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Cowlitz County
Historical Museum
405 Allen St.

Kelso, WA 98626
Tel: 360-577-3119
Directions

Calendar of Events

Hours:
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Tuesday  - Saturday

Closed on Sunday, Mondays and Holidays

 
Photos For Sale
They Came to Six Rivers
The Story of  Cowlitz County
Legends of the  Cowlitz Indian Tribes
By:  Roy I. Wilson
Cheholtz and Mary Kiona
of the Cowlitz

By:  Roy I. Wilson
R. A . Long's
Planned
City
The Story of
Longview
 
 
 
 

 

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Have you ever thought of volunteering? As a volunteer, you can help the Cowlitz County Historical Museum and Society by contributing your time and sharing your wealth of experience.  There are many different volunteering opportunities available: 

Front Desk Receptionist/Gift Shop Cashier - Do you love visiting with people? In many ways, being a receptionist is the most important role in the museum - because you represent to the public a friendly, inviting experience!

Artifact/Photograph Collections -  Do you enjoy looking at "neat old things" and learning more about them? Volunteers who work behind the scenes doing cataloging and inventorying of the collections are really carrying out the "meat and potatoes" function of the museum's mission: To preserve our history. If you like digging for answers, this is a job you'll love! 

Computer Scanning/Data Entry - With over archival photographs and negatives already scanned into our ever-growing research database, we still have a lot of work and data entry to do in achieving our goal of making our collections more accessible to the public! (And the volunteers are having a lot of fun in the process!)

Research/Writing - The Cowlitz Historical Quarterly editor and committee are always looking for fresh ideas!

Special Events - Do you like to host parties? We can use your help planning, setting up, and staffing exhibit openings, as well as other big "events" like the museum's annual Winterfest open house and our popular Bush Log Cabin exhibit during the Cowlitz County Fair! 

The rewards of volunteering are many, including the friendships you'll make while contributing to the vibrancy and long-term success of a worthwhile organization. So, what are you waiting for? For more information on volunteering, please contact the Museum Director Dave Freece at 360-577-3119 or email
  
Student Volunteers
Again this year, the Cowlitz County Historical Museum is a volunteer site for high school students filling their twenty hours of community service requirement for graduation. Students have served in a variety of capacities including  creating sample craft projects, helping with after school tours, working at the museum’s reception desk, and assisting with special programs. During Winter Festival students can be found hosting or working at various tables. We are delighted to welcome these enthusiast young people and be part of their educational program!

Students interested in becoming museum volunteers are invited contact education coordinator
Danielle Robbins at 360-577-3119 or robbinsd@co.cowlitz.wa.us, and to pick up a Student Volunteer Application.

Steamboats of Cowlitz County

Student volunteer Nate Stueve has worked to create an information database, about steamboats that served communities in Cowlitz County from the 1850s through the early 1900s.  The following excerpts of information, provide a sample of the statistics and interesting details Nate has gathered during his research: 

The forty-foot Black Hawk, notably the first steamboat to enter the Cowlitz River, had been built in Sacramento in 1850 and shipped to Portland aboard the Ocean Bird.  In the spring of 1852 Peter Crawford acted as pilot for its trip on the Cowlitz to transport a load of potatoes.  It was dismantled in 1852.

The 97-ton Nestor was built in Catlin, Washington in 1902 for Columbia and Cowlitz River Transportation Company, for service on the Cowlitz River.  It was 82 feet long and 19 feet, 6 inches wide.  Its captains included C.P. Stayton and Charles Wylie. The sternwheeler was abandoned in 1929.

In 1897 when the Northwest made three trips each week, a one-way ticket from Castle Rock to Portland cost $1.25 and round trip was $2.00. 

The Spielei served on the Lewis River from 1901-1940.

Thank you, Nate for doing a terrific job! 

 

 

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Cowlitz County Historical Museum - 405 Allen Street - Kelso, WA 98626 - 360 577-3119
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