History of Monticello, Washington
By Curt Cunningham

The Cowlitz River

The Cowlitz River like the Columbia has been used for the transport of people and cargo long before the Europeans arrived in the early 1800's. The river's headwaters, begin near Mt. Rainier and the water flows westward through deep canyons and emerges at Toledo where it begins to flow on a much smoother course as it turns southward to the Columbia.  

The Cowlitz People called the river, the “Coweliske” meaning, “spirit seeker” and they lived along the river and were experts with a canoe. Before the steamers began to regularly ply the river in the 1860's, the Cowlitz People were the ones who would bring upriver to the landing at Toledo, all the incoming emigrants who were going northward to settle.

The Cowlitz River Valley is a natural transportation route between the Columbia River and Puget Sound and is known as the Cowlitz Corridor. Beginning in the 1850's, Monticello was the starting point for travelers and settlers going northward through the corridor. The town was a busy place for about 15 years before the flood of 1867 washed the town away and Freeport took over as the starting point for northward travel.

Monticello is located on the west side of the Cowlitz River near its mouth and was at first a canoe landing and resting place used by the Cowlitz People who were traveling up and down the Cowlitz River. The landing was nothing more than a clearing on the riverbank. The first Europeans appeared at Monticello in the mid 1820's, when the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) began to use the landing at Monticello while on their way to and from Fort Vancouver and Fort Langley. In the late 1830's traffic by the HBC had increased through the corridor with people now going between Fort Vancouver, the Cowlitz Farms, Fort Nisqually and Fort Langley.

In 1840, the HBC signed a 5 year contract with the Russian-American Company, that was based in Sitka, Alaska to furnish them with grain that was grown on the Cowlitz Farms and beef that was raised on the Lewis River bottoms. The company put Edward Spencer in charge of the facility and built a few buildings for the workers at the old canoe landing near the mouth of the river. Grain was then brought down the river in canoes by the Cowlitz People, where it was then loaded onto the waiting ship. The cattle were driven over on the trail that ran along the Columbia River and over Carrollton Point to reach the little settlement on the opposite side of the river.

At first the HBC would make the Russian ships wait in port while the grain was brought down the river and gradually loaded into the holds. During the last few years of the contract, the company built a small grain storage facility that would be filled before the ship arrived, so that it could be loaded without a delay. After the contract expired in 1845, the Hudson's Bay Company abandoned the property.

In 1848, Harry and Rebecca Jane Huntington arrived at the mouth of the Cowlitz and built a cabin and barn on the abandoned HBC property. Harry was later known by the locals as “Uncle Darby" and a year later he laid out a townsite on his farm and by 1850, there was a general store, post office and a blacksmith shop.

On July 5, 1851, Ed Warbass and Alfred Townsend, who owned a general store at Monticello and another at the Cowlitz Landing, were given the first contract to carry mail between Monticello and the Cowlitz Landing. The steamer James P. Flint would transport the mail from Portland to Monticello where it was transferred to canoes for the trip up the river. In 1852, Warbass & Townsend hired expert Cowlitz canoe operators who began to transport passengers and freight up the river in large canoes. These larger canoes called "bateaux" could haul about a 1,000 pounds of cargo and would make the trip in about 3 days.

By 1851, there were enough voting settlers north of the Columbia that they began to organize a new territorial government. Some of the pioneers had decided that the Oregon Territory should be divided with a separate territory on the north side of the Columbia. On August 29, 1851, the first territorial convention was held at John R. Jackson's cabin at the Highlands and during that convention, they drafted a petition to Congress requesting a new territory and for federal money to help them build roads.

Another convention was held on November 25, 1852, when Uncle Darby hosted what was to be called "The Monticello Convention" at his home. At this convention, consisting of 44 delegates, they signed another petition requesting congress to create a separate territory north of the Columbia River. Washington Territory would be officially created in 1853. There had been some confusion regarding the conventions of Monticello and the Highlands as to which convention actually created the territory. This controversy may have been settled in 1922, when historian Edmund Meany looked into the matter and came to the conclusion that the convention at the Highlands was the one that created the territory.

Before the Military Road to Fort Steilacoom was finished in 1861, the only way to get to Puget Sound from the Columbia River was by canoe to the Cowlitz Landing and then over the portage route known as the Cowlitz Trail to Olympia. Travelers at Portland could take a canoe or a steamer to Monticello or they could use the wagon road that ran up the west side of the Columbia to the little village of Rainier. From Rainier, travelers would then hire a canoe to take them across the Columbia to Monticello. The old foot trail that ran along side the east side of the Columbia and Cowlitz Rivers was used by the settlers to drive their livestock north to the Cowlitz Landing.

On December 18, 1852, the Vancouver Columbian ran an article about the importance of a road up the Cowlitz River to the Landing. Subscription papers had been circulated by hotel owner Fred Clark at the Cowlitz Landing for the construction of a wagon road up the Cowlitz River from Monticello. Every resident in the territory north of the Columbia realized the indispensable necessity for the immediate construction of this road and the citizens of Lewis and Thurston County were determined to complete this project. 

The paper said; "Why is it that hundreds of families of this year's emigration are at this time huddled together in the already flooded valley of the Willamette, with anxious eyes directed towards our inviting borders? Why is it that 500 or a 1,000 families of this year's influx are not even now in the occupancy of our beautiful and fertile prairies with their flocks and domestic herds. It is because of the almost utter impossibility attending an entrance into our country, particularly at this season of the year. A road up the Cowlitz River is second in importance only to the construction of a route across the Cascade Mountains, and the Oregon Territory legislature needs to appropriate funding for the construction of these roads in northern Oregon for the completion of these highly important thoroughfares."

The next year in 1853, Henry Winsor began transporting passengers and cargo in bateauxs, from Monticello to the Cowlitz Landing. the following year, Winsor moved to the Cowlitz Landing where he continued to operate the large canoes and then began renting horses to travelers going between Olympia and the Cowlitz Landing. Winsor also started taking the mail from the Landing to Olympia.

The Military Road

On April 1, 1854, Monticello became the county seat of Cowlitz County and later that summer, the first survey of a road between Monticello and Steilacoom was made. The route was to pass over high ground without any serious hills. The worst portion of the route was about 4 miles north of the bend in Cowlitz River at Olequa, on the ridge dividing the Grand Prairie and Drew's Prairie where heavy grading work would be required. 

Work on the road began in 1857 and by 1858, the road was completed from Monticello to the Jackson Inn at Arkansas Creek across the river from Castle Rock. In 1858, a gold rush was taking place along the Fraser River in Canada and many of these miners who never found any gold were able to find work building the road when they returned penniless. That summer, Uncle Darby and Mr. Holman purchased the steamer Swan and started running passengers and cargo between Monticello and Portland.

In the fall of 1860, Henry Winsor was awarded a contract to carry the mail on the new Military Road between Monticello and Olympia, which was finally completed late in the summer of 1861. As soon as the road was declared open for traffic on August 11, Rice Tilley ran the first Winsor stage over the newly completed road to Olympia.

There was never any formal maintenance work done to the road and by 1866, it had become wore out and was badly in need of improvements. This is what was said of the road in 1866; "That travel passing from the Columbia to the Sound must pass through Monticello and then over a road that no man, woman or child travels, or cattle or horses are driven when this dreadful road can be avoided. The road can be passed over, only with great toil and suffering, and that it is all that can be said in its favor." In 1867, several Army officers from Fort Vancouver, circulated petitions to be sent to congress for money to improve the terrible mud road.

The Transportation Companies Flourish

By 1860, Monticello was booming and Winsor had no shortage of customers. In 1867, Winsor finally got some competition, when Charles Grainger of Monticello and Louis Davis of Claquato were awarded a contract to carry the mail, and they began to haul mail, freight and passengers between Monticello and Olympia. The following account is from a passenger going to Olympia in 1867. 

"At Monticello we find one or more stages waiting to convey mails and passengers to Olympia, and if competition be strong, for very cheap fares. Our stage, on this occasion, is a long, light, open wagon, well loaded down with mad matter. The first 6 miles are along the river bank, in sand and dust, with very little open country in sight, this portion of the Cowlitz valley being of no great extent. Then commences the crossing of the Cowlitz mountains."

On the river, the Oregon Steamship & Navigation Co. was running the Julia and Rescue to Monticello and competed with the Ranger and a few other boats. these steamers would travel between Portland and the Cowlitz Landing. Other boats would go south to Corvallis and west to Astoria and east to the Dalles.

In 1867, a traveler wrote about the spirit of the rivalry, and opposition and it was not confined to the steamboats and stages; "that this competition had recently exhibited itself in the starting of a rival town about a mile above Monticello called Freeport, and although they are so near together, and are so interspersed with orchards and gardens, meadows and grain fields that it is hard to tell which is which, and the only point of difference I have discovered is, that at the upper town (Freeport) they keep some good old fashioned Democratic whisky and at the lower town (Monticello) the Good Templar's have tabooed the grog shops, and will not even drink sweet cider.

The summer of 1867 may have been the peak for the little bustling town of Monticello. At that time the town had 3 general stores, a lumber store, a sawmill, a hotel, a stage depot, a steamer wharf, a school, a grange hall and a doctor's office. The following paragraph is an account of what it was like during that time;

"Monticello is visited daily by steamboats from Portland, and just at the present time enjoys the luxury of a lively opposition between the O. S. & N. Company's steamer Julia, and the Ranger. The result is quite favorable to the traveling community, who can get a nice steamboat ride from Portland to this place for 50 cents. I am somewhat surprised that pleasure seekers do not come here more frequently than they do, instead of going to Astoria." 

"The hunting, fishing, bathing, etc., is equally as good here, the climate is pleasant, the hotels first rate, and the expense but a mere trifle for those in quest of health and amusement should come and see the country. Stages depart 3 times a week for Olympia, making the trip in 2 days, and I am informed there is an opposition line, which makes the trip as often as business will justify, carrying passengers at a cheaper rate than is charged by the old line."

Monticello was described by another visitor from Portland in 1867; "The pleasant little country village from which I date my letter, is situated on the Cowlitz river, about 2 miles from where it empties into the Columbia, on a low, flat bottom, between the two rivers. It is a pretty place, and has a pretty name, and yet, I think it must have been named at random; because the name, when applied to the place, is certainly a misnomer as all the other towns have Indian names. I am told the word means "little mountain" and this is about the only place I have seen in this part of Washington Territory, which is perfectly level. I asked a settler why it was so named, and he did not really know, but reckoned it was because it had to be named."

Actually the town was named by Judge Seth Catlin as he was a staunch admirer of Thomas Jefferson.

The Great Flood

On August 14, 1867, a visitor to Monticello had asked the locals about all the driftwood laying around town. This is his story; "I said this is a pretty place, and so it is, at this season of the year. But from the piles of driftwood seen all over the country, I am led to the conclusion that it is sometimes rather moist under foot though the people say the river does not overflow here, hence, again I am led to conclude that driftwood grows in heaps, happily distributed around among the neighbors for fuel."

Then on December 20, 1867, after a heavy rainstorm, the Cowlitz river flooded and Monticello was almost entirely swept away. The residents were forced to take shelter on higher ground and fortunately no lives were lost. It was said that the river was the highest anyone had seen the it in the last 20 years. Freeport was more fortunate, and was not severely damaged.

Insane Asylum

In 1866, the territorial Legislature awarded a contract to James Huntington and his son to care for the territory's insane citizens. The buildings that housed the patients were across the river from town and the housing at first was inadequate. Uncle Darby was busy at work making improvements, but they were washed away in the flood the next year. The following paragraph is a story told by a visitor about what she saw at the asylum in the summer of 1867 before the flood;

"The Territorial Insane Asylum located at Monticello, and at present I learn there are 15 inmates. The location may be a good one, but I think there must be better places in the Territory than the one selected. The buildings are not yet finished, and do not present a very attractive appearance. A coat or two of paint would improve them. The Territory should take more pride in its public institutions."

After the flood, Uncle Darby salvaged what he could and rebuilt the hospital. In the summer of 1869, a visitor to the hospital had this to say about what she saw; "Mr. Ozi C. Huntington and lady seem full of the milk of human kindness. The more gentle of the insane seem very happy. We spent a pleasant hour there, in spite of the noises of the more turbulent patients and partook of a fine dinner. Dr. C. G. Caples the attending physician was with us. Mr. Henry Huntington is building a very fine house. The Huntington's and Smith's are very enterprising people and Monticello has risen from a disastrous flood like a phoenix from the ashes."

In 1869, the U.S. Government purchased the Puget Sound Agricultural Company's land in Pierce County that included the land of the then abandoned Fort Steilacoom. In 1870, congress donated the buildings and property at Fort Steilacoom for use as a hospital for the insane. In August of 1871, about 25 patients were transferred from Monticello to the new hospital. The Western State Hospital as it is called today continues to operate as an insane asylum. Many of the original officers quarters remain at the old fort, but it is closed to the public.

The End Days

Monticello never really recovered from the flood of 1867 and by 1871, most of the businesses had moved to higher ground at Freeport, which became the starting point for northward travel. In 1881, Joseph Kellogg, had just completed a new wharf for his steamers going between Portland and Toledo and Freeport became a busy transportation hub until the end of the steamer era.

Today the area that was once full of grain, orchards and fields of grass is now the industrial section of the city of Longview. The only remaining item of the old town of Monticello is the Black Walnut tree that was planted in front of Uncle Darby's home in 1852 during the Territorial Convention along with a sign marking the site of Monticello.