Wildwood, Washington

{{Infobox settlement

|official_name = Wildwood, Washington

|settlement_type = Unincorporated community

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|pushpin_map = Washington#USA

|pushpin_label = Wildwood

|subdivision_type = Country

|subdivision_name = United States

|subdivision_type1 = State

|subdivision_name1 = Washington

|subdivision_type2 = County

|subdivision_name2 = Lewis

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|established_date = 1889

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|timezone = Pacific (PST)

|utc_offset = -8

|timezone_DST = PDT

|utc_offset_DST = -7

|elevation_footnotes =

|elevation_m = 108

|elevation_ft = 354

|coordinates = {{Coord|46|27|34|N|123|05|24|W|type:city_region:US-WA|display=inline,title}}

|postal_code_type = zip code

|postal_code = 98596

|area_code = 360

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}}Wildwood is an unincorporated community in Lewis County, in the U.S. state of Washington. The town is located between Boistfort and Vader.{{GNIS|1509518}} The community's early days, similar to other areas in Lewis County, had an economy driven by lumber production however it has retained its predominant agricultural roots.{{cite news |title=Long-Bell Company Camp At Wildwood |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/us/washington/chehalis/chehalis-bee-nugget/1921/09-30/ |access-date=15 December 2021 |work=The Chehalis-Bee Nugget |issue=17 |date=September 30, 1921 |volume=39 |page=1}} The area is known for its elk hunting.{{cite news |last1=Mason |first1=Kimberly |title=Hunting, Fishing: Facebook Tattles on Poacher; Hunters Still Haunting Local Areas |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/hunting-fishing-facebook-tattles-on-poacher-hunters-still-haunting-local-areas,149482? |access-date=15 December 2021 |work=The Chronicle |date=January 5, 2012}}

History

Wildwood was first settled by non-Native people in 1881.{{cite web |title=Lewis County - Wildwood |url=https://jtenlen.drizzlehosting.com/walewis/townsmz.html |website=jtenlen.drizzlehosting.com |publisher=Lewis Co. WA GenWeb Project}} A post office called Wildwood was established on August 24, 1889 by Thomas G. Naylor and remained in operation until 1930.{{cite news |title=Wildwood Got Name in 1889 |url=https://www.newspaperarchive.com/us/washington/centralia/centralia-daily-chronicle/1953/06-06/page-86 |access-date=October 14, 2024 |work=The Daily Chronicle |date=June 6, 1953 |page=26C}}{{cite news |title=Wildwood Post Office Will Be Discontinued |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/us/washington/chehalis/chehalis-bee-nugget/1930/08-15/page-31/ |access-date=15 December 2021 |work=The Chehalis Bee-Nugget |issue=12 |date=August 15, 1930 |volume=48 |page=15}} The moniker was chosen as it was descriptive of the original condition of the town site.{{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=365|year=1923|publisher=University of Washington Press|location=Seattle|page=349}}

Education

The first school in Wildwood opened in 1884, built by volunteers using lumber donated by the neighboring town of Boistfort. The school remained until a district division in 1895.{{cite news |title=Wildwood Had School House |url=https://www.newspaperarchive.com/us/washington/centralia/centralia-daily-chronicle/1953/06-06/page-84 |access-date=October 17, 2024 |work=The Daily Chronicle |date=June 6, 1953 |page=24C}} A small school existed for a brief time in the 1910s and 1920s.{{cite news |title=School Report |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/us/washington/chehalis/chehalis-bee-nugget/1911/04-21/page-13/ |access-date=15 December 2021 |work=The Chehalis Bee-Nugget |date=April 21, 1911 |page=7}}

References

Category:Populated places in Lewis County, Washington

Category:Unincorporated communities in Lewis County, Washington

Category:Unincorporated communities in Washington (state)