BUCODA — They called it the little town with the million dollar payroll, and when rock innovator Calvin Johnson had to choose one of America’s 10,466 main streets to represent in verse, he went right there.
Gearing up to celebrate its centennial birthday this summer, the South Thurston County burg once boomed with logging and mining on Highway 99, the main drag between Portland and Seattle. Bucoda was originally called Seatco, a Native American term meaning evil spirit, but the name was changed to Bucoda in 1890 thanks in part to three captains of local industry — James Buckley, Samuel Coulter and John David — whose combined surnames gave rise to the current namesake.
Johnson, the head of Olympia-based K Records known best for his connection with artists like Kurt Cobain, Beck and Modest Mouse, was recently part of a national Internet documentary called Mapping Main Street.
It’s a collaborative effort in which artists contribute words, images and music about the national idea of main street. The Hive Dwellers, Johnson’s latest band, put out “A Kiss on Main Street” last September.
Johnson said the song was not written to reflect any particular time period — not necessarily Bucoda’s heyday, or it’s current state. It mentions the famous “million dollar payroll” of the Mutual Lumber Company in the 1940s and Bucoda staples like Joe’s Tavern.
“I travel a lot around the U.S. and I love going to small towns,” Johnson said. “(Bucoda is) not what it once was, and you see that in a lot of towns around America.”
Still, Johnson said there are solutions for resource industry towns past their prime.
“It became more cost effective for various reasons in the ‘60s and ‘70s to have parking lots instead of buildings, and it decimates towns,” Johnson said. “I say let’s get life, not death. Parking lots are death.”
Johnson pointed to some of the historic restoration efforts of Centralia and Chehalis as good examples, and Bucoda Mayor Alan Carr agrees, saying the city’s recent restoration efforts at the old Odd Fellows hall is a start.
“Tearing down old buildings is not the way to go. You want to restore them,” Carr said. “You want to keep some of the heritage and some of the history.”
As for The Hive Dwellers’ song, mired in Johnson’s signature deep droning voice, the mayor said he doesn’t quite “get it,” but he can’t complain.
“Any recognition is better than no recognition,” Carr said, adding that he might play it at an upcoming city council meeting. “I think it’s pretty cool.”
•••
Dan Schreiber: (360) 807-8239
| Video: Hear The Hive Dwellers and See Video of Bucoda Through the Ages / www.chronlinemedia.com |
| Online: See the National Internet Documentary / www.mappingmainstreet.org |
