Saint Urban, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Saint Urban, Washington
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Saint Urban, c1915
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 Saint Urban, Washington
Location in Washington (state)
Saint Urban, Washington
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Lewis |
Saint Urban is a small, quiet place in Lewis County, Washington, USA. It's called an unincorporated community, which means it's not an official town with its own local government. You can find it about 3 miles northeast of a town called Winlock.
Contents
History of Saint Urban
The story of Saint Urban began around 1889. Two families, who were immigrants from Germany and Switzerland, decided to settle in this area. They named their new home after a small village in Switzerland that they remembered.
At its busiest time, Saint Urban was a lively little hub. It was centered around the crossing of Military Road and Sargent Road. The community had several important buildings:
- A small store where people could buy supplies.
- A Catholic church for worship.
- A school for the children.
- A Grange hall, which is a meeting place for farmers and their families.
Today, Saint Urban is much quieter. Only the Grange hall and the church are still standing from those early days.
Historic Buildings and Sites
The Saint Urban Church
The Saint Urban Church was originally known as the Assumption Catholic Church. It was officially opened on August 15, 1891. This date is special because it's the day of the Feast of the Assumption, an important religious holiday.
By the early 2000s, the church building had become very old and was no longer used for services. The Archdiocese of Seattle even thought about tearing it down. However, a group of people who used to live in Saint Urban, and their families, wanted to save this important piece of history.
They formed a group called the St. Urban Settlement Foundation. Volunteers worked hard to fix up the church. Their efforts paid off, and the building was reopened with a special ceremony on August 15, 2010. The Saint Urban Church is seen as the first and last original public building from the early days of the community.
Early Schools in Saint Urban
The very first school in Saint Urban was built on land owned by Frederick Schlittler. This was about a quarter-mile north of the main intersection of the community. A new school district, District 37, was created for the area on January 8, 1884.
Around 1908, a new and slightly larger school building was constructed. This second school was located across the main intersection from the church, making it a central part of the community's life.
