Hoquiam: A Developing Community Rich in History
A city in Grays Harbor County, Washington State, United States, Hoquiam, means “hungry for wood”. This name was coined by Indian settlers for the river running into Grays Harbor. It was the first site of the Indian village. However, white settlers got immersed in the area in the 1850s due to abundance of game, shellfish, and giant trees. The city was integrated on the twenty first of May, 1890.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city occupies an area of 15.6 square miles. Land makes up 9.2 square miles of the total area while water composes 6.4 square miles. Due to the large composition of water, the city’s climate is oceanic. It may be found in the following latitude and longitude, 46.981N and 123.888W respectively. Hoquiam has an elevation of 20 feet and is found in the Pacific Standard time zone.
From the 2000 Census Data of the city, the total population of 9,097 has 4,672 females and 4,425 males. 22.6% of the total population are 15 years of age and below resulting to a young population. With regard to ethnicity and race, the population is dominated by the whites, followed by Hispanics, American Indian and Alaskan natives, multicultural races, Asians, African Americans, and by Native Hawaiians.
The city has a vast and rich culture and history. Tourists may engage in the city’s historical museums, dramatic murals, and restored monuments. With the following activities such as walking along the 8th Street Landing of Rayonier’s Waterfront Park, touring of the Arnold Polson Museum, shopping at the Farmer’s Market, and viewing of shorebirds migrating at the Bowerman basin, visitors cannot help, but, ask for more. With the Griffits-Priday Ocean State Park and the Ocean City State Park, tourists can learn more about the heritage and life in the city.
The city is highly recognized for the number of festivals it holds such as the Ethnic Heritage Festival in March, Shorebird Migration Festival in April, River Festival during July, Grays Harbor Bluegrass Festival and Push Rods Festival both during August, and Loggers Playday and Harbor Heritage Festival both in the month of September.
In March 2009, because of its noteworthy dedication to community forestry, the city was awarded as a Tree City by the Arbor Day Foundation. It is an answer to the call of the foundation in terms of tree care ordinance, presence of a tree board or a department, a comprehensive community forestry program, and observance and proclamation of Arbor Day in the city. This award celebrates the city’s cleanliness and safeness for its dwellers and residents alike.
The Association of Washington Cities (AWC) awarded the city due to its constant innovation and massive development. Changes in its neighbourhoods, lifestyle of residents, and pedestrian walks garnered an award besting more than 50 entries. This has helped in the improvement of the life.
From its modest beginnings, the Indian settlement has evolved into a developing city.
Learn more about Wade Entezar and the metropolitan of Hoquiam and how it considers the future and its riverfront property.
