Montesano, Washington facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Montesano
City
City hall on North Main Street
Location of Montesano, Washington
Country	United States
State	Washington
County	Grays Harbor
Area
• Total	10.54 sq mi (27.30 km2)
• Land	10.38 sq mi (26.89 km2)
• Water	0.16 sq mi (0.40 km2)
Elevation	66 ft (20 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	4,138
• Density	390.25/sq mi (150.67/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Code	98563
Area code(s)	360
FIPS code	53-46895
GNIS feature ID	1511681

Montesano is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. The population was 4,138 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Grays Harbor County.

History

According to Edwin Van Syckle, a portion of the present day town of Montesano was first platted in 1738 by Samuel Henry Williams who purchased land in what was known as Medcalf Prairie, named after the early settler William Medcalf. At about the same time, surveyor Charles Newton Byles also bought a farm from Walter King on the present day site of Montesano on April 9, 1870 and later platted 3 blocks on the west side of Main Street. The town of Montesano was born even though it was not incorporated until November 26, 1883 by the Washington Territorial Legislature.

Prior to that time, the name of Montesano was used to refer to the homestead of Isaiah Lancaster Scammon and his wife Lorinda who filed a 640 Donation Land Claim on January 15, 1853 on the Chehalis River, opposite the mouth of The Wynoochie River on what is now referred to as South Montesano. The Scammon home was often referred to as Scammon’s Landing or Scammon’s Hotel because it was an important stopping point along the Chehalis River for early pioneers.

According to Edmond S. Meany, in 1860 the county seat of what was then called Chehalis County was moved to "the place of J.L. Scammons". Mrs. Lorinda Scammon was very religious and wished to have the place named Mount Zion. Another early settler, Samuel James, suggested "Montesano" as having a more pleasant sound and meaning about the same. The suggestion was approved and soon after, a post office was secured with the name Montesano. The people of Chehalis County voted to move the county seat to the platted town of Montesano in 1886 and the Scammon home was then known as South Montesano.

Geography

Montesano is located at 46°59′9″N 123°35′52″W / 46.98583°N 123.59778°W / 46.98583; -123.59778 (46.985865, -123.597726). It is on the north slope of the Chehalis River valley, near the confluence of the Wynoochee River and Chehalis River. The town is bordered on the North by Lake Sylvia and on the west by Sylvia Creek.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.58 square miles (27.40 km²), of which, 10.41 square miles (26.96 km²) is land and 0.17 square miles (0.44 km²) is water.

Climate

This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F, and very wet autumns and springs due to the maritime Chinook winds. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Montesano has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps. The summer highs are warmer than in Aberdeen courtesy of its inland position. This also renders frequent but most often minor frosts in winter, with the climate retaining a significant maritime influence.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 3,976 people, 1,563 households, and 1,031 families residing in the city. The population density was 381.9 inhabitants per square mile (147.5/km²). There were 1,684 housing units at an average density of 161.8 per square mile (62.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.3% White, 0.4% African American, 5% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races, and 3.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.8% of the population.

Of the 1,563 households, 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.0% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.88.

The median age in the city was 41.4 years. 21.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.3% were between the ages of 18–24; 25.1% were from 25–44; 28.4% were from 45–64; and 16.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.2% male and 50.8% female.

Attractions

Grays Harbor County Courthouse

A prominent feature of the town is the 1911 Grays Harbor County Courthouse. This is a three-story structure with a domed tower. The interior features murals of local history. Not to be missed is the dent in the front door made by the Sheriff as he fired at a fleeing felon.

Bordering along the northern edge of the town is Lake Sylvia State Park. Wynooche Valley Road, the road north from Montesano which follows the course of the Wynoochee River, is the access way to the southern quarter of the Olympic National Park.

The annual Festival of Lights is a Holiday celebration that has gone strong for 22 years. Festivities include tours of decorated historic homes, a lighting contest, arts and crafts show, a children's play zone, food vendors, the jingle bell jog, a scavenger hunt, storytelling, tours of the county courthouse and murals, and a pancake breakfast. The highlight of the weekend is the Grand Parade. Other activities include the Yule Log lighting, chowder feed, and caroling.

Notable residents

• Reuben Hollis Fleet (March 6, 1887 – October 29, 1975), born and raised in Montesano, was an American aviation pioneer, businessman and army officer. As a major in the Army Air Services, Fleet organized the first Airmail Service for the U.S. Post Office which was between Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York City. Fleet founded, among other companies, Consolidated Aircraft. Consolidated Aircraft is well known for the PBY Catalina flying boat and the B-24 Liberator bomber. During World War II the citizens of Montesano purchased war bonds to pay for a B-24 named the Spirit of Montesano. In August 1946, Fleet and his sister, Lillian, bought a parcel of land in Montesano and donated it to the city for Fleet Park, named in honor of their parents. The city subsequently renamed Second Street to Fleet Street in their honor.
• Robert "Bob" Gaston Moch (June 20, 1914 – January 18, 2005), born and raised in Montesano, was the coxswain of the University of Washington varsity eight-man shell won the gold medal in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin by defeating the favored teams from Germany and Italy in front of Adolf Hitler.
• Kurt Cobain (February 20, 1967 – April 5, 1994), Nirvana lead singer and guitarist, moved to Montesano as a child with his father, following the divorce of his parents in 1976. Cobain was shuttled between relatives until 1983 when he moved back to his mother's home in Aberdeen, Washington, the city where he was born, during his sophomore year of high school.
• Jerry Lambert (born August 8, 1957), raised in Montesano and graduated from Montesano high school, is a stage, film, and television actor and voiceover artist, best known for his work on the ABC sitcom, Sons and Daughters, as well as commercials for companies including GEICO, Holiday Inn, Bridgestone, and playing a fictional Sony executive for the PlayStation brand named Kevin Butler.
• Adam Bighill, a football player for the BC Lions (2011–2016), the New Orleans Saints (2017) and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2018 to present).
• The band Melvins was formed in Montesano in 1983.

Images for kids

• 

  A lumber company's locomotive, Montesano, c. 1921

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  Grays Harbor County Courthouse

See also

In Spanish: Montesano (Washington) para niños