August 1st: The Day started out with frustration.
I slept peacefully, and soundly, through the night … but, the morning just started off badly & went south quickly after that.
I am not a morning person: doesn't matter how many zzz's I saw my way through. I never have been. So, when the fancy pod-style coffee maker Holland "swears by" refused to cooperate, I rubbed my sluggishly opening eyes & checked the fuse box = everything was how it should be. I tried the coffee maker, again: nothing. I poked my tongue out at it & grabbed a flavored, antioxidant, electrolyte bai water and drank it while turning pages of my recent Clive Cussler novel.
Holland got up - made himself a mug of coffee (WTHeck???), sat down and started surfing the internet.
I thought, "Well, if he got coffee, it must be working again." So, I put my mug under the drip feature, dropped a pod into the pod pocket … and got a mugful of ground-speckled mess. Lifting the pod lid, I saw that the entire pod pocket - as well the pod - was covered with sloppy wet grounds. I dumped my messed up coffee down the drain, & cleaned up the coffee maker mess. I pulled my 1-cup Melitta Drip Coffee Drip Cone out of the cupboard … and couldn't see the coffee filters anywhere (and I searched, pulling things out as I searched); I knew I had bought Melitta filters, last year, in Parker-AZ - for the same freaking reason. Finally, totally exasperated; I put everything back where I had pulled it from, placed the Melitta 1-cup coffee Drip Cone back too, & said, "I'm going into town to buy a real coffee maker that doesn't explode when I get near it. You can keep using this exasperating thing - but I'm done with it. I want an old-school coffee maker, that will give me what I want, when I want it; the way I want it. A couple weeks ago, there was water all over the counter - we never did figure out how, or why. Every couple of weeks we go through the coffee grounds mess - always in my mug, with no discernable explanation. I'm done. I don't need: nor do I want to keep dealing with the frustration that comes with this thing. Old-school workability, works for me." So, that's what I did; I got dressed, grabbed my book & my Tablet, & drove into Longview - I was thinking of spending an hour or so at one of the local County Parks, & maybe grabbing a sandwich for lunch before heading back home. I was confident that Holland would no doubt appreciate the time alone for a while.
I drove to Wal*Mart, on Ocean Beach Highway, & bought a petite 5-cup coffee maker for myself, a couple pkg's of Melitta filters (a back-up 'just in case') - and a spur-of-the-moment purchase of a stove-top Espresso Maker for Holland: he's always carping that his coffee is not up to the tar standard he's used to. The Espresso maker should satisfy.
While I was loading the purchases into Betsy's back seat, I thought, "I could really use a good long drive - I believe I hear The Barge calling me." So: I pointed Betsy's nose towards Raymond, instead of one of the local County Parks. Today is Shabbat, a relaxing drive away from the urban frenzy & demented home appliances, would be perfect; I'd make a looping drive back home, eating a 'burger at The Barge, on my way through Raymond.
Suddenly, what started out as a frustrating Day seemed lighter - and looked a lot more promising 😁
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There was a light drizzle starting, and it continued through Naselle … but cleared up entirely by the time I was passing through Nemah.
I was glad the weather had cleared up, because driving past Bone River, on the way to South Bend, gets more than a little dicey when the weather is temperamental - the winds blowing in off the ocean can be kinda scary when they hit your vehicle, broadside: they actually will lift the wheels off the road and move the vehicle like a magic carpet ride: I am not Aladdin, and the jolt is not a fun experience.
Traffic wasn't too bad; I had been hoping for less traffic, but Raymond was having some sort of Saturday shindig, at the Park there, and since everyone is pretty much related in one way or another … the road was busy with people rushing to gather, gossip, and let the kids run wild.
Also, I was informed that a local celebrity was in attendance: Carl Wirkkala.
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{{The Bone River originates in the hills of the southwestern part of Washington, close to the source of the North Fork Palix River. It flows generally west, emptying into Willapa Bay near Bay Center just north of the Niawiakum River. The river's entire length is only a 6 miles long. Most of the Bone River is marshy. It empties into an estuary and tidal marshland on Willapa Bay. U.S. Route 101 crosses the river near its mouth.
A smallpox epidemic swept through the Pacific Northwest in 1853. One of the first documented cases occurred at the mouth of the Bone River. A homesteader named James Swan witnessed the disease breaking out among the Chinook Indians after several ships had wrecked off the mouth of the nearby Columbia River. Swan's is the only first-hand account of the epidemic among the Chinook. Within a year the Chinookan population had been reduced by perhaps half and the disease had spread far up the Columbia River, all along the coasts of Washington and Oregon, to Vancouver Island, the Skagit River and the Nooksack River.
Part of the river's drainage basin is a protected land preserve called the Bone River Natural Area Preserve. Totaling 2,565 acres, the preserve contains the finest salt marsh remaining in Willapa Bay and is a critically important waterfowl habitat.
There are ongoing efforts to protect more of the Bone River along with the nearby Niawiakum River estuary.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_River }}
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I really like this restaurant … I have been popping in every couple years since it opened, around the mid-1990's: the atmosphere is peaceful & homey, like visiting a favorite Aunt who cooks good food; cooked with love & served with a friendly attitude. Amelia is a joy to be around 😁; I don't think she's ever met a stranger 🥰 I like to make a loop drive from Longview, through Raymond, up & over Pe Ell & back home via Wildwood Dr. in Vader - a nice country drive for a country girl who will never get used to urban living; and The Barge is always on my mind 😉
Leaving Raymond, I wound my way home through Menlo, Labam, Frances, Pe Ell, Boistfort, & Vader - things have changed since we were through this way last August 👀
I like History, so while putting this post together, I gathered as much historical information as I could … believe you, me - I do intensive research; like a blood hound on a scent 🔍💻🌐🔗
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{{Menlo is a small unincorporated community in the Willapa Valley of Pacific County, Washington, United States, known for its rural charm, agricultural heritage, and a unique historical landmark tied to 19th-century pioneer migration.
The Willapa Hills State Park Trail
Willapa Hills State Park Trail spans 56 miles east-west between Chehalis in Lewis County and South Bend in Pacific County. It can be utilized by foot, bike, or horse - all year round. It is relatively flat, passable in most weather conditions and easy to access from multiple trailheads ... this trail began at the Pe Ell Trailhead in Lewis County, & ties into the Pacific County access point at Lebam, running through Menlo, Raymond and South Bend.
I have, at various times, walked this trail as a Solo Lobo. It's a very nice walk, with good scenery. I did not find it hard, at all, last time I walked it in 2021.
I have also - from 2004 to 2016, walked the trail that starts at the Chehalis trail which begins at the Lewis County Trailhead. I really like this particular trail because of the old trestle bridges & quiet wooded areas - aside from the wood planked bridges, the trial is mostly asphalt with minimal gravel between trail connections. I walked this trail with my 1st Husband, Bob … and several times as a Solo Lobo from 2020 to 2022. I haven't done it since 2022, because there is no where to park the beast truck my Husband Holland & I purchased in 2023.
Northern Pacific Railroad South Bend Branch – WA
The Northern Pacific Railroad’s South Bend Branch (also known as the Willapa Harbor Line) was a branch line built by the Northern Pacific Railway between Chehalis, WA and South Bend, WA on Willapa Bay, completed in the early 20th century.
Construction and Purpose
Construction began in the late 1800s, with the line opening in the early 1900s. It was intended to serve the port town of South Bend, which was incorporated in 1890 with hopes of becoming a major western port (“the Baltimore of the West”). However, the railroad’s primary economic driver was the timber industry, with many stops located near sawmills.
Route and Stops
The branch was about 54 miles long and once had 29 stops along the way, averaging less than two miles between stations. Stops included Claquato, Littel, Syverson, Adna, Bunker, Long’s Crossing, Ceres, Meskill, Mays, Dryad, Doty, Apex, Pe Ell, McCormick, Reynolds, Wallville, Lester, Pluvius, Frances, Globe, Lebam, Trap Creek, Holcomb, Menlo, Willapa, Raymond, and South Bend.
Operations
The line operated two passenger trains daily, including Sundays, plus freight service. It also ran special trains for events like circuses, baseball games, and presidential visits. Freight traffic was constant & busy, especially for timber, and the line was considered one of the more profitable branches of the Northern Pacific system.
Decline and Abandonment
As trucking and highways replaced rail for freight, traffic declined. The line was abandoned by Burlington Northern in 1990.
Legacy
Today, much of the corridor is part of the Willapa Hills State Park Trail, a 56-mile rail-trail along Willapa Bay. Historical photographs from the Pacific Northwest Railroad Archive show steam locomotives and freight trains on the branch as recently as the 1920s.
In summary: The South Bend Branch was a short but busy branch of the Northern Pacific, vital to the timber economy of southwestern Washington, with a rich history of passenger service, community stops, and eventual replacement by road transport.
Mark W. Bullard
Mark W. Bullard (September 24, 1822 – July 18, 1902), also known as M. W. Bullard, was an American pioneer who established homesteads in Oregon and Washington state. As a young man, he traveled from his family home in Vermont to California and then on to Oregon and Washington. In 1853, the brothers moved north again, this time to what is now Pacific County, Washington. They started logging in the Stuart Slough area; however, their business was not very successful. As a result, both brothers decided to take up 320 acres homestead claims in the Willapa Valley near what is now the community of Menlo, where they began farming. A short time later, their brother Seth traveled from Vermont to join them. In 1855, Bullard joined the Washington militia to fight in a regional Indian war that lasted through 1856. He served as a private for six months in Company C (Mounted Rangers) of the 2nd Regiment, Washington Territorial Volunteers. During his service time, Bullard fought in several battles including a major engagement near Walla Walla in eastern Washington. When his enlistment expired, Bullard returned to his farm in Pacific County. He resided on his own farm for a while and then lived with his brothers, Job and John, during his latter years. Bullard never married. He died on July 18, 1902, in Menlo, Washington. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_W._Bullard
Economy
Historical Industries
Menlo's historical economy in the 19th century was predominantly shaped by the abundant timber resources of the Willapa Valley, where dense forests of Douglas fir, cedar, hemlock, and spruce covered the landscape. Logging operations began in the 1850s as settlers cleared land for homesteads, with the first recorded logging camp in Pacific County established by S. A. Soule on Skidmore Slough in 1870, supplying logs to mills via river rafting on the Willapa River. By the late 19th century, timber had become the county's primary resource, with approximately 25 billion board feet of original forest standing before extensive harvesting commenced. Early timber milling supported this industry; for instance, Daniel Wilson constructed the first sawmill in the Willapa Valley on Mill Creek in 1856, powered by water and processing local logs into lumber.
Agriculture emerged alongside logging, particularly dairy farming, which became a cornerstone of Menlo's economy due to the valley's fertile soils. Menlo served as a key dairying center, hosting a large creamery and cheese factory operated by the Lewis-Pacific Dairymen's Association, which paid local farmers around $500 daily for milk by the early 20th century. Near Willapa Bay, oyster-related activities influenced regional agriculture, as the shellfish industry - dating back to the 1850's - relied on supplemental crops like hay and grains to support labor and livestock, though oysters themselves were gathered rather than cultivated extensively until later plantings. The arrival of the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1893 revolutionized export capabilities, facilitating the transport of logs from valley forests and dairy products like cheese and cream to broader markets eastward, spurring industrial and agricultural growth in Menlo and surrounding areas.
The Great Depression brought significant challenges to these industries, particularly logging, which saw sharp declines across Pacific County. In the nearby town of Raymond, lumber mills operated at reduced capacity - down to 22.6% in early 1931 from higher levels the prior year - leading to widespread job losses and business closures in the extractive sectors of the Willapa Valley. This reduction in logging activity shifted economic reliance toward agriculture, with dairy farming providing relative stability through local cooperatives, though farm prices plummeted to 1921 levels by 1930 amid broader market turmoil. Communities like Menlo increasingly turned to subsistence farming to supplement incomes, as unemployment soared and external markets contracted, highlighting the valley's transition from timber dominance to more self-sufficient agrarian practices during the 1930s.
Current Economic Activities
Menlo, an unincorporated community in the Willapa Valley of Pacific County, Washington, relies primarily on small-scale agriculture as its economic backbone, with operations concentrated in berry farming, livestock rearing, and limited tree cultivation. Berry production, including cranberries and other upland crops, is prominent in the valley, contributing to the county's $8 million annual cranberry output and supporting local farms through community-supported agriculture programs and farmers' markets. Livestock activities, such as cattle grazing and dairy operations, generate around $10 million in cattle sales and $3 million in milk products yearly across Pacific County (as of recent estimates circa 2023), with many farms in the Willapa Valley area sustaining family-run enterprises on the region's fertile lands. While Christmas tree farming exists under local ordinances permitting commercial nurseries, it forms a smaller component of the agricultural landscape compared to berries and livestock.
Tourism and recreation provide supplementary economic activity, leveraging Menlo's proximity to Willapa Bay and surrounding natural features to attract visitors for eco-tourism.
Interesting History of Menlo, Washington
One of Menlo's most notable features is the gravesite of Willie Keil, dubbed the "Pickled Pioneer," located in a small private cemetery along State Highway 6, now preserved as a Washington State Parks heritage site. In 1855, 19-year-old Willie, son of preacher and communal leader Dr. Wilhelm Keil, died of malaria in Bethel, Missouri, just days before leading his family's wagon train westward on the Oregon Trail. To honor a promise that Willie would guide the group, Dr. Keil had his son's body placed in a metal coffin inside a barrel filled with approximately 150 gallons of whiskey for preservation, transforming the lead wagon into a mobile hearse for the 2,000-mile journey. The Bethelite colonists arrived in the Willapa Valley after six months, burying Willie on November 26, 1855, in what was then called New Canaan; he remains the only person known to have traversed the entire Oregon Trail posthumously. The site features interpretive panels detailing the story, drawing visitors to this quirky yet poignant piece of Pacific Northwest history.
I first learned of this weirdness, when my 1st Husband & I were living in Raymond-WA from 1993 - 1995. I don't have a problem visiting cemeteries … but this one I pointedly pass on, when passing through this region, because the history behind it … is just too weird. Even for me - who normally indulges in interesting explorations.}}
The Discovery Pass Station in Menlo, wasn't the only surprise along the route - it looks like there is also a truck yard being built between the hamlets of Labam & Frances. Prefab house are dotting freshly cleared properties, & eyesore citified monstrosities are making declarations against the skylines: growth is exploding out here, in the backcountry & in 6 months time, more shrinkage will take place. I wasn't happy to see all the new development eating into the peaceful, rural areas: I like driving these back roads because they are by and large pretty uninhabited - but I knew Holland's eyes, would be lighting up with the [possibilities] new construction implies (if he were with me on this meandering drive). In a few years, this stretch of highway won't be recognizable - aside from the road signs, announcing town boundary lines.
All the way through the Pe Ell-McDonald Road, I had cars riding my tail, so coming up on Boistfort, I nipped into the first available turn-out to let them pass. I wanted to enjoy my drive - not be pushed back into frustration by people in a hurry to get nowhere fast.
Coasting to a stop, I happened to glance out the passenger window … and saw a cemetery to my right. What??? How had I missed it, all these decades of traveling this road - coming & going? I knew about the cemetery across the way, on the hilltop & my eyes always [go there] when I drive this road: but, this one was a complete surprise.
So, I got out to stretch my legs - and get a closer look at what I had obviously overlooked for the 44 years married to Bob & driving this route, the years between 2020 & 2022, that I had driven this route as a widowed woman, the 1 solo lobo drive I had done the Spring I remarried, & the 1 drive Holland & I had done together last August. 50 years, or more, and this is the 1st time, I've noticed this boldly advertised place:
{{Boistfort Cemetery: Also known as Harris Cemetery
At the intersection of Boistfort Road and Pell-McDonald Road, Boistfort Road becomes Wildwood Road; there is a turn-out where you can park next to the new Boistfort Cemetery (also known as Harris Cemetery, Old Boistfort Mound Roundtree Cemetery) was formally established by Edward and Mary Harris in 1888 and officially recorded in 1889. Located within the Turner R. Roundtree Donation Land Claim, the cemetery was carefully designed with 27 blocks, each containing multiple lots and access alleys. The organization of the grounds reflects thoughtful planning typical of the late 19th century.
The old Boistfort Burial Grounds are directly across the road, on the left side; atop a large mound.
Many of Lewis County’s earliest families rest at Boistfort Cemetery, including the Harrises, Roundtrees, Sweeneys, and others who contributed to the growth of the area. Each plot and family name tells part of the story of settlement in the Boistfort Valley. Though smaller in scale than some cemeteries in Chehalis and Toledo, Boistfort Cemetery is no less significant. Its preservation highlights the enduring importance of family ties and local memory in Lewis County’s rural communities.
Original Old Boistfort Cemetery
This cemetery was used by Boistfort Pioneers from about 1855 until 1887.
This large mound is on the Old Buchanan Donation land claim. It was used by all people until the farm was sold in 1887. The new owner removed the headstones and burned over the ground. He was taken to court and was refused the right to plow the land but he refused anyone access to the property.
In the 1940's a new owner built a fence around it but it was allowed to grow up into brush.
Records of the cemetery were burned in a house fire and no one knows the number of people buried here. Old-timers think there were approximately 70 graves. The exact location of the graves is not known as the stones had been knocked over and were just in a pile.
These are the only stones that were found and placed upright again.
In 1982, out of respect and admiration of the early Boistfort Valley Pioneers, the Boistfort Lions Club asked permission of the present owner of the property, Leo Walsh, to clean up the cemetery. Permission was granted and the result is what you see today. What stones that were found were cleaned and put in place by the Boistfort Lions. A cross was erected, a fence built, and steps built up the hill.
The original Boistfort Burial Grounds is on the left hand side of the Wildwood Road, on top of the large mound that you see.}}
Turning from the cemeteries and opening Betsy's driver's side door - a gust of wind caught it and I stumbled forward as the buffeted door propelled me forward. Whew! That was a sneaker breeze.
I was also thinking about then, that it was time I high-tailed it home.
It had been a fun Day.
I'd enjoyed a good visit in Raymond.
I found that time doesn't stand still when opportunity knocks.
I learned some new history tidbits.
Holland was probably wondering where I had gotten to: I hadn't told him before I left Longview … and cell service was spotty. I'd been on the road, and driven through 4 counties, for hours. It was time to point Betsy towards home - through the Olequa Redmill territory:
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