Volunteers offer to help repair Fort Borst Blockhouse

The Fort Borst Blockhouse was originally built from 1855 to 1856 near the confluence of the Skookumchuck and Chehalis rivers. It was moved to its current location in Fort Borst Park in 1922. 

The City of Centralia describes it as “an iconic symbol of Centralia's rich history and a cherished landmark in our community.”

Now, the historic structure could be getting an upgrade. 

On Tuesday, the Centralia City Council will consider an offer by a group of volunteers to help repair the log structure, which has been damaged by the elements over time. 

“Given its age and the inherent challenges posed by the environment and the fragility of a log structure, the Blockhouse is now in need of attention,” city staff wrote in an agenda report. “Notably, two timbers on the south side of the structure have succumbed to rot. Fortunately, a dedicated group of volunteers from our community has stepped forward, ready to take action. They have already acquired new timbers and are generously offering their labor to replace the deteriorated logs.”

This group of volunteers includes former mayors Lee Coumbs and Bonnie Canaday, Peter Lahmann, of the Lewis County Historical Society, and resident Chuck Kifer. 

According to the city, Kifer, the owner of a local construction company, has offered the use of his construction crew to carry out the restoration work. Lahmann estimates that the job will take approximately two days, with the goal of completion scheduled for this October, according to the report, which noted it is possible completion could be postponed until the spring or summer of 2024.

If approved by the council, the city’s parks department will ensure that safety precautions are implemented to secure the work area and minimize hazards for both the construction crew and park users, according to the report.  

“It is important to note that due to the Borst Park Christmas Lights event, which requires full park staff attention and involves displays and cords on the south loop road from November onward, it would not be safe to conduct construction work between November and December,” the report noted. 

The city has a dedicated fund allocated for the restoration and preservation of the Borst Blockhouse. City staff are recommending utilizing those funds to reimburse the volunteers for the cost of renting a lift. 

The estimated rental cost ranges from approximately $2,000 to $4,000, depending on the duration of the project. For a two-day project, the cost is approximately $2,000, according to the city. 

“In conclusion, city staff strongly recommend the approval of this generous donation, pending the execution of a signed donation agreement that outlines the steps to replace the logs and the safety precautions to safeguard the construction crew and park users,” city staff wrote in the agenda report. “This collaborative effort reflects our community's commitment to preserving our historical treasures and ensuring their longevity for generations to come.”

The matter will be discussed at the Tuesday, Oct. 10, meeting of the Centralia City Council. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at Centralia City Hall. 

History of the Fort Borst Blockhouse 

The Fort Borst Blockhouse was constructed from 1855 to 1856 by the government at the junction of the Skookumchuck and Chehalis rivers. The blockhouse was built by Captain Francis Goff, commanding 26 Oregon recruits, with the help of local pioneers (Patterson Luark, James Lum and Joseph Borst) in the spring of 1856. Logs were cut on the south side of the river, hauled to the stream by Borst with an ox team, floated across the river, and then peeled, scored and hewed. The fort’s near-perfect dove-tail corners and close-fitting sides are a monument to pioneer axmen skills since nothing other than axes was available to shape the logs.

It was never actually used for the protection of pioneers but was used extensively for the storage of grain brought down the Chehalis River by Indians and others in dugout canoes. The blockhouse is traditionally styled. It has the upper portion projecting 4 to 5 feet over the lower portion, which was 7 feet high and 24 feet square. Originally, the structure had no windows and one door. It featured 12 loopholes for shooting in the upper portion, eight in the lower and several on the floor of the upper portion which overhung the lower. The loopholes were beveled on the inside to allow a marksman to swing his gun in nearly a 180-degree circuit, instead of being forced to shoot straight ahead. The upper portion had puncheon, or split log, flooring, while the lower portion used the earth as floor.

The blockhouse was built 100 yards from any object so Indians would have to cross a large open space to reach it. The building was convenient to the area quartermaster (believed to be James K. Hurd) to bring grain down from Claquato by Indian canoe prior to shipping it north to the White River and Puyallup River Indian campaigners. Close examination of the exterior walls of the fort will reveal bullet holes — the result of target practice.

After the war, the blockhouse was purchased by Borst for $500 from the United States government. It was used twice as a residence: in 1857, James Smith rented the family farm, and Joseph and Mary Borst lived in the blockhouse. It was at this time that the windows and the door on the upper level were added. Ada Borst, the second child of the couple was born in the fort. For a time the Borst children used the fort as a playhouse, but in the early 1860s, the entire family renewed their occupation of the blockhouse as a residence while their new home was being constructed nearby.

— source: City of Centralia