Mayfield, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mayfield, Washington
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 Mayfield, Washington
Location in Washington (state)
Mayfield, Washington
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Lewis |
| Elevation | 427 ft (130 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| zip code |
98564
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| Area code(s) | 360 |
Mayfield is a small, unincorporated community located in Lewis County, Washington. An "unincorporated community" means it's a place with people living there, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town.
Mayfield sits on the southern shore of Lake Mayfield. You can find it just off U.S. Route 12, a bit east of Silver Creek. A very important structure, the Mayfield Dam, is about one mile west of the community. This dam helps create hydroelectricity, which is electricity made from moving water, for cities like Tacoma and its neighbors.
Mayfield's History
Before settlers from other countries arrived, the area where Mayfield is now was used as a village by Native American people.
Early Days and Name Changes
A post office was first set up in the area around 1890 or 1891. It was initially named Ferry. This name was chosen to honor Elisha P. Ferry, who was the very first governor of Washington state.
Later, the community's name changed to Mayfield. This happened in either 1891 or 1895. The new name was a tribute to the first postmaster of the area, H.T. (or W.H.) Mayfield.
Building the Dam and Moving the Town
In 1955, a big construction project began: the building of the Mayfield Dam. Because of this large project, the original center of Mayfield town had to be moved. Homes were relocated to areas nearby.
The post office also moved, but it didn't stay open for long. It closed in 1962. That same year, as the dam was almost finished, the old town area was flooded. The original Mayfield is now permanently underwater, beneath the waters of Lake Mayfield.
