however a count in 2018 reported 558 students who meet the qualifications to be listed as homeless.

Government and politics

National level

In modern times, Lewis County is the most conservative county in western Washington. It is significantly more Republican than adjacent counties. Unlike much of western Washington, it has a strong tinge of social conservatism. In 2000, George W. Bush received over 60% of the county's vote. In 2008 John McCain defeated Barack Obama by a margin of over 19% — his only victory in a county west of the Cascades. McCain lost all the neighboring counties except Yakima. Since Washington's statehood in 1889 only three Democratic presidential candidates have carried the county – William Jennings Bryan in 1896, Franklin D. Roosevelt three times in 1932, 1936 and 1940, plus Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

All told, as of , 20 of the last 21 Republican presidential tickets successfully carried Lewis County, the only exception being that of Barry Goldwater who lost to the aforementioned Johnson.

It is part of Washington's 3rd congressional district, which has been represented by Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez since 2023.

Gubernatorial races

In the 1970s, Democratic candidates for governor won the county, but this was something of an anomaly. The last Democratic candidate for Governor to win the county was Booth Gardner in 1984.

State representation

The county's government is the 20th district of the state. It is represented solely by Republicans.

• Senator John Braun—Republican
• Representative Peter Abbarno—Position 1, Republican
• Representative Ed Orcutt—Position 2, Republican

County level

The county's government is solely Republican.

• Lewis County Assessor: Dianne Dorey—R
• Lewis County Auditor: Larry E. Grove—R
• Lewis County Clerk: Scott Tinney—R
• Coroner Warren Mcleod—R
• Lewis County Prosecuting Attorney: Jonathan Meyer—R
• Lewis County Sheriff: Rob Snaza—R
• Lewis County Treasurer: Arny Davis—R

Commissioners

• Sean D. Swope, District #1—R
• Dr. Lindsey Pollock, District #2—R
• Scott J. Brummer, District #3—R

Law enforcement

The Lewis County Sherriff's Department contains a marine patrol unit. Patrolling several waterways in the county, including Riffe Lake and the Cowlitz River, the unit investigates boating accidents while providing water safety education, with an emphasis on the inspections of watercraft. The Marine Patrol and Swift Water Rescue divisions added two Sea-Doo watercraft to its inventory in 2025. The units are part of a larger Lewis County Technical Rescue Team that encompasses members from the sheriff's office and various fire departments and districts.

Economy

Lumber production is a staple of the economy in Lewis County. The county annually produces 600,000 ST of dried timber while hosting 10 pulpwood production plants. Due to the region's biomass production capabilities, the county was the first in the state to receive a Bioeconomy Development Opportunity (BDO) Zone rating of AA by the BDO Zone Initiative. Lewis County is a leading producer of Christmas trees in the United States, with a yield of over 548,000 trees in 2022, which ranked sixth in the country.

A leading economic producer for the county is farming, with the region also holding large numbers for employment in mining, production, and warehousing.

Tourism is a large part of the Lewis County economy. In 2023, over 5.6 million people visited the county, an increase of 5.8% over the prior year. Over 45% of visitors came from outside the state and the most visited areas include Mt. Rainier and the shopping districts in the twin cities of Centralia and Chehalis. In collaboration with Discover Lewis County, a county-created tourism initiative, and the Economic Alliance of Lewis County, the county has focused on merchandise and online marketing, specifically promoting each town and city within its borders.

Reports from 2019-2020 list wages and incomes to be less than the state averages, with the median annual wages to be over $48,000 and a total household income of under $59,000. Unemployment is perennially moderately higher than the state average, though boom years in large Lewis County economic sectors can influence the employment levels. , women held 48.6% of jobs in the county primarily in finance, health care, and education, where men held majority employment in such industries as construction, manufacturing, and utility jobs.

Arts and culture

Art

The county is home to the ARTrails of Southwest Washington initiative. The cooperative, begun in 2003, showcases local artists, art studios and galleries throughout the region, and holds an annual autumnal studio tour that incorporates events in smaller towns within Lewis County. The Lewis County Historical Museum hosts a permanent ARTrails gallery. and Centralia is home to the nexus of the event and an ARTrails-owned gallery.

Charitable organizations

The Lewis County branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) has been in existence since 1923. The organization has held an annual used book sale since 1979. The proceeds help to fund scholarships, day camps, film festivals, and career days for young women in middle and high school.

Heritage barns

, Lewis County is home to 17 barns listed on the Washington State Heritage Barn Register. A structure, or "large agricultural outbuilding", must be over 50 years old and has to have "maintained historical significance and integrity.” Seven barns are located in Chehalis and three barns are located in Onalaska. Additional historic buildings are registered in Curtis, Doty, Toledo, and Winlock.

Education

The county is home to Centralia College, founded in 1925. Located in the middle of Centralia, it is the oldest continuously operating community college in the state.

Parks and recreation

Main article: List of parks and recreation in Lewis County, Washington

, Lewis County directly oversees 164.0 acre of parks. Recreation areas and sites under the auspices of the Lewis County Parks and Recreation Department include Adna's Back Memorial Park and Rose Parks, Centralia's Schaefer County Park, Claquato Church, Cowlitz River Park (Packwood Park), South County Regional Park in Toledo, and St. Urban Church. The county honors the travels of pioneer Ezra Meeker on the Oregon Trail with several historical markers throughout the region.

The Lewis County Historic Bike Ride is an annual, mid-spring fundraising event that began as a county-held historic celebration in the early 1990s. The ride starts in Mary's Corner and through a variety of course options, participants can travel to several small towns and communities in the county and can bike through Centralia and Chehalis. The route is often used as a warm-up by riders of the Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic (STP).

In 2010, the county declared that all parks under its jurisdiction were to be "No Shooting Zones".

Infrastructure

Healthcare

Beginning in June 2025, ambulance services are provided by Medix Ambulance under county contract, replacing American Medical Response (AMR). The prior contract with AMR evolved from a joint initiative with St. Helens Hospital and a local emergency provider known as City Ambulance that began in May 1982.

Utilites

The Lewis County Public Utility District (LCPUD) provides electricity to the county. In 2024, the LCPUD became a broadband internet service provider, offering high-speed internet to the region via a federal grant. The project, meant specifically for rural residents in the county, is expected to be completed in late 2027.

Renewable energy

In late 2023, the county was announced as part of the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub (PNW H2) initiative through the U.S. Department of Energy. Lewis County would be utilized for the production and storage of hydrogen fuels, including the potential manufacturing of related hydrogen fuel products, such as vehicles and fuel cells. The PNW H2 has provided grants to several economic and educational areas in the county, including funding to school districts, Centralia College, Puget Sound Energy (PSE), and various renewable energy companies. Lewis County Transit was awarded a grant from the program, becoming the only transit agency in the United States to receive funding from the hub program.

Lewis County is the location of the Skookumchuck Wind Farm which contains 38 wind turbines that can generate a maximum of 138.6 MWh. The 22,000 acre site became operational in late 2020 and the energy produced is used through PSE's Green Direct program.

Notes

References

References

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