The Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum explores the history of the region where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. Founded in the early 1980s, it holds 23,000 artifacts dating from the time the Chinook people inhabited the area through the 20th century. Museum exhibits cover Chinook life ways, early settlements, natural resource industries, life saving and early railroad history. Here you can visit an intact freight depot as well as an early Pullman passenger coach train car. The museum offers various events such as lectures, concerts and educational programs as well. The Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum is housed in the former Ilwaco Telephone Utilities (TU) building, built in the mid-1960s.

Historically, the area along Baker's Bay was waterfront up to where you are standing on Main Street. Along the shoreline there were a number of boathouses where boats were constructed and repaired, including the Kola boat house which sits near Williams Street behind the port of Ilwaco parking lot. It still exists today. To see a video created by local students about the history of the Kola Boathouse, click the link below.

The Ilwaco Mill and Lumber Company was founded in 1903 and was once a primary business in Ilwaco. Logs were floated across Shoalwater (Willapa) Bay to Nahcotta and brought into the mill by the local IR&N Railroad. The mill closed in 1936, after the death of one of its founders Charles Rogers. At that point, large companies were buying up timberland and the railroad was gone, making the mill financially obsolete.

Located on First Street South of Lake, was Dennis Kimbrough's shoe repair shop. He was the only cobbler on the Peninsula until he retired in 1959. As an active member of the community, he was a member of the American Legion, served with the volunteer Ilwaco Fire Department for 21 years, and was involved with the Ilwaco Chamber of Commerce and Presbyterian Church.

The railroad turntable was located on the west side of First Street near Lake Street. The railroad line originally ran from Ilwaco to Nahcotta and had a turntable on each end. Businesses and homes were located nearby. The IR&N was an important part of the history of the peninsula and transported tourists and locals, as well as goods such as lumber and oysters. One of the original passenger cars of the IR&N, the Pullman built Railcar NAHCOTTA is located at the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum in Ilwaco.To view a youth created video interview with local railroad expert Mark Clemmens, click the link below under Additional Information.

Red’s Corner Café , which later became Red’s Restaurant and Flame Room was located on the west side of First Street between Spruce and Lake. Red’s became a very popular place to go. On busy weekends, bands would play in the lounge and people would crowd the restaurant. After becoming an antique mall in the 1990s, the building was burned in a fire.

Ilwaco was a bustling town in the early to mid- twentieth century. Much of the Peninsula shopping and banking was done in Ilwaco. It was the fishing center and as such, employed many people in the canneries as well as in the commercial and sport fishing industry. The fishing industry continues to be a major employer in Ilwaco. There were many different commercial buildings in this area of 1st Street over the years. Businesses included a grocer, pool hall, barber shop, bank, department store and more. Learn about some of their stories below.

Looking north on First Street in the early 1900’s, one would have been able to see the Opera House, Post Office, Train Depot, Odd Fellows Hall, Aberdeen Store, as well as cafés, grocery stores and a bank. The railroad was in operation and riding the train or driving up the hill to the north would lead you to Seaview and Long Beach.

The building was built by Aksel Seaborg as the Aberdeen Packing Company. In 1903, the building was purchased by C.E. Kerlee and R.A. Hawkins. It was sold again and later became Doupé Brothers Hardware in 1919. To view a video with more info, click the link below in Additional Information.

In 1967, a furniture annex and in 1968 a clothing store were both built across Spruce street fromthe Doupé Department Store building.

The second of Ilwaco’s schoolhouses was built around 1892 and was located on the hill where the old Ilwaco Presbyterian Church was later built. The old schoolhouse was replaced by one made of masonry, located at Hilltop in 1915. That school burned in 1936 and was replaced by the current building.

Located at the SE corner of Spruce and Myrtle, the Ilwaco Volunteer Fire Department has had three buildings that have served the community for over 135 years. The first building was torn down and a new building erected that also housed the City Hall. That building burned in 2006. The building you see now was built after the fire.

As you walk along Myrtle Street to Lake Street, you will be on one of the many residential streets in town. There were two churches and many wonderful homes located here. Wooden sidewalks made walking easier especially in the winter when the streets turned to mud.

At one time there were two Finn Halls in Ilwaco, the first was located on second street in Ilwaco. Having split with the Finnish Benevolent Society, the Finnish Socialist Club built a hall on the south side of Lake Street in 1915 and named it the Worker’s Temple. In 1932, it was purchased by Lodge 26 of the United Kaleva Brothers and Sisters. The building was used to house soldiers during WWII and then was purchased by the American Legion.

Oscar Nyberg operated his blacksmith shop from this location on the north side of Lake Street from 1926 until 1973. He was born in Finland and came to Naselle in 1909. He specialized in horseshoeing and custom blacksmithing for fishermen, loggers and Peninsula locals. He was the only blacksmith on the Peninsula during this time.