Walville, Washington

{{Infobox settlement

|official_name = Walville, Washington

|settlement_type = Ghost town

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|pushpin_label = Walville

|subdivision_type = Country

|subdivision_name = United States

|subdivision_type1 = State

|subdivision_name1 = Washington

|subdivision_type2 = County

|subdivision_name2 = Lewis

|established_title = Established

|established_date = 1903

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|timezone = Pacific (PST)

|utc_offset = -8

|timezone_DST = PDT

|utc_offset_DST = -7

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Walville is an extinct town in Lewis County, in the U.S. state of Washington. The GNIS classifies it as a populated place.{{GNIS|1511410}}

History

A community began in the late 19th and early 20th century around a sawmill site under operations by the Rock Creek Lumber Company. Ownership changed several times over the course of a few years, including oversight of the McCormick Lumber Compamny, namesake of McCormick, Washington. A post office called Walville was established in 1903, and remained in operation until 1936.{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?state=WA | title=Post Offices| publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | accessdate=27 August 2016}} The community's name is an amalgamation of Walworth and Neville Company.{{cite book|last=Meany|first=Edmond S.|title=Origin of Washington geographic names|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015027074981;view=1up;seq=350|year=1923|publisher=University of Washington Press|location=Seattle|page=334}}

The community rested on the county line separating Lewis County and Pacific County, splitting the town in half, including the Walworth and Neville sawmill.{{cite news |title=Trouble Met At Walville By Assessors |url=https://www.newspaperarchive.com/us/washington/centralia/centralia-daily-chronicle/1953/06-06/page-84 |access-date=October 24, 2024 |work=The Daily Chronicle |date=June 6, 1953 |page=24C}} By approximately 1930, the sawmill, due to financial hardships seen around the region, closed and the town began to wane. By the early 1950s, only six homes were occupied.

Education

Both Lewis and Pacific counties required a school in the community and the county dividing line issue caused several problems. A myth exists mentioning that one house, split by the county line, required one student to attend classes at a Pacific County schoolhouse while their sibling was enrolled at a school in Lewis. The situation was resolved by the creation of an early Pe Ell school district that overlapped the county line.

References

Category:Ghost towns in Lewis County, Washington

Category:Ghost towns in Washington (state)