Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
The Pioneer Cemetery, located near J.A. Wendt Elementary School, is in need of some dedicated TLC. A local resident is asking for help.
A great reminder of local history, Chief Wahkiakum's marker needs some care.
A broken gravestone, engraved with the name Charlotte, leaves no clues to the woman's identification or the location of her remains.
Stephanie Olsen, a member of Cemetery District 1, is looking for people with ideas and energy to help preserve a bit of Wahkiakum history, the Pioneer Cemetery.
Once upon a time, trees separated the Pioneer Cemetery in Cathlamet from the rest of the nearby grounds at the grade school. It was a quiet, mysterious grove to wander and wonder about the lives that once belonged to the names on each memorial.
Chief Wahkiakum was buried there, members of the Birnie family, the Orths, the Wests.
Some of the once proud stones, beautifully crafted in a different age, had been splintered by vandals and relocated hither and thither.
The cemetery was established in 1846. The last burial took place there in 1968.
A fence encircles the site now. The trees, which gave over to rot, are gone, and the cemetery becomes desolate on a gray December day. Some of the broken stones remain, organized in one fashion or another, and the grass has been cut close, with obvious care.
Cemetery District 1, which inherited the site in a quitclaim deed in 1966, replaced a rotting wooden memorial with stone many years ago, listing the names of the people buried there without a marker. They also planted ornamental trees and erected the fence. They are responsible for upkeep.
In 1968, representatives from Crown Zellerbach Corporation stepped up with plans for the cemetery, according to a document provided by Olsen. Unfortunately, as the corporation dismantled and left, so did their proposals and money.
Olsen estimates that the district spends approximately $3,000 each year for upkeep, but much of the money allotted to the district goes to the care and needs at the Greenwood Cemetery, which unlike the Pioneer Cemetery, is in use today.
The district has already approached the Town of Cathlamet for financial assistance, according to Olsen, and were turned down. As the once robust tax base, supported by the timber industry has dwindled, so have funds to care for places like the Pioneer Cemetery.
The cemetery and its history have become important to Olsen over the years. Uncertain how to move forward, she is looking for a little help, some energy, and ideas on how to preserve and protect this historical property.
Anyone interested in aiding Stephanie Olsen with this project is encouraged to contact her at 360-957-1576.
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