Chelatchie is an
unincorporated community in
Clark County, Washington
Clark County is the southernmost county in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, the population was 503,311, making it Washington's fifth-most populous county. Its county seat and largest city is Vancouver. It was the first co ...
.
Chelatchie is located about 30 miles northeast of
Vancouver, Washington in the Chelatchie Prairie (or Chelatchie Valley) area, and consists of several homes, a general store, and a
United States Forest Service visitor's center for the
Mount St. Helens Volcanic National Monument. It is one of the more remote communities on
Washington State Route 503, and serves as a gateway into the
Siouxon Creek area of the
Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
History
The area was first settled around 1860, and was among the first settlements in the area. The name was derived from "ch'álacha," a
Klickitat word describing a valley with tall ferns.
The
Chelatchie Prairie Railroad was extended to the area in 1948, with the International Paper Company opening a plywood mill at the end of the line in 1960,
which operated until 1979.
References
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Unincorporated communities in Clark County, Washington
Unincorporated communities in Washington (state)