Cathlamet is a town located along the Ocean Beach Highway in Wahkiakum County, Washington, United States, where it is the county seat. The population was 560 at the 2020 census.

History

thumb|left|Cathlamet in 1973 (Main Street from Columbia Street)

Cathlamet was the largest, or one of the largest, villages of Columbia River Native Americans west of the Cascade Mountains, and the home of the Kathlamet people. "Cathlamet was sighted in 1792 by Lt. W.R. Broughton, while verifying Capt. Robert Gray's reported exploration of the Columbia River." This village of cedar houses included 300-400 inhabitants when visited by Lewis and Clark.

In 1846, James Albion Birnie became the first permanent white settler at Cathlamet, moving there after a career with the Hudson's Bay Company. He set up a trading post, remnants of which were reported still standing in 1906. "Birnie named the area Birnie's Retreat. The name was later changed to Cathlamet in 1851." Another highway, State Route 409, crosses to Puget Island and connects with the county-operated Wahkiakum County Ferry, which travels over the Columbia River to Westport, Oregon.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, is land and is water.

Climate

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Demographics

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 532 people, 258 households, and 136 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 296 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 94.7% White, 0.2% African American, 0.9% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.8% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.4% of the population.

There were 258 households, of which 19.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.3% were non-families. 40.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.90 and the average family size was 2.52.

The median age in the town was 52.9 years. 15% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.6% were from 25 to 44; 30.2% were from 45 to 64; and 31% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 45.3% male and 54.7% female.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census,

Historic buildings and sites

thumb|175px|Cathlamet Public Library and Pioneer Center

In the downtown core resides the Pioneer Church, built in 1895.

Media

Films shot in Cathlamet include Come See the Paradise (1990), Snow Falling on Cedars (1999) and Men of Honor (2000).

As stated in the afterword of Tananarive Due's horror novel The Good House, the setting of Sacajawea, WA is based on Cathlamet.

Education

Cathlamet is home to all schools, K-12, of the Wahkiakum School District. The district of about 430 students pulls students from Cathlamet, Upper Elochoman, Lower Elochoman, East Cathlamet, Puget Island, and Skamokawa Valley.

Notable people

  • James Birnie, town founder and fur trader
  • Lilian Hale, Washington State Representative (2024)
  • Julia Butler Hansen, politician and member of the United States House of Representatives from 1960 to 1974

See also

  • Kathlamet people

References

  • Town of Cathlamet government page
  • History of Cathlamet at HistoryLink
  • Wahkiakum County Heritage - Local history collections documenting Cathlamet, WA and nearby communities of Wahkiakum County, WA.
  • Cathlamet Public Library (Blanche Bradley Memorial Library).