Henderson Inlet facts for kids

Henderson Inlet is a small bay located in Washington state. It's a southern part of Puget Sound, a large body of water. You can find it in Thurston County, close to Olympia, which is the state capital. The inlet was named in 1841 by Charles Wilkes, a commander who explored the area. He named it after James Henderson, who was a quartermaster on his expedition. Some people also call it "South Bay."

History of Henderson Inlet

Early Inhabitants

Long ago, the Nisqually tribe lived along the shores of Henderson Inlet. One group, called the Noosehchatle, had a village named Tuts'e'tcaxt. This village was in the Woodard Bay area, on the western side of the inlet.

In 1854, a report described Tuts'e'tcaxt as having two large cedar plank houses. About a dozen people lived there during the cold winter months. Today, experts believe there are many ancient burial sites along the inlet's shores. They have also found shell middens, which are piles of shells left by early inhabitants. These show that people used the area for a long time.

European Settlers and Logging

The first European settlement nearby was Fort Nisqually. This was a fur trading post built by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1833. It was about 10 miles east of Henderson Inlet.

Soon after, American settlers began to arrive. In 1846, the area officially became part of the United States of America through the Oregon Treaty. In 1854, a man named Harvey Rice Woodard claimed land around the bay that now carries his name, Woodard Bay. This area soon became a busy place for logging. The logging industry continued there until 1984, though it became much smaller over time.

Military Training

During the early 1940s, Henderson Inlet played a role in military training. From 1940 to 1942, the 15th Infantry Regiment of the United States Army used the inlet. They set up an Amphibious Training Camp north of Woodard Bay.

This camp had a pier, offices, barracks (places for soldiers to sleep), and a mess hall (a place to eat). Soldiers practiced amphibious operations here, which means training for landings from water to land.

Woodard Bay Conservation Area

Since 1987, a large part of the western shore of Henderson Inlet has been protected. This area is now called the Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area. It includes land that once belonged to the Weyerhaeuser Timber Company. It also includes part of the old Esterly Farm and its woodlands. Local stories, possibly from Native American legends, say that elves live in these woods!

The conservation area has grown over time by buying more land. It now covers 600 acres. This area is a very important safe place for many animals. You can find birds, bats, seals, and otters living there.