Historic gillnet boat to be restored and displayed

Port District #2 of Wahkiakum County now has

ownership of the historic gillnet boat currently

stored at the fairgrounds in Skamokawa. Built

at the Wilson shipyards in Astoria sometime between1913

and 1916, it was sold to Walter Jacobsen,

an Astoria resident, then eventually sold to

Herman Raistakka of Rosburg.

In time it was stored at the Altoona Cannery

and remained there till the cannery was not stable

enough to support it. It was then moved to the Port

District’s storage shed at Vista Park. In the last

few years, it has been at the fairgrounds, but now

plans are being developed for it to be restored and

put on display at Vista Park.

In 1978, the gillnetter was officially placed on

the National Historic Register. Nicholas Vann, architect

from the State’s Department of Archeology

and Historic Preservation, recently visited Skamokawa

to see the boat. He commented that the

boat is the smallest item in the State of Washington

listed on the National Register.

The boat is one of five sites in Wahkiakum County

listed on the Register. Other official historic sites

listed include the Deep River Church (1974), the

Grays River Covered Bridge (1971), Cathlamet’s

Pioneer Church (1973), and the Skamokawa Historic

District (1976).

Over the years, many have worked to restore

the boat including Ed Steffens, Gilbert Vik, Kent

Martin, Dean Badger, and Steve McClain.

Port District #2 plans to place the boat in a

permanent structure located near the flag pole in

Vista Park and develop a display so that visitors

and residents alike can get near the boat and see

inside. Educational signs will be developed describing

the history of gillnetting on the Columbia and

the importance of the historic salmon industry of

the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Fair

Board has requested that the boat be moved by August

1st so the work of preparing the boat, moving

it, and setting it up will be happening over the next

few months.

As funds are raised and plans made, volunteers,

donors and others interested in the boat are encouraged

to call Port Manager, Janet Bryan, or Kayrene

Gilbertsen, Port Commissioner, at the Vista Park

office at (360) 795-8605 for more information.