Adna got its name from a railroad engineer who named the community in honor of a relative. The community has a colorful history that includes the long-vanished Hotel Adna and a steel bridge (one of five built in the same approximate location) that burned in 1932.
From a July 1976 Bicentennial Edition of The Chronicle we learn: "It (Adna) had other names before that. When the railroad was built through the area 'Grandfather Browning' named it Willow Way (or Willaway or Willoway as it's written in some publications) in honor of his wife in 1880, who had always said 'Where there's a will there's a way.'"
But that name was not long for this Earth as the Northern Pacific Railroad objected to it, as it did to many names of communities along its rails. It objected, in this case, because Willapa was already established on the line, and Willow Way was too similar and confusing.
The railroad changed the name to Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit trees. But that riled up the post office.
"Since the post office went by the same name, and there was another Pomona east of the Cascades, the post office department didn't allow that name either so W.C. Marion, a railroad company engineer named it Adna in honor of a relative."
Adding to the name game is the fact that, "Before the railroad came, the community was known as Fayette, after a pioneer family, the Joel Fays, who settled in the area around 1864 west of Adna where Deep Creek empties into Bunker Creek. The first post office was known as Fayette and was established about 1875 with H.N. Stearns as postmaster. The post office served both sides of the river.
"The Fays raised a large family which later became well known in the area. Joel Fay died in 1914 at the age of 86 and Mrs. Fay in 1926 at 93."
The United States Government Donation Land Act of 1850 was responsible for bringing many settlers to this area.
"The DLC families were isolated amidst the large stands of virgin timber," wrote Lois Keen in "Adna School And Community History," found in the Lewis County Historical Museum files.
Although beautiful, it's hard to imagine why Adna attracted so many settlers, especially based upon the following: "There were no roads. In 1854 the Smallpox Epidemic was rampant. The choice lands were the prairie sites requiring no clearing, especially those near the rivers or creeks. However, during the winter months these locations were often subject to flooding. Occasionally, a newly built log home had to be relocated to higher ground."
"During this time the only schooling for siblings was what family members could provide. Settlers continued arriving by wagon trains to take advantage of the government's free land offer."
"During the 1870s, when the railroads were extended to Lewis County, emigrants began arriving at a faster rate than the old prairie schooners had brought settlers. Logging was big business throughout all of Washington state and mills sprung up along the railroad lines. The homesteaders, growing in numbers, began developing the one-room schools to educate their children. Those buildings also served as the neighborhood gathering sites for all events."
The first post office was established in 1892. In 1880, a flat riverboat ran from Aberdeen to Claquato carrying finished lumber to residents in the area, and taking on grain and other products. The first Adna church was built in 1904.
"During the years several fires occurred in Adna. In 1910 the largest mill, the Syverson Mill, burned. In a short period of time the largest general store, the two hotels, a hardware store and several homes suffered the same fate. One hotel that burned was found to have had a female body who had previously been shot, it in, and it was presumed to be an arson."
According to The Chronicle, "A newcomer to the community was held as a suspect but the charges could never be substantiated in a subsequent trial."
It is unclear in which hotel the woman met her untimely death, but a photo of the Hotel Adna and an article found in The Chronicle files has just this one clue about when the fires happened: "The Adna mill burned down in 1907 and two years later (1909) the Fields store, two hotels and several homes burned."
Then there was the steel bridge that burned in 1932. According to a Chronicle story; "No one seems to remember how the fire started in the old bridge. Some say some pranksters burned someone in effigy which ignited the bridge and burned it beyond repair but this was never proved."
A fire in the timber trestle approach to the new bridge built in 1932 burned in 1960, causing the state to request that the bridge be rejuvenated and strengthened to take a load of 18,000 pounds per axle.
Eventually, five bridges were built on about the same location, the last of which was constructed in March 1971.
Pat Jones is The Chronicle's lifestyle editor. She may be reached by e-mail at pjones@chronline.com, or by telephoning 807-8226. The Lewis County Historical Museum's Internet address is www.lewiscountymuseum.org.
