Hoquiam, Washington facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hoquiam, Washington
City
City of Hoquiam
Downtown Hoquiam
Location of Hoquiam, Washington
Country	United States
State	Washington
County	Grays Harbor
Established	1867
Incorporated	May 21, 1890
Area
• City	16.42 sq mi (42.54 km2)
• Land	9.54 sq mi (24.72 km2)
• Water	6.88 sq mi (17.82 km2)
Elevation	20 ft (6 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	8,776
• Estimate  (2022)	8,798
• Density	906.85/sq mi (350.15/km2)
• Metro	77,038
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	98550
Area code(s)	360
FIPS code	53-32300
GNIS feature ID	1512309

Hoquiam (say it: HOH-kwee-um) is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, USA. It's right next to the city of Aberdeen, sharing a border at Myrtle Street.

Both cities have a history of working with wood and exporting it. Hoquiam has kept its own unique identity. It also has a friendly rivalry with its bigger neighbor, especially in high school sports.

Hoquiam became an official city on May 21, 1890. Its name comes from a Native American word that means "hungry for wood." This name was chosen because of the large amount of driftwood found at the mouth of the Hoquiam River. In 2020, about 8,776 people lived there.

Hoquiam's History

Early Logging and Mills

One of the first logging businesses in Hoquiam started in 1872. It was set up by a person named Ed Campbell.

About ten years later, Captain Asa M. Simpson helped start the Northwestern Mill. He was a businessman from San Francisco who worked in the lumber industry. In 1881, Captain Simpson sent his manager, George Emerson, to Hoquiam. George Emerson bought 300 acres of land for the new mill. By September 1882, the Simpson mill was making its first wood products.

Eighth Street in Hoquiam, around 1884.

In 1886, Captain Simpson combined his mill with another one called the Miller Brothers mill. This new company was named the Northwest Lumber Company. Later, it was renamed the Simpson Lumber Company. In 1913, Frank J. Shields became the new manager of the mill in Hoquiam.

Railroads and Paper Mills

The railroad was extended from Aberdeen to Hoquiam starting in 1898. This helped logging and lumber stay important to Hoquiam's economy. In 1927, a pulp mill was built and named Grays Harbor Pulp Company. A year later, a company from Pennsylvania, the Hammermill Paper Company, became interested.

When Hammermill bought shares in Grays Harbor Pulp Company, the Grays Harbor Pulp Company built a paper mill. It then became the Grays Harbor Pulp & Paper Company. In 1936, this company joined with Rayonier Incorporated. Rayonier made a special kind of wood pulp used to create rayon fabric.

In 1907, Hoquiam was also home to a workers' union group called Industrial Union No. 276.

Geography and Climate

City Area

The city of Hoquiam covers about 15.60 square miles (40.40 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 9.02 square miles (23.36 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 6.58 square miles (17.04 square kilometers), is water.

Local Climate

Hoquiam has a climate that is like a Mediterranean climate. This means it has mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers. It's also very close to an oceanic climate. Outside of the summer, it rains a lot. Sometimes, more than 20 inches (500 mm) of rain can fall in one month.

Snowfall is rare in Hoquiam. Some years, it doesn't snow at all. However, in the winter of 1964-1965, over 40 inches (1 meter) of snow fell during two big storms.

Population of Hoquiam

Population in 2020

In 2020, the city of Hoquiam had 8,776 people living in 3,787 households.

Population in 2010

According to the 2010 census, there were 8,726 people in Hoquiam. These people lived in 3,480 households, and 2,119 of these were families. The city had about 967 people per square mile (373 people per square kilometer).

Most of the people in Hoquiam were White (85.5%). Other groups included African American (0.8%), Native American (3.9%), and Asian (1.1%). About 9.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

About 32.3% of households had children under 18. Many households (37.5%) were married couples. The average household had 2.48 people, and the average family had 3.03 people. The average age in the city was 37.6 years old.

Arts and Culture in Hoquiam

The Polson Museum in Hoquiam is located in the F. Arnold Polson House. It shows items from the history of Hoquiam and the area.

The 7th Street Theatre is a historic building in Hoquiam.

Hoquiam's Castle is another historic building.

Yearly Events

Hoquiam hosts the Logger's Playday every September. This event includes a parade and a logging competition. Loggers from all over the world come to compete.

Other events in Hoquiam include:

• The Shorebird Festival
• Hoquiam's Riverfest
• The On Track Arts Festival

Sports in Hoquiam

The main sports team in Hoquiam is the Hoquiam High School Grizzlies. Their team colors are crimson and gray. In 2004, the boys' basketball team had a perfect season, winning all 28 games. They won the state 2A championship. They even beat a touring team from Australia, which was the only game the Australians lost on their tour.

In 2006, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) changed rules for school sizes. This allowed Aberdeen High School to join the same league as Hoquiam. This brought back their old football rivalry. In 2006, they played their 100th game against each other. Hoquiam won the 101st meeting 20-6. Even though Aberdeen has won more games overall, the rivalry is still strong.

Hoquiam and Aberdeen High Schools also have a yearly "Food Ball" competition. This is a food drive in the fall to help local families who need food. Everyone wins in this competition because it helps the community.

Since 1981, Hoquiam High School has hosted a large running event. The Hoquiam Grizzly Alumni Cross Country Invitational happens every October. It brings together over 35 schools and 1,000 high school runners. Hoquiam also hosts a Grizzly Alumni Wrestling tournament in January and a Volleyball tournament in September.

The city was also home to the Grays Harbor Gulls baseball team from 1995 to 1997. They played at Olympic Stadium, which is a historic place. Today, Hoquiam is home to the Grays Harbor Bearcats, a developmental football team. In the past, the city had other baseball teams like the Hoquiam Loggers and the Grays Harbor Ports.

City Infrastructure

Flood Control Systems

Hoquiam has improved its flood control as part of the Chehalis Basin Strategy. In 2018, a new pump house was built for $1.3 million. This new station protects the northern part of the city, including Lincoln Elementary School. It's an important project for future flood walls, known as the North Shore Levee.

New pipes were also added to control floodwaters. These improvements are expected to help homeowners and businesses in the area avoid needing flood insurance in the future. During a flood in January 2022, the new station pumped 51 million gallons of water for 30 hours without stopping. These upgrades are expected to save the city a lot of money by preventing damage from floods.

Transportation Hubs

The local airport is Bowerman Airport (HQM). It's the only airport on the Washington coast that can handle jet planes. It has a 5,000-foot (1,524 meter) runway. The airport is on a narrow piece of land that goes into Grays Harbor. Many types of migratory birds also visit this area during the warmer months.

Notable People from Hoquiam

• Anton Anderson – An engineer who became Mayor of Anchorage, Alaska. He worked as a surveyor in Hoquiam.
• Thomas J. Autzen – A leader in making plywood.
• Eldon Bargewell – A U.S. Army general who commanded Delta Force.
• William Boeing – The aviator who started the Boeing company.
• Robert Cantwell – A writer and critic who lived in Hoquiam.
• Harris Ellsworth – A U.S. Congressman from Oregon.
• Jack Elway – A football player and coach.
• Ed Gayda – A basketball player drafted by the Tri-Cities Blackhawks in the NBA.
• George H. Hitchings – Won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1988.
• Lynn Kessler – Served eight terms in the Washington State House of Representatives. She lives in Hoquiam.
• Albert Kuhn – A pioneer and businessman.
• Ida Soule Kuhn – A pioneer and activist.
• Walt Morey – An author.
• Howard P. Robertson – A mathematician and physicist known for his work on the universe.
• Martin F. Smith – A U.S. Representative from Washington who practiced law in Hoquiam.

See also

In Spanish: Hoquiam (Washington) para niños