Appelo Archives Center offers book on Frankfort

Appelo Archives Center has published a new book about the history of Frankfort, a lower Columbia ghost town.

The new publication on Frankfort's history is a revised and edited edition of Carlton Appelo's previous work from 1976 issued in the Wahkiakum West Telephone Company's phone book. That phone book is now solely owned by private collectors.

Appelo's work is Part I of the new book. Part II is Linda Amaya's research and written material on the history of Frankfort with more information on the railroad history adding to what Appelo had already done. Amaya worked with Appelo in 2003-2004 organizing his collection of historic documents.

First formed in 1890, Frankfort was the "town that almost was" just south of the mouth of Deep River. Protected from westerly winds in a small well formed harbor, it was an ideal town site. Fully platted with lots set out on well planned streets, it was first developed as a stop on a railroad line, but the railroad never came to be, so Frankfort eventually died out. Houses were left as if suddenly people living there had disappeared leaving dishes on the tables and clothes still in the closets. Many theories have developed over the years as to what happened, but no one really knows.

The final chapter happened in 1953 when town sites of Frankfort and Grays Frankfort were sold at public auction by Pacific County. The area was purchased by E.J. Mell of Shelton to gain the estimated stand of 3 million board feet of timber. The area was later logged and ownership has passed from timber company to timber company over the following years.

The book has photos of the Frankfort area and its residents. Karen Bertroch has put the two research works on Frankfort into one publication to provide extensive information on one of the most fascinating ghost towns on the Lower Columbia River.

The book will be available and Bertroch will be present to sign them on June 1st at the Appelo Archives Center in Naselle from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Center is located at 1056 State Route 4 east of the high school. For more information, contact the Center at (360) 484-7103.

Eidtor's note: In an earlier edition, The Eagle incorrectly stated Frankfort was a Wahkiakum County ghost town. Frankfort actually lies just over the county line in Pacific County.