Oysterville is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

located along

Willapa Bay Willapa Bay () is a bay located on the southwest Pacific coast of Washington state in the United States. The Long Beach Peninsula separates Willapa Bay from the greater expanse of the Pacific Ocean. With over of surface area Willapa Bay is the ...

on the

Long Beach Peninsula The Long Beach Peninsula is an arm of land on the southern coast of the state of Washington in the United States. Entirely within Pacific County, it is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, the south by the Columbia River, and the east by Wi ...

in Pacific County, Washington, United States. It is approximately from the city of Ocean Park, and from

Long Beach Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California. Incorporate ...

. Founded in 1841 as an oyster fishing village, the community is registered on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

as the Oysterville Historic District. It currently has a population of about 20 residents.

History

Before Oysterville was given its English name, it was the site of shellfish cultivation and harvesting by Indigenous people. John Douglas, who emigrated, was one of the first white men in the area. Oysterville was established and named in 1854 by J.A. Clark. It was a hub of oyster farming as the name suggests. It was the

seat A seat is a place to sit. The term may encompass additional features, such as back, armrest, head restraint but also headquarters in a wider sense. Types of seat The following are examples of different kinds of seat: * Armchair (furniture), ...

of Pacific County until the seat was relocated to South Bend in 1893. In a county seat war, on February 3, 1893, all of the county records and books were stolen in order to move the county seat from Oysterville to South Bend, Washington. However, it had been agreed upon that the seat would be moved to South Bend. There is a sign telling the story of this incident across from the historic Oysterville school. The town has several historic buildings, including a school house and historic homes, many built prior to 1880. Most of the buildings in this once prosperous town have been lost to the sea and the elements. Oysterville was placed on the National Register of Historic Districts in 1976 as Oysterville Historic District. Just outside the town is the historic Oysterville Cemetery, which was begun in 1858 and contains plots for many of the area's founding families.

Geography

Oysterville is located at 46°32'56" North, 124°1'36" West (46.549021, -124.026735) on the

. Oysterville is located on the east side of the (north-south running) peninsula, on the shallow and sheltered

Notable people

Willard R. Espy Willard Richardson Espy (December 11, 1910February 20, 1999) was an American editor, philologist, writer, poet, and local historian. Raised in the seaside village of Oysterville, Washington, Espy later studied at the University of Redlands in Ca ...

, writer and

philologist Philology () is the study of language in oral and written historical sources; it is the intersection of textual criticism, literary criticism, history, and linguistics (with especially strong ties to etymology). Philology is also defined as th ...

Clara C. Munson Clara Cynthia Munson (June 16, 1861 – October 19, 1938) was an American politician who served as mayor of Warrenton, Oregon, and was the first woman elected mayor in Oregon during the 20th century. Her term lasted one year (1913–14) before s ...

, first woman mayor of an

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

city in the 20th century

Gallery

File:Ned Osborne House.jpg, Ned Osborne House, built 1874 File:John Crellin house.jpg, John Crellin House, built 1867 File:Schoolhouse--Oysterville, WA.jpg, Schoolhouse File:Oysterville, wa.jpg,

from Oysterville

References

External links

History from Pacific County government
Unincorporated communities in Washington (state) Unincorporated communities in Pacific County, Washington {{PacificCountyWA-geo-stub