More than 40 plaques are being installed in downtown Chehalis as a guide to the downtown area's history.
Historic buildings in downtown Chehalis have changed
hands over more than 100 years, and their purposes have become
completely different than what they were originally intended, but
their histories can come alive once again as part of a free
self-guided walking tour that has been in place for two years.
That tour, popular since it started
in 2009 as part of a push to revitalize downtown Chehalis through
the Chehalis Community Renaissance Team, is receiving an
enhancement these days as small cast-iron plaques will bear the
name of each building’s original name.
The aim is to make the walking tour
more interactive and act as sort of a wayfinding point for places
referred to in booklets that denote historic places in the
self-guided walking tour.
CCRT member David Hartz, who owns
Book ‘n’ Brush, a mainstay in downtown Chehalis that was once home
to a department store with quite the creative name that billed
itself as the largest between Portland and Tacoma, said the history
of his building comes alive each day he’s there — and he wants to
share that history with people interested in it.
“It actually called itself ‘The Big
Department Store’ because it occupied both stories,” Hartz said.
“Nowadays, we’re here and the big space in back is our back of
store, and the upstairs is actually five apartments. It’s amazing
how time changes things.”
Hartz was joined Tuesday by
Boistfort resident Matt Knutsen, a carpenter who donated his time
to install the plaques on two buildings along Market Boulevard,
including his own. Within weeks, pending approval of business and
building owners, over 40 buildings in the greater downtown Chehalis
area will bear the small markers corresponding to points in free
booklets that share each point’s history, complete with historic
photos of each venue.
“It’s exciting to see what this will
do not just for people learning history here, but it will help
bring them into the stores as well,” Knutsen said, calling his
portion of the work a big history lesson. “It’s really opened my
eyes to what all is down here. Everyone that has the opportunity
should learn about this history of this place.”
According to the city of Chehalis,
more than 4,000 of the books have been printed, signifying a
popular interest in the history of the Mint City. But the Chehalis
Foundation took the idea one step further, donating $4,500 for the
plaques to be installed — an anonymous donor contributed $1,000 and
each building owner was asked to contribute $100. So far, the
response has been positive.
“There is so much value in our
history here in Chehalis that I don’t know of anyone who has
hesitated to contribute,” Hartz said. “I donated immediately when
they asked me.”
The team plans to install more of
the plaques over the coming weeks and months.
Booklets for the tour are available
at Book ‘n’ Brush, Chehalis City Hall, the Vernetta Smith Chehalis
Timberland Library, Lewis County Historical Museum and A Taste of
Eden.
•••
Christopher Brewer: (360)
807-8235
