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Showing posts with label Castle Rock-WA History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Castle Rock-WA History. Show all posts

Monday, May 25, 2026

MOMENTS THAT CHANGE EVERYTHING~Castle Rock History & Self-Care 2026; Castle Rock-WA

Saturday, May 23rd: 80-degree sunshine 🌞 was on the weather docket, so … right away I got busy with a low-intensity workout 🧘: seriously. I didn't even drink my morning joy juice until the workout was completed ❌☕️ I wanted to stay faithful to the routine before the steaming humidity piggybacking on the welcome sunshine, wilted me.

The Darebee Early Bird Workout can be safe for a 69 year old woman to do, if started at the right difficulty level, done with proper form. This workout is a short, full-body routine designed to help you wake up your body early in the morning without overexerting yourself. Low to moderate intensity: These low‑impact bodyweight exercises, gentle cardio, and progressive strength work, can improve mobility, strength, and cardiovascular health without excessive joint stress; the flow keeps your heart rate up enough to feel energized but not so high that you’re exhausted. Purpose and Timing: It’s ideal if you’re up early enough to exercise but not yet ready to push hard and sweat heavily. Goal: Boost circulation, activate muscles, and set a positive tone for the day - without the burnout of a high-intensity workout. Full-body engagement: Works multiple muscle groups in sequence, promoting overall activation. Start low, go slow: Begin with the lowest difficulty level and gradually increase intensity as strength and endurance improve. Form over speed: Focus on correct posture and movement patterns to reduce injury.

Muscles Worked
Kneeling Leg Lift~Aim for 5 reps x2; Upward-Downward Dog~Aim for 4 reps x2; The Bridge~Aim for 5 reps x2; Flutter Kicks~Aim for 5 reps x2; Sitting Twists~Aim for 5 reps x2; Side Lying Leg Raises~Aim for 5 reps EA side x2

The Kneeling Leg Lift is a leg-strengthening exercise that can be safe for many older adults, but its suitability depends on your overall health, mobility, and any existing conditions. For seniors, leg strengthening exercises like seated leg lifts are recommended to reduce fall risk and improve independence; this exercise primarily works the quadriceps and hip flexors, which are important for balance, walking, and stair climbing. Risks to consider - Joint stress: Kneeling can place pressure on the knees, hips, and lower back. If you have arthritis, osteoporosis, or recent joint surgery, this may increase discomfort or injury risk. Balance challenges: Without a sturdy chair or wall nearby, the risk of losing balance and falling increases with age. Muscle strain: If performed too quickly or with poor form, it can cause strain in the hip flexors or lower back. Safety tips if you choose to do it: kneel on a cushioned surface with a chair or wall nearby for balance. Listen to your body: Avoid if kneeling feels uncomfortable or risky, if you have chronic joint pain, balance issues, or other health conditions. Stop if you feel sharp pain, dizziness, or shortness of breath.

Kneeling Leg Lift~Aim for 5 reps x2

Upward-Facing Dog is generally safe for a 69 year old woman to do, if performed with proper form, modifications, and awareness of her health status. These pose offers benefits like improved flexibility, strength, circulation, and breathing. However, they are backbends and require core, arm, and leg strength, so they may not be suitable for everyone. When It’s Generally Safe - Good mobility and strength: If she has adequate shoulder, arm, core, and leg strength, and can maintain a neutral spine, the poses can be done with minimal risk. Proper alignment: Engaging the core, keeping the lower back from arching excessively, and avoiding overstretching are key to safety. Breathe deeply: Avoid holding your breath; focus on steady, relaxed breathing. When to Avoid or Modify: Recent back injury or surgery: Backbends can strain the spine if not supported properly. Severe osteoporosis or balance issues - the unsupported position can increase fall risk. High blood pressure or dizziness: The backbend can temporarily raise blood pressure or cause lightheadedness. Stop if pain or discomfort occurs - especially in the neck, lower back, or joints.

Upward-Downward Dog~Aim for 4 reps x2

The Bridge exercise is generally safe for older adults, including women in their 60s and 70s, when performed with proper form and modifications. It’s a low-impact, floor-based movement that strengthens the core, glutes, hips, and lower back, that improves balance, stability, and mobility, reducing fall risk & supports daily activities like standing up from a chair, walking, and maintaining posture. How to Do It Safely: Keep your core tight and hips level - avoid arching your back. Engage glutes and abdominals; the lift should come from the hips, not the lower back. Breathe out as you lift, in as you lower. Modifications for Safety - Mini-bridge: Lift hips only halfway up. Supported bridge: Place a pillow under hips for comfort. Listen to your body: Avoid if you have recent lower back surgery, severe osteoporosis, or uncontrolled pain. Stop if you feel pain - it should feel like a muscle-building effort, not discomfort.

The Bridge~Aim for 5 reps x2

Flutter Kicks can be safe for a 69-year-old woman if done with proper form, at a comfortable pace, and with modifications to avoid strain. Flutter kicks engage the lower abs, hip flexors, and legs, improving core stability, posture, and circulation. Low-impact Functional advantages: Strengthening the core and hip stabilizers can help with balance and reduce fall risk. Adaptability: You can reduce the range of motion, or slow the movement to lower intensity. Engage your core: Pull your belly button toward your spine to protect the lower back. Control the movement: Keep kicks small and slow; avoid jerking or bouncing. Breathe steadily: Don’t hold your breath; exhale as you kick up. Listen to your body: Avoid if you have chronic lower back issues, recent injury or surgery, severe osteoporosis or joint instability. Stop if you feel pain: Discontinue if you experience sharp pain, dizziness, or instability.

Flutter Kicks~Aim for 5 reps x2

Seated Twists can be safe for a 69-year-old woman if performed correctly and with proper modifications. These are low-impact, chair-based exercises that help improve spinal mobility, relieve lower back tension, aid digestion, and support posture. Key Safety Considerations - Start gently: Avoid forcing the twist. A safe twist comes from the thoracic spine upward, not from torqueing the low back. Keep the pelvis neutral and sit bones grounded. Control the movement: Move slowly, using breath to guide the twist - inhale to lengthen the spine, exhale to rotate. Listen to your body: Avoid if you have recent back surgery, severe osteoporosis, heart conditions, or an unstable spine. Stop if you feel pain: Discontinue immediately if you experience sharp pain, dizziness, or discomfort in the back, neck, or joints.

Sitting Twists~Aim for 5 reps x2

Side-Lying Leg Raises can be safe for a 69-year-old woman if performed with proper technique, modifications, and awareness of her health status mobility. This exercise targets hip abductors, glutes, and core muscles, which are important for balance, stability, and mobility in older adults mobility. For seniors, it can help improve posture, reduce fall risk, and support daily activities like standing from a chair or climbing stairs. When done slowly and with control, it’s a low-impact way to build lower-body strength. Key safety considerations - Control the movement: Lift slowly, avoid jerking, and stop if you feel pain or discomfort. Modify as needed: If you have knee, hip, or back issues, reduce the range of motion. Listen to your body: Avoid if you have arthritis, osteoporosis, recent injuries, or balance concerns. Stop If you experience sharp pain, dizziness, or shortness of breath.

Side Lying Leg Raises~Aim for 5 reps EA side x2

Sitting down to sip my deliciously hazelnut-flavored coffee 😊☕️, my eyebrows rose when a headline πŸŒπŸ’»πŸ“ passed before my eyes πŸ‘€

BREAKING: Ivanka Trump reportedly targeted in ASSASSINATION PLOT: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b49T1oYvtqM)

{{Ivanka Trump targeted for assassination by IRGC terrorist in twisted plot to avenge president taking out his mentor: sources

~Story by Isabel Vincent, Andy Tillett

First Daughter Ivanka Trump was targeted for assassination by an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) trained terrorist in a twisted plot to avenge the president taking out his mentor, The Post has learned.

Recently captured Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, 32, made a “pledge” to kill Ivanka and even had a blueprint of her Florida home, sources claimed.

The Iraqi national was allegedly targeting President Donald Trump’s family in response to the killing of Iranian military chief Qasem Soleimani in a US drone strike in Baghdad six years ago.

“After Qasem was killed, he [Al-Saadi] went around telling people ‘we need to kill Ivanka to burn down the house of Trump the way he burned down our house,'” Entifadh Qanbar, a former deputy military attachΓ© in the Iraqi embassy in Washington told The Post.

“We heard that he had a plan of Ivanka’s house in Florida,” Qanbar added. A second source also confirmed Al-Saadi’s plot to kill Ivanka.

Al-Saadi also posted a picture of a map showing the enclave in Florida where Ivanka and husband Jared Kushner have a $24 million home on X, alongside a chilling threat in Arabic which translates to: “I say to the Americans look at this picture and know that neither your palaces nor the Secret Service will protect you. We are currently in the stage of surveillance and analysis. I told you, our revenge is a matter of time.”

Al-Saadi is said to be a high-ranking figure in Iraq-Iran terror circles, arrested in Turkey on May 15 and extradited to the US where he is charged with 18 attacks and attempted attacks throughout Europe and the United States, per the Department of Justice.

He’s been behind attacks on US and Jewish targets including the firebombing of the Bank of New York Mellon in Amsterdam in March, the stabbing of two Jewish victims in London in April and a shooting at the US consulate building in Toronto, also in March, according to the DoJ.

He also “planned, coordinated” and allegedly took responsibility for attacks against Jewish people including the bombing of a synagogue in LiΓ¨ge, Belgium, the arson of a temple in Rotterdam in March, according to the feds, as well as various other foiled counter-attacks in the US in response to the current conflict in the Middle East. 

Ivanka, 44, converted to Orthodox Judaism in 2009 prior to her marriage to property magnate Kushner. The White House did not respond to The Post’s request for comment on the assassination plot.

Al-Saadi is said to be an operative of both Kata’ib Hizballah and Iran’s IRGC.

“Publicly available information shows that Mohammad Baqer was in contact and a close friend of …Qasem Soleimani and that in and of itself is a huge coup for any operative within the ranks of these militias, and on top of that he was then close to [Esmail] Qaani who replaced Soleimani,” said Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Senior Fellow at the Washington DC-based New Lines Institute who was kidnapped in Bagdad in 2023 and held hostage by Kata’ib Hezbollah for 903 days before her release in September 2025.

She said she did not know if Al-Saadi was one of her kidnappers as she only saw them masked.

Tsurkov told The Post Al-Saadi maintained a close relationship with Soleimani’s replacement, Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, who continued to provide him with resources for his terror networks.

A lawyer for Al-Assadi did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.

According to Qanbar, Al-Saadi was close to Soleimani, a major general in the IRGC and head of the elite Quds Force, and looked up to him as a father figure after the death of his own dad, Ahmad Kazemi, an Iranian brigadier general, in 2006.

Al-Saadi grew up in Baghdad, and was largely raised by his Iraqi mother, but was sent to Tehran to train with the IRGC, said Qanbar, now president of Future Foundation, a nonprofit whose mission is to strengthen alliances between the US and Iraqi Kurds.

Al-Saadi later established a travel agency, specializing in religious trips allowing him to travel around the world to “connect with terror cells,” Qanbar alleged to The Post.

When arrested in Turkey last week, Al-Saadi also had an Iraqi service passport, a special travel document issued to government employees and civil servants of that country, which can only be obtained with the consent of the Iraqi Prime Minister, Qanbar told The Post.

The passport allowed him to travel freely, go through minimal or no security checks at Iraqi airports and have access to a VIP airport lounge.

Although passport holders would still be required to go through security screenings elsewhere, Al-Saadi could easily obtain visas to the different countries where he allegedly planned terror attacks, he said. Al-Saadi was in transit to Russia when he was arrested, according to reports.

Surprisingly for an alleged prominent terror figure, Al-Saadi was very visible on social media. Posts show him standing next to tourist attractions including the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur as well as selfies kayaking and posing in front of a missile with his hand over his heart.

The federal indictment against Al-Saadi also includes photos of him consulting with Soleimani, at what appears to be a military facility, poring over maps and other equipment, which he had posted on his Snapchat account, according to the court documents.

In August, 2020, seven months after Soleimani was killed, Al-Saadi posted to his X account an image of Soleimani and another military figure killed in the same US drone strike held by a militant with an AK-47, captioned: “I will leave social media and turn off all my phones until the American enemy is defeated …victory or martyrdom,” according to federal court documents.

However, the social media blackout didn’t last long for the digital blabbermouth. In a 2025 post to his X account, which he described as his “last tweet,” Al-Saadi referred to Soleimani and other Iranian military leaders killed in US strikes as “martyrs.”

“I address you while in great shock and intense weakness, a feeling I have never experience in my life except once, at the martyrdom of …Qasem Soleimani,” he wrote, according to court documents.

Al-Saadi also targeted and threatened potential victims with Snapchat messages and social media posts, in many cases sending them a photograph of a pistol with a silencer, according to messages seen by The Post.

The suspected terrorist, who also allegedly has links to Lebanese paramilitary force Hezbollah, is currently in solitary confinement at Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, which houses other high-profile inmates like accused CEO shooter Luigi Mangione and captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ivanka-trump-targeted-for-assassination-by-irgc-terrorist-in-twisted-plot-to-avenge-president-taking-out-his-mentor-sources/ar-AA23Qy3B }}

Is this family never to have any rest from the world's hate stirred up by the violent-inducing obamanite vitriol?

And over on FB πŸ’» … the nazi crazies just keep coming from the obamanite party - and continue to grab a mic 🎀🌐 & "put it out there", making bigger fools of themselves πŸ‘ΉπŸ“£ then they already are.

I am a Jew ✡️

A Messianic Jew ☝️ ✝️

An American Zionist ✡️☝️ ✝️

I also support I.C.E πŸ’―

Come and get me - if you dare, crazy minion 😡‍πŸ’«

I'd like nothing better than to watch Elohim ☝️ God -smack  πŸ‘Š you straight to Hell πŸ‘Ž

{{Texas Democrat Maureen Galindo pledges 'prison for American Zionists' if elected to U.S. House

~Snopes Fact Check: Published May 22, 2026


Claim: Maureen Galindo, a Texas Democratic congressional candidate, proposed turning an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center into a "prison for American Zionists" that would double as a "castration processing center" for pedophiles.

In May 2026, a claim (archived) circulated online that Maureen Galindo, a Texas Democratic congressional candidate, proposed turning an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center into a "prison for American Zionists" and use it as a "castration processing center" for pedophiles, who she said "will probably be most of the Zionists."

Examples of the rumor spread on X (archived), Instagram (archived), Bluesky (archived) and Reddit (archived). Snopes readers also searched our site for more information about the accusation.

The official campaign account for Galindo, who is running for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in Texas' newly redrawn 35th district, posted (archived) a carousel of images to Instagram on May 13, 2026, one of which featured text that read:

When Maureen gets into Congress, she'll write legislation so that all Zionism and support of Zionism is undoubtedly Anti-Semitic, since it's Zionists harming the Semites. She'll turn Karnes ICE Detention Center into a prison for American Zionists and former ICE officers for human trafficking. (It will also be a castration processing center for pedophiles which will probably be most of the Zionists).

Because the post appeared on a profile that represents Galindo and amounted to a campaign pledge in her name, we have rated the claim, that she proposed turning an ICE facility into a prison for "American Zionists" that would double as a "castration processing center," as true. 

Galindo has objected to the characterization of the plan as an "internment camp," as one popular X post described it. Over email, she said:

I never said I want Jews in internment camps. I said I want to close all ICE detention centers and put billionaire American Zionists [who fund the genocidal prison systems] involved in trafficking into prison. I also want to start a department to target pedophiles for castration.

She added, "I'm against all internment camps and would like to see them all shutdown ASAP."

Internment camps, unlike prisons, are generally built to house one specific group of people. The Nazi's concentration camps for Jews during World War II were a prominent example of internment camps. Prisons, on the other hand, generally house convicted criminals who have had their case heard in a court of law. Galindo specifically used the term "prison," rather than "internment camp," in her post. 

Despite heavy backlash after her May 13 post, Galindo posted an Instagram video (archived) on May 19 elaborating on her plan. She claimed she had received death threats after her initial remarks and repeated, "When I say that I want billionaire Zionists in prison that does not mean I want Jews in internment camps."

Galindo elaborated (time code 00:39):

I don't care what religion you are, if you are a Zionist, meaning that you believe that you are just entitled to land, or someone's just entitled to land based off of religious beliefs, and that you'll kill all of the Semites for it then yes, I think that you're a danger to humanity and belong in prison. Especially if you have the political and economic resources to make that happen and that's how we would — that's how we will get all of the billionaire Zionists in prison is through all of the business.

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, "Semite" is an obsolete term popularized in the 19th century that has historically been used to describe groups of people who speak Semitic languages, such as Arabic and Hebrew, or who were Jewish, regardless of what language they spoke. It is unclear what group of people Galindo had in mind when she used the term.

The American Jewish Committee, an advocacy organization for the civil and religious rights of Jews, defines "Zionist" as "a person who believes in the development and protection of a Jewish nation in its historic homeland of Israel."

Despite Galindo attempting to clarify that, in her opinion, Zionism is not connected to religion, she faced multiple accusations of antisemitism following her remarks. 

Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Suzan DelBene, the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which works to elect Democrats to House seats, said in a joint statement that Galindo's language amounts to "antisemitic comments" that are "vile," "disqualifying" and have "no place in American politics, and certainly not in the Democratic Party."

Jeffries and DelBene accused "MAGA extremists" of attempting to prop up Galindo's campaign and also appeared to encourage Texans not to vote for her. 

Reporting by the Texas Tribune and Punchbowl News, a publication that reports on U.S. politics, suggests Lead Left, a political action committee that reportedly spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on advertising for Galindo's campaign, is linked to the Republican funding platform WinRed. Snopes has not independently verified these reports.

Galindo said via email that she had "no clue about the PAC" when asked if she received funding from Lead Left.

Texas Democrats also condemned Galindo's remarks as "antisemitism and hateful rhetoric." James Talarico, the Texas Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, reportedly told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency he would not campaign alongside Galindo should she win her runoff race and instead endorsed Galindo's party opponent Johnny Garcia, according to CNN.

Galindo led the Democratic primaries in Texas' 35th District, winning 29.2% of the vote, compared to Garcia's 27%. 

A runoff election on May 26 will determine whether Galindo or Garcia will represent the Democratic Party in Texas' 35th District in the Nov. 3, 2026, midterm elections.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/maureen-galindo-zionists-quote/ }}

I gotta tell you, I am really getting sick and tired of the hate πŸ‘Ή the obama's 🀬πŸ€₯ whipped up during their 8 years of squatting in the White House - and the subsequent hate-filled years that followed, with continual American & Israel hate: those two are unrepentant devils 😈, &  they control the demonrat party 😡‍πŸ’« And hakeem jeffries is their poison-tongued DC imp πŸ₯΄ These wicked & high-minded tools are either too dim-witted to understand that what they say, whips loose-screwed people into a murderous lather … or that is their planned purpose for destruction. I find it very rich that the people screaming "MAGA nazi!" are the very people actually employing nazi tactics: wipe out the Jews, destroy America, punish Americans, and think castration will solve mind-sick sex fantasies - while promoting sexual perversion in schools, as young as kindergarten. These mindless talking heads πŸ€―πŸ—£️ are ridiculous 😜πŸ€ͺ in their rush to portray themselves gods with mandates to play god; and I pray to Elohim πŸ™ that He slaps their mouths shut & removes them permanently (take the mic & limelight out of their sphere of existence) from the world scene 🌎🌍, where they will be forgotten - to do no more harm.

I was glad when Holland woke up: his presence lightened πŸ₯° the morning's heavy mood.

He's coming around πŸ˜‰, after spending some time away & alone πŸ€”

And though this is not his own words … he has mimicked them since being back.

38 Special - 'Caught Up In You' lyrics: 
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5N4IyV-YZo&t=4s)

It is good to hear these words 😊

There is power in words πŸ©ΉπŸ’–

Saying words aloud starts the magical transformation πŸ’

I know he means every word πŸ’ž

I know the dark clouds hanging over his traumatized brain, will eventually lift. I'm fighting my own demons, too.

We're not gonna let this happen; we're in this thing, for the long haul.
It can be unsettling to experience, but I've dealt with unsettling all my Life: mother [1954 motorcycle accident brain damage], sister ramona [not sure why she's brain damaged, she's always been 'off'; she's just a mean-spirited bitch], 1st husband - periodically, due to his [1981 "dead 25 minutes"] brain damage, daughter [1978 vaccine fever spike-brain damage]… I'm familiar with all the nuances.
I know this is a weakness with me, so I'm working on me, too; My husband is patient with me when I'm "acting up" (his words) … I can bend for him, when he's feeling pressure. After all, I've been down this road before. Many times. Different people, pretty much the same scenario when the pressure is high.

Elohim brought us together for a reason. We can help each other; and perhaps in the helping, we can both heal before our lives are spent ❤️

We both know, and have said in unison: "We know God knows our future, so when we keep our eyes on Him & trust His outcome, we'll be okay." πŸ€πŸ‘©‍❤️‍πŸ’‹‍πŸ‘¨

After he finished his coffee, he said, "Let's go for a drive, Baby πŸš˜πŸ“Έ The sun is out ☀️ and it feels like it's gonna be a good Day." So, that's what we did. But before we left the Park behind, I said, "Can we drive around the back end of the Park? There are a few Rhodie bushes I've been watching & waiting to bloom. I'm curious what colors they are." And, that's what happened. The colors really brightened up that dark edge of the Park.

And Azalea's showed prettily on the way out of the Park 🚘➡️

Rhododendrons are blooming in the RV Park~Toutle River RV Park; Castle Rock-WA
So are the Azaleas~Toutle River RV Park; Castle Rock-WA

We didn't go far afield - just to the riverside in Castle Rock, where we watched people celebrating early, the upcoming holiday … and I learned some things I didn't know before today 🧐

Holland has told me that he and his younger brothers were in Montana working an oil rig, when Mt. St. Helen's blew her top. He told me about watching the ash fallout drop, there πŸ‘€ I don't know if he was back here when the river dredging took place … but if he was, he was no doubt watching from the opposite side of the river, on Camelot's shoreline trying to gauge πŸ˜’ how long it would be before the fish started running again - and he could get back to fishing 🀨 He tells me he was "a fishing fool" & listening to him talk when we're sitting by any river, I believe it πŸ˜‚πŸ€£

Lion's Pride Park, Castle Rock-WA from Toutle River RV Park, Castle Rock-WA; (4 mi) 9 mins via I-5 S
Information Plaque showing what Castle Rock's Namesake rock bluff looked like before vegetation shrouded it.
Camelot Spur beachfront across the Cowlitz River, seen from Castle Rock-WA
The Camelot Spur riverfront beach behind Camelot Mobile Home Park is a designated County Park. Always busy.
Holland told me this is a Dredging Bucket, used to remove volcanic ash from the river.
I stood on it's lip. This thing is huge; 16-inches above the top of my head - and [then some].
The back of it, is at my browline - I'm 5 ft. 1-inch tall.
Holland describing the bucket & dredging process, to me.
The Cowlitz River was choked with ash reside following Mt. St. Helen's volcanic eruption in 1980.
Lion's Pride Park - where we are parked today, was built on the river's  ash hauls.
Holland describing the bucket & dredging process, to me.
Dredging Information Plaque; Lion's Pride Park, Castle Rock-WA
Tree Timeline highlights the tree's growth, as well as Castle Rock's History; Lion's Pride Park, Castle Rock-WA
Castle Rock's Logging History Plaque - my 1st Husband, Bob was a logger from  1969 to 1993 & dressed like the logger shown.

Holland knows every inch of this river & it's surrounding banks - both sides: he's fished it every way possible. For decades. Before his work-related disability, that keeps him from doing most of what he loved to do. Now, he just watches the river from Betsy's cab … and I watch him struggle to come to terms with how much life changed for him that day he went to work - and left the job site a different man.

His worth as a man was wrapped up in machismo physical work πŸ’ͺ

He struggles mightily with the loss of work & being retired so early  😌

And when the darkness overwhelms him, I love harder πŸ€—

Because he is worthy πŸ‘Œ

And he's my man πŸ’•: all man (sometimes maddeningly so πŸ™„πŸ€¦πŸ»‍♀️), regardless of a 9-5-365 ⏰ job.

Back home & relaxing after supper 🍽️, I checked FB πŸ’» to see how Emily & Andrew's pregnancy πŸ‘Ά is coming along; and I spotted this posting on FB floating through my Feed, & thought, "Yep" -  I had said pretty much the same thing to just said Holland, while we were driving around earlier.

I do get excited over things most people wouldn't πŸ˜ƒ

I am impulsive when something piques my interest πŸ§πŸ‘

I do want to "go!" πŸš˜πŸ—Ί️ when it's feasible … and possible ⛽️

I do these things because my time to live is limited πŸ’₯⏳, every breath I take 🌬️ is not a guarantee 🀞 - anything can steal it away in a heartbeat. Holland has seen this happen in real time; it's no fun for me, and it's pretty scary for him. So, I am [on] all the time because at any given second the switch could be flipped and I'll be [off] in less than a heartbeat (and quite possibly between my heart's sporadic skipping heart beats).

I live Life fully 🀘 With no apologies. Time flies & Life changes happen every second, of every Day. Time is precious.

I know excited impulsive activity can be overwhelming 😳 - but I don't want to miss a thing πŸ€“ in this, my only shot to live. Fully. Without apology.

We were just driving around πŸš˜πŸ‘©‍❤️‍πŸ’‹‍πŸ‘¨ Talking. Not even sure how the topic came up … more than likely one of those impulsive Chatty Cathy moments 😘

Today was a good Day πŸ‘

Tonight is a cozy πŸ‘Œ peaceful ✌🏻 relaxation πŸ’– before turning in.

All is right 🎯 in our small corner of the world πŸŒŽπŸŒ›πŸŒŸ & we are thankful for this blessing that is our Life πŸ’ž

Tuesday, April 21, 2026

SALMONBERRY WALK & Castle Rock-WA History; Castle Rock-WA

April 20th: Before the morning even got a decent start, my eyes popped open in startled surprise …

Patrick Muldoon, Star of ‘Melrose Place,’ ‘Starship Troopers,’ Dead at 57: (https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/patrick-muldoon-melrose-place-starship-troopers-obituary-1235550169/)

What a shock to wake up to - 57 is still "young", to my way of thinking. I never watched Days of Our Lives, or Melrose Place; but I am familiar with who he was because he played characters in a lot of Hallmark Christmas movies & Lifetime dramas.

Patrick Muldoon played characters in several holiday comedies - his slightly goofy guy-next-door, was hilarious. My favorite was 'Holiday Road Trip'. He was a versatile actor & also starred in Black Cat Run, The Arrival, Blackwoods, Running From My Roots, The Crimson Code, Deadlock & Starship Troopers.

The next newsfeed article made me think, WTHeck!

{{Grocery Store Law To Change For Millions Of Americans 

~Story by Amanda Greenwood-Newsweek

Maryland could become the first U.S. state to ban “surveillance pricing” as a new law—the Protection From Predatory Pricing Act—could affect how retailers charge millions of residents for their groceries.

What Is Surveillance Pricing? 

Surveillance pricing—sometimes called dynamic or personalized pricing—is a practice that allows retailers to charge different customers different prices for the same item, based on their personal data.

Retailers use information they’ve collected about individual shoppers—such as their purchase history, location or online behavior—to determine how much someone is willing to pay for an item.

After Maryland lawmakers passed the Protection From Predatory Pricing Act, Democratic Governor Wes Moore confirmed that he would sign the bill into law, arguing that surveillance pricing could unfairly raise the cost of everyday essentials.

In January, when the bill was first introduced, Moore said in a news release, “At a time when Marylanders are already stretched by the rising cost of groceries, housing, and everyday necessities, we must ensure that new technologies are not used to drive up the bill for working families.”

What the New Law Does

The Protection From Predatory Pricing Act would prevent large retailers from using consumers’ personal data to change prices in real time for individual customers. In practice, this means stores would no longer be able to charge shoppers different prices for the same product, based on data gathered about them.

However, the law would still allow traditional sales, promotions and loyalty program discounts to continue. 

Moore has framed the legislation as a consumer protection measure, particularly in response to the growing use of digital shelf labels that allow prices to be updated almost instantly. Those systems, critics say, make it easier for retailers to use predictive technology to raise prices without shoppers realizing it. 

Consumer Advocates Welcome the Move—With Caveats

Consumer advocacy groups such as Consumer Reports supported the bill but expressed disappointment with several exemptions that were added during the legislative process. In an April 15 statement, the organization said, “This bill has loopholes that will limit its real-world impact.”

Consumer Reports said loyalty program exemptions could allow retailers to raise prices within those systems, potentially making them more expensive than standard shelf prices. While the organization praised Maryland for taking the first step, it has urged other states to adopt stronger, loophole‑free versions of similar laws. 

A Model for Other States?

According to reporting by the Good News Network, Maryland’s action could signal a broader shift nationwide. Several other states—including California, New York, Illinois, Colorado and New Jersey—are considering their own bans or restrictions on surveillance pricing. 

While the new law does not eliminate all forms of dynamic pricing, it represents a significant step toward regulating the practice.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/grocery-store-law-to-change-for-millions-of-americans/ar-AA21ibY9?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=13dde4d5f11d4f01fd1c27e365babe01&ei=15 }}

I decided that was enough bad news for 1 Day. I rinsed my coffee mug & went for a walk down to the river - the weather was beautiful & rain is in the forecast. So, I wanted to get some walking in before I'm housebound, again.

I thought I'd walk the river route, today - it wasn't quiet, but it was pleasant.

And, it will put you through workout paces, too - if you're so inclined; this Park is under new ownership, so I'm not sure how it sells itself now, but military families used to be able to camp here for free:

Salmonberry Route; to the left, past the Park Office - towards the River.
Mustard rock with a steel blue & blood red interior & a gray rock with a striking yellow marking.
Trail; end of pavement - all gravel, now.
Rails to the Right … I-5 to the Left; not really [wild] ;-)
Outdoor Workout Stations, along the Trail~Monkey Bars.
A Scaling Wall.
Bright green new growth.
The trail is not a straight line & that's okay.
Swinging gym rings - this workout set-up following a military obstacle course design.
Obviously there are no shorties in the military … apparently, they are all combative giants.
Ashy sand-silt dredged from the river.
The County is making use of it.
I have no idea what this oddity is … or what it could possibly be used for.
The DBL Bridges over the Toutle River; I-5 in Castle Rock-WA
Parallels Bars.
Step Over Workout.
A nesting platform.
Weaver Workout; birdhouse hung on link fence.
I took a short rest, here.
If my watch didn't note it - I'd never have known. Wow.
The Toutle River, along I-5; Castle Rock-WA
YES - I'm a swinger; it lures me in, and I can't say no. The weathered wooden structure held my weight, for a good 20 minutes; while I enjoyed the cooling breeze & listened to birds sing.
I can see the Space Age Travel Center - Independence is parked directly across I-5, from it.
This rock sparkled with chromic metal; all that glitters, is not gold.
I like the Poplar Tree's white bark.
I burst out laughing - a Flintstone Car.
Made me think of the Redmill males & I jokingly wondered if 1 of them had posed for it. Jim was on Surfer Magazine Covers; Holland, Mark & Tito, were on Oil Worker Magazines … I wouldn't be a bit surprised to hear that one of the Redmill males were behind this promo: this region is Redmill territory.
These cones look like tiny candles; Toutle River RV Park, Castle Rock-WA
I'm a rock hound; some women like pretty jewelry - I like colorful rocks.
I decided to take a shortcut home, through the Happy Trails route.
New growth is so pretty - a striking contrast.
This Park street will take me right to my back door.
I always seem to be [stuck in the middle]. Hahaha
Stealer's Wheel - 'Stuck In The Middle With You' song:  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofs_GyQXJ9k&t=3s)
Walk Route - there are 2 notations because I turned my watch tracker off while I was on the swing & turned it back on, when I started walking back home.

Back home, I finished the local area research that I had started with yesterday's drive down Meikler's Road, to the boat launch at Olequa's Crossing …

Yesterday's Post: MEIKLER ROAD & Olequa Crossing~Self-Care 2026; Castle Rock-WA https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2026/04/meikler-road-olequa-crossingself-care.html

The local History is pretty interesting; Holland knows most of it, but I'm just learning about it - even though I've been driving all these back roads & visiting these little towns, I'm just now learning the backstory about them:

{{Castle Rock-WA

Castle Rock is a small city in Cowlitz County, located on both the east and west banks of the Cowlitz River between the Willapa Hills rising to the west and the western base of Mount St. Helens to the east. It is about 10 miles north of Longview and Kelso, which are located where the Cowlitz meets the Columbia River. First homesteaded in 1852, Castle Rock took its name from a huge rock near the river given that name because it was shaped like a castle. The settlement lay on the main transportation route connecting the Columbia and Puget Sound. Military Road was completed through Castle Rock in 1861 on the west side of the Cowlitz and the Northern Pacific Railway was completed in 1872 on the east side of the river. Castle Rock was incorporated on June 20, 1890. The city grew slowly through the years, reaching a population 2,370 in 2021.

Early Settlers near "the Rock"

Cowlitz River near City of Castle Rock with namesake rock, now tree-covered, at right, ca. 2020. The "Rock" is part of the County Park now, located along the river. I have climbed that rock … the trail is very steep, with risky footing.

Castle Rock dates its origins to 1852, when a party of settlers that included many members of the Huntington family and some friends arrived in wagon trains pulled by ox teams from St. Joseph, Missouri, to start new lives in the Cowlitz Valley. The party included William (1816-1894) and Eliza Jane Koontz (1823-1896) Huntington, their children, and William's brothers James, Benjamin, and Jacob. They found that most of the land along the lower Cowlitz River had already been staked out in donation land claims, so they followed the river north to find better prospects. They filed a 500-acre donation land claim on the east side of the Cowlitz, a claim at Sandy Bend on the west side of the river, and a claim south of Castle Rock on the east side of the river.

William and Eliza Huntington and John (1821-1907) and Jane Hanley (1823-1889) Beek were the first to file land grant claims where the town of Castle Rock now stands. The Huntingtons lived in a log cabin next to a huge barren rock (now covered with trees and other vegetation) resembling a castle rising more than 100 feet above the Cowlitz River, which William Huntington named "Castle Rock." The Beek claim was north of the Huntington claim -- the two homesteads intersected where Cowlitz Street in downtown Castle Rock is now located.

More settlers traveled the Oregon Trail to Castle Rock in 1853. That March, Henry (1810-1889) and Elizabeth Miles (1810-1860) Jackson arrived from Illinois in a prairie schooner pulled by an ox team. They were accompanied by two sons, Elisha (1828-1894) and William M. (1830-1887), and Cynthia Anna Jackson (1835-1922), Elisha's young wife. The Jacksons took a land claim in what would become Castle Rock on the west side of the Cowlitz River and built a log cabin. William (1803-1876) and Hannah (1811-1920) Cagle also followed the Oregon Trail that year.

In the fall of 1853, the first Christian (Campbellite) Church opened. William Huntington served as an elder there for more than 40 years. In 1854 Henry Jackson built a colonial-style home with a large porch overlooking Scantigrease (later Delameter) Creek on the west side near what is now the intersection of Delameter Road and Cline Road. The Jacksons' new home, which became known as "Jackson Inn" and also as "Jackson Hall," was the largest building in the area. The first Restoration Church in Washington State held services at Jackson Inn. Jackson's son William later filed his own land claim near his father's in Delameter Valley.

Christian Church, Castle Rock; 1911 photo.

On April 21, 1854, Cowlitz County was created, and the settlement of Monticello, where the Cowlitz River joins the Columbia, became the county seat. Two months later on June 1, William Huntington was appointed postmaster at Castle Rock. Outgoing mail was kept in a tea-box in his home, then carried by canoe down the river to Monticello twice a month, with incoming mail carried back upriver. (The Monticello area would later become the city of Longview and the county seat would move several times, ending up in Kelso, across the Cowlitz River from Longview.)

During the Indian Wars of 1855-1856 forts and blockhouses were built for communities to provide a safe refuge from the hostilities. At Castle Rock William Cagle built a fort named Fort Cagle near Delameter Creek (presently a home at 155 Delameter Lane) on the west side of the Cowlitz River and Henry Jackson built a blockhouse called Fort Arkansas at the southeast end of Arkansas Creek. No fighting occurred in the area and the fort and blockhouse were never used.

Around the same time, William (1828-1902) and Elizabeth Marshall (1830-1900) Whittle, arrived in Castle Rock with their three children. They would go on to have seven more children. The Whittles filed a claim north of Huntington claim on the west side of Cowlitz River. William Whittle built the first sawmill in northern Cowlitz County on Arkansas Creek in 1859. Whittle would go on to have many area firsts including the first meat market, the first ferry, and the first store in Silver Lake, a few miles east of Castle Rock.

In 1859, the first formal school was held at the Cagle home. The first teacher, William W. Marshall (1826-1889), was Elizabeth Whittle's brother. Children from the east side of Castle Rock crossed the river by boat to attend the school on the west side. For many years, the Beeks and Huntingtons were the only families living near "the Rock" on the east side of the river, as the west side of Castle Rock developed first.

John Robin (1837-1923) came to Castle Rock from Prince Edward Island, Canada, on September 15, 1859, as a single man. He established himself operating mills and in 1865 married Martha Ellen Stock (1847-1905). The couple had five children: Frederick Ulysses, Mary Eliza Lydia, Thomas Winsor, John Charles, and George Ernest.

Castle Rock Grows Up

On December 7, 1859, Henry Jackson was appointed postmaster. In 1860, Jackson's wife Elizabeth passed away and he later married widow Cynthia Louise Burbee (1811-1898), who became the host of Jackson Inn. In 1861, the Fort Vancouver to Fort Steilacoom Military Road was completed on the west side of the Cowlitz River and the post office moved across the river to a small room in the Jackson Inn. Travelers by stagecoach along Military Road could stop at the inn for a meal and rest. The stagecoach drivers could unwind and change horse teams. The Jackson Inn hosted some well-known customers over the years, including Isaac Ingalls Stevens (1818-1862), the first governor of Washington Territory, and later woman-suffrage advocates Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906) and Abigail Scott Duniway (1834-1915) during their 1871-1872 lecture tour of Oregon and Washington.

William Huntington became United States Marshal for Washington Territory in 1861, serving until 1869. In 1872, Huntington was appointed postmaster again and the Castle Rock post office moved back across the river to his home on the east side. The Northern Pacific Railway was completed along that eastern side. At first the local station consisted of just platforms where passengers could stand and flag down a train; eventually a small depot building was constructed. Stagecoaches stopped traveling the military road and the Jackson Inn was no longer a layover for travelers.

Following the end of the Civil War in 1865, the late 1860s and 1870s brought a substantial increase of settlers migrating to the west, many of them veterans looking to obtain land and start new lives. Searches on genealogical databases identify more than 60 Civil War veterans living in Castle Rock alone. One notable resident was Captain George Robinson Pyle (1826-1882). A civil war veteran, Pyle arrived in Cowlitz County in 1876 and filed his first land claim at Silver Lake. His wife Sarah Elizabeth Hoar Pyle (1832-1910) and their three daughters, Annie Myrtle, Mary Minnie, and Laura Eva, arrived later with James Wesley Studebaker (1850-1928), each driving a wagon team. Sarah Pyle became a school teacher, taking a boat across Silver Lake to work every day.

Here Comes the Bride, a Mercer Girl

On April 7, 1876, Edwin Ruthven (1839-1925) and Antoinette Josephine Baker (1838-1916) Huntington moved from Monticello to Castle Rock with their children: Eunice Winsor, Frederick Baker, Zervia, and Anna Lowell. Their marriage 11 years earlier was one result of a famous episode in early Washington history.

In 1864 Asa Mercer (1839-1917), a young Seattle teacher recently named President of the University of Washington, devised a scheme to bring unmarried women from the East to the region. Noting that men outnumbered women among settlers he decided to recruit unemployed young eligible women to marry and help populate the area. Those who took his offer became known as "Mercer Girls." They arrived in May 1864 and within months most had found teaching jobs and married.

Antoinette Baker was among the women who accepted the opportunity. Baker taught for one term at the University of Washington. By the end of her term she was recruited by William Huntington, who had been at court in Seattle in his capacity as U.S. Marshall, to go to Monticello to teach. Baker received her teaching certificate and started teaching at Monticello where she met her future husband, Edwin Huntington. They married on February 21, 1865, in Monticello. Asa Mercer's plan worked well -- most of the young women on the first voyage, and those in a second group that arrived in 1866, "became teachers, as well as wives, mothers, and grandmothers" (Muhich). More than 100 years later, the Mercer Girls story formed the basis for the TV series Here Come the Brides (1968-1970).

The Castle Rock School District was organized in 1876, the year that Antoinette and Edwin Huntington moved to Castle Rock. There were 13 students that first year, and school was held in the Huntington home, with Antoinette Huntington teaching classes in the front room. In May 1880, Huntington was selected as the School Superintendent of Cowlitz County. She taught children in her home until 1883 when the first public school building was built on the south side of what is now Front Street. That building served as a school until the second public school was built in 1889.

Mills and Trains

George Pyle and James Studebaker purchased John Beek's 300-acre homestead Castle Rock in 1879 for $1,500. The Pyles built the first milled-lumber home in Cowlitz County, referred to as Pyle Cottage. George Pyle did not live to enjoy the fruits of the growth of his family and Castle Rock as he died in 1882 of bronchitis. Sarah Pyle subsequently opened a store in her home with their daughter Laura. This was the first store and restaurant selling merchandise and meals in Castle Rock.

John Robin and his son Thomas (1869-1934) established the Robin Shingle Mill in 1883, the first in the area to produce cedar shingles using western red cedar that grew there in abundance.

The Northern Pacific's transcontinental rail line, which by 1884 ran all the way to Seattle, promoted continuing growth on the east side of Castle Rock. The railway company distributed literature back east praising Western Washington, prompting many people to move to the area. The Northern Pacific received a grant of an estimated 300,000 acres of land to sell in Cowlitz County, much of it on the east side of Castle Rock. With the influx of new arrivals, it was a time of building homes and businesses.

Railroad depot, Castle Rock, 1890

In 1885, the Robin Shingle Mill shipped its first carload of shingles east of the mountains. The mill could produce around 130,000 shingles daily with about 40 employees. The next year, George F. McClane (1850-1916) established the area's first newspaper, the Cowlitz County Advocate. The first issue was published on July 3, 1886. Henry Jackson's son William and his wife Mary were jointly appointed postmaster in 1887. They served only nine months due to William Jackson's death later that year.

Washington became a state on November 11, 1889. Seven months later Castle Rock incorporated on June 20, 1890, becoming an official town.

On March 13, 1891, Lawrence Kelly (1843-?) was arrested in Castle Rock in possession of a large quantity of opium. Kelly was known throughout the Puget Sound region as a successful smuggler, having been smuggling anything he could to make money since 1865. He had boarded a train in Tenino with an obvious large satchel bag. Inspector Charles J. Mulkey (1851-1904) of Tacoma was already on the train, having boarded in Olympia. Mulkey immediately recognized Kelly and his huge bag. He asked Kelly what was in the bag, and Kelly said clothes. Mulkey opened the bag, which was full of opium in 65 cans valued at $450. Mulkey arrested Kelly at 2 p.m. in Castle Rock. He served time in McNeil Island off and on.

Larry Kelly in courthouse, Port Townsend, ca. 1900

In 1892, a new larger train depot was built on the west side of the tracks at the end of A street. The new depot featured "separate waiting rooms for men and women, a ticket office, restrooms, and a baggage warehouse" (Urrutia, 16). The second floor housed the station agent's quarters.

Northern Pacific Railway depot, Castle Rock, Cowlitz County, 1912

Building and More Growth

By 1899, the town had three churches, two hotels, two drug stores, one meat market, two restaurants, two lodging houses, a photography gallery, two millinery and ladies' furnishing stores, six merchandise stores, a grocery store, a dry-goods store, a hardware and furniture store, a sporting goods store, a notion store, two bicycle supply and repair shops, a harness shop, two barber shops, two saloons, a livery stable, doctors, dentists, a lawyer, and a newspaper.

Castle Rock, Cowlitz County, 1895
Cowlitz Avenue, Castle Rock, ca. 1897
Castle Rock landscapes and the Castle Rock Hotel~OR Newspaper AD

Castle Rock had a good water system but many residents still had wells and hand pumps. Despite the electric light plant near downtown owned by Charles Forsythe (1849-1933), coal oil was the source that most residents depended on. Manufacturing plants included four shingle mills, two sawmills, and a boot and shoe factory. As in most early settlements in Washington, most buildings were made of wood and the streets were unpaved. On June 18, 1899, the Seattle Post Intelligencer wrote:

"Castle Rock is one of the liveliest and at the same time one of the most substantial towns in Western Washington; has tributary to it the Toutle, Silver Lake and Arkansas valleys; is the nearest outlet, both river and railroad, to the St. Helens mining district and there is every reason to believe that the future of Castle Rock is a grand one" ("Castle Rock")

On the other hand, the roads contained trash, animal droppings, dirt, and water or dust depending on the season. There was an occasional crosswalk made of wood. After 1900, thanks to volunteer firemen, hydrants, two-wheeled hose carts, and some luck, there were no fires recorded.

Pioneer Road; Castle Rock-WA

In 1900, the only high school in Castle Rock and Cowlitz County received a large donation from Moses Brown (1827-1900), a wealthy resident, to establish a library in his memory. An engraving on his tombstone states:

"In Memory of Moses Brown, the donor of a fund for the purpose of purchasing a library for the use of the public school of Castle Rock" ("Moses Brown").

The Cowlitz River Runs Through It

The 1st Wooden Toll Bridge (1905-1906); Castle Rock-WA

In 1905, a significant development marked the landscape of Castle Rock with the construction of the first bridge over the Cowlitz River. Built by Mr. Eddy, this wooden structure served as a toll bridge, facilitating transportation and commerce in the region. Positioned just above the location of the current bridge, it symbolized progress and connectivity for the residents. However, its existence was short-lived; in November 1906, under mysterious circumstances, the bridge was consumed by fire. Suspicions of arson arose, with fingers pointed at competing ferry operations and even speculation about Mr. Eddy's own involvement for insurance reasons. The true cause, however, remains a mystery to this day.

Sternwheeler steamship on Cowlitz River near Castle Rock, 1909

On Thursday, November 15, 1906, Castle Rock was confronted after 24 hours of nonstop stormy weather with heavy rains that nearly paralyzed and swallowed the town. The Cowlitz River was overflowing it banks and flooded all the towns in its path to the Columbia River. The flood tied up train service coming north from Portland. Passengers were stranded between Castle Rock and Olequa, a small village about eight miles north of Castle Rock. The flood washed away the wooden suspension bridge that crossed the Cowlitz near Olequa between Castle Rock and Winlock. All the wires were carried with it, breaking communication by telephone and telegraph.

The river was very high raging through downtown Castle Rock, causing losses for the shingle mill. Thirty houses, along with barns, logs, and more, were washed away. The Cowlitz River cut a waterway through the center of town. Many residents were driven to higher ground for safety. There were narrow escapes but no lives were lost.

Transportation Transformat

Automobiles were becoming more reliable and appearing all over Washington. The first area mail delivery by automobile was made in 1909 by Enoch Mansell (1868-1928) from Castle Rock to Silver Lake. As roads improved the increasing use of automobiles allowed mail to be delivered to scattered farms, ending the need for little post offices managed in people's parlors or small caged spaces in stores. Soon the old system of trails and water transportation, and eventually even railroad service, would become secondary to automobiles.

A new 300-foot Castle Rock High Bridge was built over the Cowlitz River. It opened for service on a cold, stormy Saturday, November 5, 1910. More than a hundred people came by train and wagon to celebrate. The bridge would be replaced in 1926 and again in 1963.

Castle Rock High Bridge (1910)

On September 23, 1911, the Northern Pacific started to run trains through a large cut over new double tracks just east of downtown Castle Rock. A depot on the new route was planned about a quarter mile away from the old depot, and outside the existing city limits. But the trains were diverted onto the new tracks before the depot was completed. This meant everyone had to wait out in the weather until the building was finished.

On May 22, 1913, Governor Ernest Lister (1870-1919) and State Highway Commissioner William Roberts, along with other officials, drove from Olympia through Centralia to the southern Cowlitz County line on an inspection trip of the new Pacific Highway. Along the way they would discuss current conditions of the highway with local officials. They were met at the county line by representatives from Cowlitz County who accompanied them down the highway to a meeting in the Castle Rock Hotel (formerly Spencer Hotel).

With the new, although still unpaved, Pacific Highway, Castle Rock was located on three north-south transportation routes -- the highway, the Cowlitz River, and the rail line, with regular runs between Portland and Seattle passing through each day. By 1915, the town had Methodist, Episcopal, Presbyterian, German Lutheran, and Roman Catholic churches serving large numbers of residents. The Robin Shingle Mill operated in Castle Rock with other mills near the town. Paul Knautz owned the Savoy Hotel with his wife who managed and operated the kitchen. Candace Arminta Andrews Dennis (1853-1934) managed the Castle Rock Hotel. There was one bank in town, with J. A. Byerly as its president and G. L. Buland as cashier.

By the summer of 1922, the state highway department began paving at Castle Rock, with the highway constructed through town along the old Northern Pacific right-of-way (today's Huntington Avenue). About two miles south of Castle Rock on the highway was a curve that became known as "Devil's Elbow" -- a steep rounded hillside on a very narrow curve with blind spots at both ends. Drivers could not see oncoming cars approaching. Many ended up swerving to avoid an accident and, if unlucky, an accident could result in death.

The story of Castle Rock's bridges didn't end with the High Bridge. In 1926, and again in 1963, the bridge was replaced to accommodate the growing needs of the community and advances in engineering. Each new structure represented a leap forward in design and capability, ensuring the safe and efficient movement of people and goods across the river.

St. Helens Garage, Castle Rock, 1923
Castle Rock Bridge (1926)
Castle Rock, Cowlitz County, ca. 1950
Castle Rock Bridge (1963) - this bridge has been replaced: now, it is just a usual nondescript modern paved bridge that is useful … but looks ugly & is in need of constant repair because the pavement pits horribly with the daily usage.

Two From Castle Rock

Harold Clinton Johnson (1922-2002) was born in Castle Rock on January 14, 1922. Nicknamed "Hap," he served in the Navy during World War II from 1942 to 1945. Johnson earned 16 tree-topping world championships, three axe-throwing world championships, and one speed climbing crown. This led to a career in sports shows and logging exhibitions around the country.

Johnson was a guest on Arthur Godfrey's television show You Asked For It, and worked as double for actor John Wayne in the 1960 movie North to Alaska in climbing and stunt scenes. He performed at world fairs in Seattle, New York, and Montreal. At the age of 65 he stopped performing in logging shows.

Grant Arthur "Bud" May (1933-2010) was an army veteran and a well-respected longtime local news reporter. After completing his army service, he immediately began his career working for The Daily News in Longview and settled with his wife Betty Eaton May in Castle Rock. May reported on sports, police and criminal activity, the courts, local history, and other news. He was active in the Castle Rock Exhibit Hall Society, the Castle Rock Elementary reading tutors' program, and a host of other activities. Grant and Betty May lived in Castle Rock for more than 50 years before Betty died in 2005. Grant May died in 2010.

The Mountain, the River, and the Town

In 1990, Castle Rock celebrated the 100th anniversary of its incorporation with a celebration in its new Exhibit Hall and an invitation in the Cowlitz County Advocate to "Come visit the Mountain, the River, and Our Town Galleries" (Urrutia, 4).

On October 16, 2002, residents celebrated the 150th anniversary of the town's original settlement. Organizations, businesses, and individuals contributed to the success of the event. Historical photos were provided by descendants of pioneer families and displayed in store windows, historical buildings, and the Castle Rock Exhibit Hall.

The Association of Washington Cities, in its 2004 awards, recognized Castle Rock for community excellence on the Castle Rock Riverfront Trail project. By 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Castle Rock's population had reached 2,370.

Castle Rock takes pride in its historical roots. Collections in the Cowlitz County Historical Museum in nearby Kelso preserve the town's history, making it available to anyone interested. The City of Castle Rock proclaims itself the "Gateway to Mount St. Helens" (Castle Rock website) and it also offers access to some of the most beautiful country on the Cowlitz River.

The town provides a variety of activities to enjoy. Downtown there are shops, restaurants, antique stores, and lodging. In summer the Mountain Mania Festival is held and the town is decorated and lined with beautiful flowers. The 52-mile-long Spirit Lake Memorial Highway carries visitors from Castle Rock to the Mount St. Helens blast area with spectacular views along the way.

The Castle Rock hill is now forested, covered with vegetation. This makes it hard to find pathways for the curious to climb the town's namesake.

https://www.historylink.org/File/22502 & https://www.castlerockwalk.com/the-four-bridges }}

Today was a good Day. It was warm, and interesting, all the way around.

And I was reminded that happiness is a mindful thing; shaped by the small, deliberate choices we make each Day. Gratitude, simple pleasures, nourishing food, time outdoors, meaningful conversations - and blessed assurance that we do not walk into tomorrow alone: Elohim goes before us, beside us, and with us every step of the way. these quiet things all add up to instill joy in us.

MOD TEXTURED HOT PADS SET; Castle Rock-WA: (https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2026/04/mod-textured-hot-pads-set-castle-rock-wa.html)

Give me a calm home, soft & gentle vibes, cozy corners, and the kind of silence that lets your soul rest. That comfort just warms the soul.