Cowlitz County Historic Preservation Commission Story Mapping Project
Amy Hill
Cowlitz County, Washington, is steeped in history, from the days when around 6,000 Sahaptin- and Salish-speaking people lived along the rivers in cedar-plank longhouses, to the present, when the County is striving to maintain the natural resources of the area. In 1792, the HMS Chatham was the first European ship to sail up the Columbia River, followed only thirteen years later by the explorers Lewis and Clark, and, shortly after, the Hudson Bay Company. The area’s natural resources of furs and timber sailed down the rivers and across the globe in ships and barkentines.
In the spring of 2021, StoryCenter worked with six members of the Cowlitz County Historic Preservation Commission to help them tell stories that reflect the ways the waterways, ports, and history connect the people of the area. In an online digital storytelling workshop, the storytellers reached into their memories to cover a range of themes–from efforts to restore the local salmon population, to childhood memories of dipping smelt, or watching a father get ready each morning before heading off to work at the Tollycraft boat plant.
All of the stories from the workshop have been integrated into a beautiful story-mapping project for Cowlitz County. As you explore the rivers and towns dotting the map, you can click on designated spots to watch the digital stories, such as Paddle Back in Time, by Harve Williamson.