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Hoquiam ( ) is a city in
Grays Harbor County Grays Harbor County is a county in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, the population was 75,636. Its county seat is Montesano, and its largest city is Aberdeen. Grays Harbor County is included in the Aberdeen Micropolitan ...
, Washington, United States. It borders the city of Aberdeen at Myrtle Street, with Hoquiam to the west. The two cities share a common economic history in lumbering and exporting, but Hoquiam has maintained its independent identity. It shares a long rivalry with its more populated neighbor, especially in high school sports. Hoquiam (Ho'-kwee-um, or Ho-kwim, to natives) was incorporated on May 21, 1890. Its name comes from a Native-American word meaning "hungry for wood", from the great amount of driftwood at the mouth of the Hoquiam River. The population was 8,776 at the 2020 census.


History

One of the first logging operations in Hoquiam was established by Ed Campbell in 1872.Van Syckle, Ed. A Brief Historical Sketch of Grays Harbor Washington. Chambers of Commerce of Hoquiam and Aberdeen, Washington, 1942. About 10 years later, Captain Asa M. Simpson, a Pacific Coast mariner and businessman in the lumber industry from San Francisco, provided the financing for the Northwestern Mill. In 1881, Simpson sent his manager, George Emerson, to Hoquiam to establish a mill there, and Emerson purchased 300 acres for the new mill and lumber operation. By September 1882, the Simpson mill was producing its first lumber products. In 1886, Captain Simpson merged his mill with the Miller Brothers mill, also located in Hoquiam, and named it the Northwest Lumber Company The mill was later renamed the Simpson Lumber Company, and retained that name until 1906. In 1913, Frank J. Shields became the new manager at the mill at Hoquiam. The extension of the railroad from Aberdeen to Hoquiam, beginning in 1898, contributed to the continued importance of logging and lumber in Hoquiam. The importance of logging and related products continued to be relevant to Hoquiam's economy, and in 1927, a pulp mill was established under the name of Grays Harbor Pulp Company. A year later, a Pennsylvania company- the
Hammermill Paper Company Hammermill Paper Company is an American paper manufacturer originally founded in 1898 as the Ernst R. Behrend Company. The company was purchased in 1986 by International Paper, International Paper Company, where the namesake survives as a brand of ...
- became interested in Grays Harbor Pulp Company. When the Pennsylvania company bought stock in the Grays Harbor Pulp Company, the Grays Harbor pulp Company built a paper mill and became the Grays Harbor Pulp & Paper Company. In 1936, the Grays Harbor Pulp and Paper Company merged with Rayonier Incorporated, a company which manufactured a certain kind of wood pulp used by its customers to produce rayon.Ficken, Robert E. The Forested Land: A History of Lumbering in Western Washington. University of Washington Press, Seattle, 1987. In 1907, Hoquiam was home to Industrial Workers of the World Industrial Union No. 276.


Geography

According to the
U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water.


Climate

Hoquiam experiences a Mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification ''Csb'') that borders closely on an
oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...
. Outside of the mild and dry summer season, rainfall is generally very high and monthly totals of over are not unknown. Snowfall is rare and indeed does not fall many years, however in the winter of 1964/1965 as much as of snow fell in two storms.


Demographics


2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 8,726 people, 3,480 households, and 2,119 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 3,938 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 85.5% White, 0.8% African American, 3.9% Native American, 1.1%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 4.2% from other races, and 4.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
of any race were 9.5% of the population. There were 3,480 households, of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.5% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 16.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.1% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.03. The median age in the city was 37.6 years. 24.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.5% were from 25 to 44; 26.1% were from 45 to 64; and 15% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.9% male and 51.1% female.


2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 9,097 people, 3,640 households, and 2,245 families residing in the city. The population density was 992 people per square mile (383/km2). There were 4,023 housing units, with an average density of 438.7 per square mile (169.4/km2). The racial distribution of the city was 89.32% White, 5.75%
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
, 3.86% Native American, 1.18%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.32% African-American, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.09% from other races, and 3.18% from two or more races. The white population breaks down as 14.6%
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
, 13.8%
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
, 9.6% Irish, 6.8% English and 5.7% Norwegian ancestry. There were 3,640 households, of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.8% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 14.7% had a female head of house with no husband present, and 38.3% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 persons and the average family size was 3.09 members. The population was aligned with 27.4% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males. The median household income was $29,658 and the median family income was $34,859. The median male income was $33,417 versus $23,558 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,089, with 19.0% of the population and 16.1% of families living below the poverty line. Of the total population, 26.5% of those under the age of 18 and 8.9% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.


Arts and culture


Annual events

Hoquiam is the home of the Logger's Playday, celebrated with a parade and logging competition every September, in which loggers from around the world come to participate. Hoquiam sponsors the Shorebird Festival, the Logger's Playday, the Hoquiam's Riverfest, and the On Track Arts Festival.


Sports

The main sports team in the town is the Hoquiam High School Grizzlies, the Crimson and Gray. In 2004, the boys basketball team completed a perfect 28–0 season and won the state 2A championship. Victories included non-league wins over Lincoln High of Tacoma, Bellevue High, two over archrival Aberdeen High, and a win over a touring team from
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. It was the only game the Australians lost during their tour. In 2006, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) changed the enrollment limit for the 2A classification allowing Aberdeen to drop to 2A along with other schools in the area creating a new league. The old league football rivalry which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2006 was renewed with the 101st meeting between Hoquiam and Aberdeen on October 14. Hoquiam Grizzlies won 20–6. Although Aberdeen holds the overall record at 67-33-5 as of the 2010 season. Hoquiam and Aberdeen High Schools also compete against each other in an annual Fall food drive, referred to as the "Food Ball" and dedicated to helping local low-income families. In this competition everyone wins regardless of which school collects the most food donations. Since 1981, Hoquiam High School has hosted the largest distance running event on the Washington coast. The Hoquiam Grizzly Alumni Cross Country Invitational features 35+ schools and 1,000+ high school runners every October. Hoquiam also sponsors the Grizzly Alumni Wrestling tournament in January and Volleyball tournament in September. The city was also home of the Western Baseball League's
Grays Harbor Gulls Grays or Greys may refer to: Places * Grays Bay, Nunavut, Canada * Grays, Essex, a town in Essex, England ** Grays railway station ** Grays School * Grays, Kent, a hamlet in Kent, England * Rotherfield Greys or Greys, a village in Oxfordshire, Eng ...
from 1995 to 1997. They played their home games at Olympic Stadium listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The city is now home of the Grays Harbor Bearcats, a developmental football team of the North American Football League (NAFL). Historically, the city has been home to several Minor League Baseball teams including the
Hoquiam Loggers The Hoquiam Loggers was the name of at least three different baseball teams based in Hoquiam, Washington. The first incarnation of the team was formed in as the Hoquiam Perfect Gentlemen and played in the Southwest Washington League until (the t ...
and the
Grays Harbor Ports The Grays Harbor Ports was the first name of the minor league baseball team that represented the communities of Grays Harbor, Washington, Hoquiam, Washington and Aberdeen, Washington. Grays Harbor played as members of the Class A Short Season No ...
.


Infrastructure

The local airport,
Bowerman Airport Bowerman Airport , also known as Bowerman Field, is a public use airport located west of the central business district of Hoquiam, Washington, Hoquiam, a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, Grays Harbor County, Washington (state), Washington ...
, is coastal Washington's only jet-capable airport. It has a 5,000-foot (1,524 m) runway and a parallel taxiway located on a narrow peninsula extending westward into Grays Harbor. Hoquiam is also home to dozens of species of migratory birds that nest along the water's edge during the milder months.


Notable people

*
Anton Anderson Anton Albert Andrew Anderson (1892–1960) was chief engineer of the Alaska Railroad and served as Mayor of Anchorage, Alaska from 1956 to 1958. He has been called "Mr. Alaska Railroad". Biography Anderson was born in Upper Moonlight, New Zeala ...
– chief engineer of
Alaska Railroad Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
; Mayor of Anchorage; worked as a surveyor in Hoquiam. *
Thomas J. Autzen Thomas John Autzen (June 8, 1888 – September 8, 1958) was a Danish-American pioneer in plywood manufacturing, and founder of a family-run philanthropic foundation known as the Autzen Foundation, based in Portland, Oregon. The Autzen Foundation ...
– pioneer in plywood manufacturing. *
Eldon Bargewell Major General Eldon Arthur Bargewell (August 13, 1947 – April 29, 2019) was a United States Army General officer. He served as commander of the U.S. Army's Delta Force unit. Early life and education Bargewell was born in Hoquiam, Washington an ...
– U.S. Army general; commander of Delta Force. * William Boeing – Aviator who founded the Boeing company. *
Robert Cantwell Robert Emmett Cantwell (January 31, 1908 – December 8, 1978), known as Robert Cantwell, was a novelist and critic. His first novel, ''Laugh and Lie Down'' (1931) is an early example, twenty years before Jack Kerouac, of the American classic ge ...
– novelist and critic; lived in Hoquiam. *
Harris Ellsworth Mathew Harris Ellsworth (September 17, 1899 – February 7, 1986) was an American newspaperman and politician who served six terms as a Republican Party (United States), Republican United States Congress, U.S. congressman from Oregon from 1943 to ...
– U.S. Congressman from Oregon. * Jack Elway – football player and coach. *
Ed Gayda Edward C. Gayda (May 11, 1927 – December 11, 2021) was an American professional basketball player. Gayda was selected in the second round (15th pick overall) of the 1950 NBA draft by the Tri-Cities Blackhawks after a collegiate career at Wash ...
, basketball player for Washington State University, where he was 1st-team All-PCC in 1949 and 1950. He was drafted by the Tri-Cities Blackhawks in the 2nd round (15th overall pick) in the 1950
NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
draft and played with the Blackhawks during the 1950-1951 season. He was inducted into the
Pac-12 Hall of Honor The Pac-12 Conference Hall of Honor recognizes former athletes and coaches who have made a significant impact to the tradition and heritage of the Pac-12 Conference. Established in 2002, one honoree is selected by each member institution in the c ...
in 2014. *
George H. Hitchings George Herbert Hitchings (April 18, 1905 – February 27, 1998) was an American medical doctor who shared the 1988 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Sir James Black and Gertrude Elion "for their discoveries of important principles for ...
– co-recipient of 1988 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. *
Lynn Kessler Lynn E. Kessler (born February 26, 1941) is an American politician who served as a member of the Washington House of Representatives, representing the 24th district from 1993 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as the House Majo ...
– eight-term member of Washington State House of Representatives; lives in Hoquiam. *
Albert Kuhn Albert Henry Kuhn (February 12, 1860 – January 5, 1934) was a Washington State pioneer and businessman. During his early career, Kuhn tried a variety of jobs, moving from state to state until he settled in Washington in 1884 and entered the logg ...
– pioneer and businessman. * Ida Soule Kuhn – pioneer and activist. *
Walt Morey Walter Morey (February 3, 1907 – January 12, 1992), was a writer of numerous works of children's fiction, set in the U.S. Pacific Northwest and Alaska, the places where Morey lived for all of his life. His book ''Gentle Ben'' was the basis fo ...
– author. *
Howard P. Robertson Howard Percy "Bob" Robertson (January 27, 1903 – August 26, 1961) was an American mathematician and physicist known for contributions related to physical cosmology and the uncertainty principle. He was Professor of Mathematical Physics at the C ...
– mathematician and physicist known for contributions to physical cosmology and the uncertainty principle. *
Martin F. Smith Martin Fernard Smith (May 28, 1891 – October 25, 1954) was a United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative from Washington (U.S. state), Washington. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Smith attended the public schools, Lewis Institute, C ...
– U.S. Representative from Washington; practiced law in Hoquiam.


Further reading

* From the book "thirty years ago ... Destructive Development began ... greed for wealth ... denuded acres ... logged-off land ... found to be fertile ... capable of the highest state of cultivation ... fishing profit ... splendid landlocked body of water ... fir ... perfect lumber ... lumber and shingle mills ... Clams, crabs and shrimp ... abundant ... an agreeable climate ... dairy industry ... unbounded ... few soils are superior to those here ... unlimited opportunity ... berry orchards ... poultry leading place ..." * * *


References


External links


Official city website
*
Northwestern Lumber Company Photos, 1900-1935
Collection includes photos of logging operations in and around Hoquiam, Wa. {{authority control Cities in Washington (state) Cities in Grays Harbor County, Washington Populated places established in 1890 Populated coastal places in Washington (state)