Chehalis Rich in History and in Summer Activities

By Eric Schwartz, The Chronicle

As the county seat for Lewis County, the city of Chehalis has been a hub of activity for the past 125 years.

However, if not for the railroad, Chehalis may have gone the way of other Western Washington ghost towns that faded into obscurity over past decades. The city was just a small settlement centered around a warehouse in the early 1870s, but began to boom when the Northern Pacific Railroad extended northward from Kalama to Tacoma through Chehalis. Though Claquato was the county seat at the time, local residents began constructing homes and businesses near the railroad and eventually it would become the new county seat. The new town was first named Saundersville, after the original landowner S.S. Saunders, but by the time the city was officially incorporated in 1883, the name was changed to Chehalis.

A variety of food and vendors is just part of the festivities at Krazy Dayz. Here, a boy chows down on a slice of watermelon during a Chehalis Fest event. The name of the festival was changed to Krazy Dayz this year. Photo by The Chronicle.

The rail still cuts through the heart of Chehalis today, and it remains an important part of the city’s long history. The Lewis County Historical Museum, located in downtown Chehalis, is currently celebrating that history with an exhibit dedicated to the city’s 125th anniversary. The museum has a variety of exhibits dedicated to various historical aspects of the county, and is open year-round Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Telephone 748-0831 for additional information.

Rick Charlton, Centralia, coaches Cheyllyn Collinsworth, at a dunk tank during the 2006 Chehalis Fest. This year’s event has been renamed Krazy Dayz, and will take place Aug. 2 in Chehalis. Photo by The Chronicle.

Chehalis is home to dozens of events throughout the year, and is particularly active during the summer. Krazy Dayz, the city’s annual summer celebration, will take place in downtown Chehalis on August 2. The event features a car show, numerous arts and food vendors, a kids’ parade and live entertainment. The festivities will take place on Market Street in downtown Chehalis, and will begin at 9 a.m. The festival has been called Chehalis Fest since the mid-1980s, but prior to that was called Crazy Daze. Organizers say the new name change is a tribute to the past with a new twist, but that the festival will remain largely unchanged.

“It’s kind of a return to the past,” said David Hartz, chair of the downtown events committee.

For additional information, telephone 748-8885.