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Aberdeen, Washington

© Jerri Brooker

Aberdeen, Washington, a logging town, has always intrigued me. Today it's quite different from its boom days, but still a city of interest. Though I like to give you a bird's-eye perspective, I don't intend for my articles to portray all-inclusive information - if you need to know more about something, ask me and I'll find out for you.

Pre-1950's Aberdeen History

Aberdeen, Washington, had a tough time economically for a while due to wars, depression, worker strikes and most recently, the spotted owl issue. It's a logging town from way back. Today it's finally springing back from a depressed economy and loggers are working again as the town booms.

Aberdeen's separated from Hoquiam, its twin city, by Myrtle Street. It lies at the confluence of the Chehalis and Wishkah Rivers facing Grays Harbor, named for Captain Robert Gray who sailed his Columbia over the bar and into the harbor in 1792, according to Washington Revised, a 1950's Guide Series. Aberdeen itself was formed by a Scotsman, George Hume who opened a cannery named the Aberdeen Packing Plant.

At one time the greatest stand of Douglas fir found in the Pacific Northwest was here, known as the 21-9 (Township 21, N, Range 9 W). The six mile square area was logged for over 30 years, with trees so compact they had to be cut in one direction for a time. The area also sported Sitka Spruce, Hemlock and some cedar. Alex Polson's crew was noted for logging the 21-9. Loggers brought the donkey engine and spar tree logging methods to town.

The area's first newspaper, the Grays Harbor Herald, was founded in 1886; by 1890 the area had wire service. The citizens came together and laid track to connect themselves to the rail region after railroad skirmishes by the town leader left them out of the rail traffic.

Like a lot of western towns, Aberdeen was devastated by fire in 1903; out of the ashes it emerged a stronger and larger town than ever. After the 1907 depression the lumber market downturned. Then in 1912 loggers struck for better wages. Their effort failed and they were ordered back to work at their old pay scale. However, during World War I stikes driven by loggers and sawmill workers finally upped their wage scale.

Bad times were not over. The economic downturn that followed hit the area hard during the 1929 depression. Mills and wages were effected. Finally federal legislation improved working conditions and introduced collective bargaining. A 1935 strike by logger and lumber mill workers ended while the National Guard protected mills, joining in the rebuilding of the industry.

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