Stories from Elma, on the map

The Great Elma Bank Heist: Fire as a Distraction

Seven masked bandits robbed the Elma bank of $3,500 on Saturday night, using a strategically timed arson attack on the local school gymnasium to draw police and citizens away from the scene.

The Tragedy on Long Prairie

A haunting account of a family destroyed by poverty and mental health crises, reminding us of the human cost lurking behind the pioneer narrative.

“The house, with the bodies of the mother and her four children, burned to ashes, and nothing remained when the neighbors arrived but a few small portions of burned flesh.”

The Battle for Elma’s Foundations

A massive legal challenge threatens the property titles of hundreds of residents in a Grays Harbor town.

“A great number of the lots have passed through many owners since the town was platted, and the suit will prove an interesting one.”

The Public Elopement of Elma

A husband in Elma negotiates a bizarre separation settlement that includes the contents of the house.

“Knowlton, it is said, made it a condition of the bargain that Mrs. Knowlton should take the crockery and household goods along with her.”

Explosion Injures Four Children Playing with Gunpowder

A tragic accident in Elma highlights the hidden dangers in household heating appliances during the early 1900s.

“They poured in a whole package, which caused a deafening explosion, blowing the stove into a thousand pieces.”

The Elma Iron Rush

Local prospectors are convinced they have struck it rich in the hills east of Elma, filing claims for iron deposits by the wholesale.

“Every man you meet has a pocket full of specimens, and claims are being located by the wholesale.”

The Teacher Who Saved the Schoolhouse

A quick-thinking teacher organized students into a bucket brigade to save a burning schoolhouse at Hughes' mill.

“Miss Simpson, with admirable presence of mind, at once gathered several dinner buckets and organized the children into a bucket brigade.”

A Terrifying Buggy Ride in Elma

A quiet Sunday excursion turned into a medical emergency when a runaway horse left a local man severely injured.

“He was in some manner caught and dragged some distance, and when assistance arrived, he was picked up apparently lifeless.”

The Narrow Escape of the Elma Hotel

A stove long left unused nearly claimed the town's hotel when it was fired up once too often.

“The Elma Hotel was in great danger of burning down one day this week.”

The Uninvited Guest in a Photograph

A local photographer and a prominent couple are left baffled after an extra, unrecognizable figure appears in their portrait.

“Neither Mr. Meriwether, nor Mr. or Mrs. Rogers recognize the person represented, nor can they account for the appearance of the third person.”

The Realities of a Frontier Childhood

A playful rivalry between two young boys in Elma takes a gruesome turn, highlighting the rough-and-tumble nature of early Chehalis County life.

“He said he would 'cut off Willie Eberting's finger when he got well.'”