12/1/2011 History Enhanced Through Plaque Project

Downtown Chehalis Businesses Enhance History Through Plaques for Popular Walking Tour

The Chronicle, Thursday, December 1, 2011
By Christopher Brewer

Historic buildings in downtown Chehalis have changed hands over more than 100 years, and their purposes have become completely different than what they were originally intended, but their histories can come alive once again as part of a free self-guided walking tour that has been in place for two years.

That tour, popular since it started in 2009 as part of a push to revitalize downtown Chehalis through the Chehalis Community Renaissance Team, is receiving an enhancement these days as small cast-iron plaques will bear the name of each building’s original name.

The aim is to make the walking tour more interactive and act as sort of a wayfinding point for places referred to in booklets that denote historic places in the self-guided walking tour.

CCRT member David Hartz, who owns Book ‘n’ Brush, a mainstay in downtown Chehalis that was once home to a department store with quite the creative name that billed itself as the largest between Portland and Tacoma, said the history of his building comes alive each day he’s there — and he wants to share that history with people interested in it.

“It actually called itself ‘The Big Department Store’ because it occupied both stories,” Hartz said. “Nowadays, we’re here and the big space in back is our back of store, and the upstairs is actually five apartments. It’s amazing how time changes things.”

Hartz was joined Tuesday by Boistfort resident Matt Knutsen, a carpenter who donated his time to install the plaques on two buildings along Market Boulevard, including his own. Within weeks, pending approval of business and building owners, over 40 buildings in the greater downtown Chehalis area will bear the small markers corresponding to points in free booklets that share each point’s history, complete with historic photos of each venue.

“It’s exciting to see what this will do not just for people learning history here, but it will help bring them into the stores as well,” Knutsen said, calling his portion of the work a big history lesson. “It’s really opened my eyes to what all is down here. Everyone that has the opportunity should learn about this history of this place.”

According to the city of Chehalis, more than 4,000 of the books have been printed, signifying a popular interest in the history of the Mint City. But the Chehalis Foundation took the idea one step further, donating $4,500 for the plaques to be installed — an anonymous donor contributed $1,000 and each building owner was asked to contribute $100. So far, the response has been positive.

“There is so much value in our history here in Chehalis that I don’t know of anyone who has hesitated to contribute,” Hartz said. “I donated immediately when they asked me.”

The team plans to install more of the plaques over the coming weeks and months.

Booklets for the tour are available at Book ‘n’ Brush, Chehalis City Hall, the Vernetta Smith Chehalis Timberland Library, Lewis County Historical Museum and A Taste of Eden.