Pacific County Historical Society

09/02/2026

This Is What Built Pacific County

Every great project begins with an idea.

Museum President Steve Rogers and Denise Rogers envisioned transforming the large space between the museum's elk and oyster murals into something that would welcome visitors while celebrating Pacific County. Their idea was a vintage postcard mural inspired by the classic "Greetings From..." postcards that introduced travelers to communities across America.

From that vision, Museum Executive Director Christine Balcom developed the historical concept for the mural, working from the museum's collections to select photographs representing the people, industries, landmarks, and communities that helped build Pacific County. The goal was to create a mural that reflected the county as a whole—from the Columbia River and Willapa Bay to maritime history, civic life, and the timber industry.

Artist Ryan Cunningham then transformed those historic photographs into the vibrant scenes that fill each letter of MUSEUM, creating a work of public art that welcomes visitors while celebrating Pacific County's rich heritage.

The mural is dedicated to the memory of longtime Board member Senja Edwards, whose more than twenty years of service helped shape the Pacific County Historical Society. The crow, hummingbird, and nasturtiums woven throughout the design honor her memory, and the mural expansion was made possible through memorial gifts donated in her name.

Each letter tells one chapter of our county's story:

M – Horse Seining on the Columbia River
U – Canoes on Willapa Bay
S – North Head Lighthouse
E – The Tokeland Oyster Schooner
U – Pacific County Courthouse
M – Logging and Railroads

Over the coming weeks, we'll take you behind each letter of MUSEUM, sharing the original historic photographs that inspired these scenes, the stories behind them, and how they came together to create this remarkable mural.

These are the stories that built Pacific County—and they're only the beginning.

08/27/2026

08/27/2026

South Bend's 2026 Labor Day Festivities are coming up quickly! These are just some of the many events happening over our annual 3-day celebration, be sure to check out the attached pamphlet to see when and where everything is going on, and purchase your buttons and ducks at Pioneer Grocery! Big thanks to the Labor Day Committee for all their work on this event!

08/25/2026

Sometimes a single historic photograph opens a window into the lives of the people who helped shape Pacific County.

This image, labeled **"Occidental Oyster Co.'s bed – Low tide, June morning 1903,"** captures one of the oyster beds that made Willapa Bay famous. Behind that name was **Lewis Henry Rhoades (1844–1913)**, an early settler whose life reflected the determination of many Pacific Northwest pioneers.

Born in Illinois in 1844, Lewis crossed the Oregon Trail by ox team with his family as a young child, arriving in Oregon in 1848. After marrying Catharine Parrett in 1860, the couple moved to Shoalwater Bay in 1862, where Lewis worked in the region's early lumber industry before turning to oyster harvesting.

One detail from his life is especially remarkable. In **1864**, Lewis **walked from Bay Center to Olympia** to obtain the land patent for the family's Sand Point Ranch—an extraordinary journey of well over 100 miles through the rugged Washington Territory, long before modern roads connected the coast to the territorial capital.

By about **1877**, Lewis had entered the oyster business, and the **Occidental Oyster Company** became a Rhoades family enterprise. Along with his work as an oysterman, he also served as a Methodist preacher, later traveling to Alaska on a mission in 1900. The Rhoades family remained deeply connected to Bay Center for generations, and Lewis, Catharine, and several of their children are buried in the Pioneer Cemetery there.

Photographs like this do more than preserve a landscape—they preserve the stories of the families whose work helped build Pacific County. By connecting images in our collections with surviving letters, business records, and historical documents, we can better understand the people behind the photographs and the communities they helped create.

08/18/2026

We meet some of the most interesting people and today was no exception! Calvin and his people are touring in from D.C. to Alaska on land and by ferry, and down the coast-Currently heading to Cape Disappointment so keep an eye out for this friendly group! Have you seen the freshly repainted oyster sign Calvin is posting with? Copper foiled by museum E.D. Christine! Check out their Insta for more truck and trip details!

08/10/2026

History Hivemind: What's the story behind this captivating portrait?

Among the thousands of photographs in the Pacific County Historical Society collections, some ask more questions than they answer—and this is certainly one of them.

Unlike the formal, straight-faced portraits typical of the early 1900s, this couple appears caught in a moment of conversation. The young man gently lifts the woman's chin while she looks back at him with an expression that's open to interpretation. Is she amused? Skeptical? Teasing him? Everyone seems to see something a little different.

Their clothing suggests the photograph was likely taken between 1905 and 1915. The woman's tailored jacket, long skirt, lace-up boots, and softly styled hair reflect the fashions of the Edwardian era, while the man's suit and polished boots fit comfortably within the same period.

The plain backdrop and sturdy studio posing chair suggest this was taken by a professional photographer, yet the pose itself feels surprisingly candid and theatrical. Was it simply a playful portrait between two sweethearts? A scene from a local play? A joke shared with the photographer? We may never know—but that's part of its charm.

As always, our History Hivemind is invited to help solve the mystery.

Do you recognize either of these young people? Or perhaps you have your own interpretation of what's happening in this wonderfully unusual photograph?

Every identification and family story helps preserve Pacific County's history for future generations.

08/08/2026

These two miners appear ready to head underground, complete with carbide lamps, lunch pails, and pickaxes. Their clothing suggests the photograph dates to roughly 1900–1920. Pacific County isn't generally known for mining, which raises an interesting question—were they working locally in one of the county's small prospect mines, or had they traveled to Washington's larger coal fields? We'd love to hear what our History Hivemind thinks!

08/07/2026

New in stock in our Museum Bookstore!

Knots Make Nets. Diver Nets on the Columbia River bv Irene Martin

For over 50 years, author Irene Martin has been part of the fishing community of the Columbia River gillnetters. She has fished with her husband, attended meetings, and listened to the fishermen and women and their oral histories of the fishery. In Knots make Nets, she has written down the technology and community organization that centered on a complex type of fishing gear, the diver net. Unique to the Columbia, this type of gear's history is a fascinating insight into Pacific Northwest history that is little known outside fishing circles.

Irene Martin has won numerous awards for her work recovery and conservation. These include the lames Castles Heritage Award, the Washington State Historical Society Center for Columbia River History Award in 1998, the Washington State Governor's Heritage Award, 2000, and the David Douglas Medal from the Washington State Historical Society in 2013. In 2023 the Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife presented her and her husband Kent with their lifetime Achievement Award for their 50- year involvement in salmon conservation. In 2024, the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies presented them with the Outstanding Citizen Wildlife Contributor of the Year Award.

Her other books include Legacy and Testament, the Story of Columbia River Gillnetters: the Beach of Heaven, the history of Wahkiakum County, Washington; Sea Fire, Tales of Jesus and Fishing, and the Flight of the Bumble Bee: the Columbia River Packers Association and a Century in the Pursuit of Fish. Irene views Knots make Nets as a "documemory," a way of documenting the past by including both oral and written history in this small volume, relying on the memories and stories of the participants in this occupational community as well as background research. As she puts it, "I like to think of my work as a conversation between the present and the past. Everyone is welcome to join that conversation.'

Open M-Sat, 11-3

08/07/2026

It was a privilege to host KING 5 and Helen Davis' grandson, Phil Davis, for this great interview filmed in June at our Museum. We hope you enjoy seeing this as much as we did!

Almost Live!, which launched on KING-TV in 1984, was struggling to ...