Cowlitz County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2010 census, its population was 102,410. The county seat is Kelso, and its largest city is Longview. The county was formed in April 1854. Its name derives from the anglicized version of the Cowlitz Indian term, Cow-e-liske, meaning either "river of shifting sands" or "capturing the medicine spirit."
Kelso is a city in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Washington and is the county seat of Cowlitz County. At the 2010 census, the population was 11,925. Kelso is part of the Longview, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 102,410. Kelso shares its long western border with Longview. It is near Mount St. Helens.
Cougar is an unincorporated community and former town in Cowlitz County, Washington. Cougar is located around 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Woodland along Washington State Route 503 and situated along the northwest bank of Yale Lake, a reservoir on the Lewis River. The population was 122 at the 1990 Census, when it was still incorporated as a town, but disincorporated before the 2000 Census. The Cougar community is part of the Woodland School District, a K-12 school district of about 2,200 students. Cougar is the nearest community to Mount St. Helens, which lies 13 miles (20.9215 km) to its northeast. The eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980 was the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in the history of the United States.
Carrolls is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington, south of the city of Kelso. Carrolls is located south on Old Pacific Highway from exit 36 of Interstate 5. The Carrolls community is part of the Kelso School District, a K-12 school district of nearly 5,000 students.
Silver Lake, sometimes Silverlake, is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington, in the southwestern portion of the state. Silver Lake is located 6 miles (9.7 km) east of Castle Rock along Washington State Route 504, which is also known as the Spirit Lake Memorial Highway. The area considered Silverlake is about 6 miles (10 km) east of Interstate 5 (I-5) and is approximately 50 miles (80 km) from Portland, Oregon, to the south and Seattle about 110 miles (180 km) to the north. The closest cities to the subject property are Castle Rock, six miles (10 km) to the west, and Toutle, four miles (6 km) east.
The Aldercrest-Banyon landslide was a major slow-moving landslide in the east Kelso, Washington neighborhood of Aldercrest beginning in early 1998 through 1999. The disaster ended up being one of the worst urban landslides in United States history in terms of cost. The landslide is one of the most notable in Washington state, which has many landslides due to its mountainous terrain. The Aldercrest-Banyon landslide was the first landslide disaster in the United States that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) declared an official disaster area.
Ostrander is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington, north of the city of Kelso. Ostrander is located north on North Pacific Avenue from exit 42 of Interstate 5. The Ostrander community is part of the Kelso School District, a K-12 school district of nearly 5,000 students.
Rose Valley is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington, southeast of the city of Kelso. Rose Valley is located south on Old Pacific Highway from exit 36 of Interstate 5, then east on Rose Valley Road. The Rose Valley community is part of the Kelso School District, a K-12 school district of nearly 5,000 students.
Vision Acres is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington, south of the city of Kelso. Vision Acres is located south on Old Pacific Highway from exit 36 of Interstate 5. The Vision Acres community is part of the Kelso School District, a K-12 school district of nearly 5,000 students.
Pleasant Hill is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington, south of the city of Castle Rock. Pleasant Hill is located along or near Pleasant Hill Road between Castle Rock and Ostrander. The northern end of Pleasant Hill community is part of the Castle Rock School District, while the southern end is part of the Kelso School District.
Rocky Point is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington, north of the city of Kelso. Rocky Point is located directly north of Kelso along or near North Pacific Avenue. The Rocky Point community is part of the Kelso School District, a K-12 school district of nearly 5,000 students.
Sandy Bend is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington, south of the city of Castle Rock, west of Washington State Route 411, and to the west of the Cowlitz River. Sandy Bend is located along or near Sandy Bend Road between Castle Rock and West Side Highway. The Sandy Bend community is part of the Castle Rock School District, a K-12 school district of about 1,300 students.
Headquarters is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington, southeast of the city of Castle Rock. The Headquarters community is split between the Castle Rock School District, the Kelso School District and the Toutle Lake School District.
Harrington Place, also known as Herrington Place, is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington. Harrington Place is located east of the city of Castle Rock and along the South Fork Toutle River. Harrington Place is accessed by about 19 miles (31 km) of logging roads off of Washington State Route 504, also known as the Spirit Lake Memorial Highway, after reaching the community of Toutle while traveling eastbound. The Harrington Place community is part of the Kelso School District, a K-12 school district of nearly 5,000 students.
Saint Helens is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington. Saint Helens is located east of the city of Castle Rock and along the North Fork Toutle River. Saint Helens is reached by traveling 24 miles (39 km) east of Castle Rock along Washington State Route 504, which is also known as the Spirit Lake Memorial Highway. The Saint Helens community takes its name from Mount St. Helens, which, in turn, was named by explorer George Vancouver after a friend of his, Baron St. Helens. The Saint Helens community is part of the Toutle Lake School District, a K-12 school district of about 600 students.
Kid Valley is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington. Kid Valley is located east of the city of Castle Rock and along the North Fork Toutle River. Kid Valley is reached by traveling 17.8 miles (28.6 km) east of Castle Rock along Washington State Route 504, which is also known as the Spirit Lake Memorial Highway. The Kid Valley community is part of the Toutle Lake School District, a K-12 school district of about 600 students.
Sightly is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington. Sightly is located east of the city of Castle Rock and east of Silver Lake. Sightly is reached by taking exit 49 off of Interstate 5, traveling 10.4 miles (16.7 km) east along Washington State Route 504, which is also known as the Spirit Lake Memorial Highway, and then traveling 2.4 miles (3.9 km) along Sightly Road. The Sightly community was given its name due to its views of Mount St. Helens. The Sightly community is part of the Toutle Lake School District, a K-12 school district of about 600 students.
Caples is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington. The Caples community is located 2.44 miles (3.93 km) west of Woodland along Caples Road, on the east shore of Columbia River and across the river from Columbia City, Oregon. The Caples community is part of the Woodland School District, a K-12 school district of about 2,200 students.
Olequa, also known as Olequah, is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington. Olequa is located north of the city of Castle Rock on the west bank of the Cowlitz River. Olequa is accessed by traveling 7.5 miles (12.1 km) north on West Side Highway from Castle Rock. The Olequa community is part of the Castle Rock School District, a K-12 school district of about 1,300 students.
Evergreen Terrace is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington. Evergreen Terrace is located northwest of the city of Longview, reached by traveling westbound out of the city along Pacific Way, and turning onto Pacific Terrace. The Evergreen Terrace community is part of the Longview School District, a K-12 school district of about 6,600 students.
