The Great Chehalis Flood
A historic deluge leaves mill workers homeless and livestock lost as record tides overwhelm the river valley.
A considerable portion of the lower part of the Chehalis mills was washed out by the high water last week, and the fences also were swept away with the tides. Most of the mill men of West Chehalis were forced to leave their homes and lodge for a time in the hotels. The water swept over the farms of John Wilson and did considerable damage. Mr. A. Djoeboe lost a few head of sheep, and hay presses belonging to Mr. T. L. Spooner were somewhat injured. At Chehalis the tides were also higher than ever known before, and several people residing near the Chehalis River had to leave their homes.
“At Chehalis the tides were also higher than ever known before, and several people residing near the Chehalis River had to leave their homes.”
The vulnerability of riverside communities to extreme weather and rising tides remains a persistent challenge for Western Washington. Today’s climate-induced flooding in the Chehalis River basin continues to echo this 1887 report, underscoring the enduring struggle between settlement patterns and the natural volatility of our river valleys.
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