Frankfort was originally homesteaded in 1876 in
Pacific County
Pacific County is a county in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, the population was 23,365. Its county seat is South Bend, and its largest city is Raymond. The county was formed by the government of Oregon Territory in Feb ...
on the mouth of the
Columbia River
The Columbia River (Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, C ...
near Portuguese Point. In 1890, a planned community was platted by two promoters Frank Bourne and Frank Scott (whence the name).
Together they envisioned a resort community at the location. Lots were sold on the premise that the railroad would build a line through the community (the only access at the time was via boat). A store and a hotel were built and a newspaper (the Frankfort Chronicle) was established. The financial
Panic of 1893
The Panic of 1893 was an economic depression in the United States that began in 1893 and ended in 1897. It deeply affected every sector of the economy, and produced political upheaval that led to the political realignment of 1896 and the pres ...
scared away investors, and the town took a downhill turn.
Frankfort survived mainly as a
Logging
Logging is the process of cutting, processing, and moving trees to a location for transport. It may include skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks or skeleton cars.
Logging is the beginning of a supply chain ...
town until just after the turn of the 20th century. Unfortunately, no railroad line ever materialized and Frankfort began fading away. The post office closed in 1918. By 1960, the town had only two residents.
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References
Ghost towns in Washington (state)
Geography of Pacific County, Washington
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