Fords Prairie, Washington

Fords Prairie, Washington
Census-designated place
Location of Fords Prairie, Washington
Coordinates: 46°44′50″N123°00′10″W / 46.74722°N 123.00278°W / 46.74722; -123.00278
Country	United States
State	Washington
County	Lewis
Area [1]
• Total	3.85 sq mi (9.98 km2)
• Land	3.73 sq mi (9.65 km2)
• Water	0.13 sq mi (0.33 km2)
Elevation [2]	167 ft (51 m)
Population  (2020) [3]
• Total	2,234
• Density	526/sq mi (203.0/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	98531
Area code	360
FIPS code	53-24565 [4]
GNIS feature ID	2408227 [2]

Fords Prairie is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 2,234 at the 2020 census. ^[3]

History

The area was originally called "Tasunshun" by the Upper Chehalis tribe, the Quiyaisk. ^[5] Fords Prairie was named after Judge Sidney S. Ford, Sr. and his wife Nancy, who were among the earliest white pioneers who settled north of the Columbia River in 1846 in what was then a part of Oregon Territory. Their 640-acre (260 ha) Ford Donation Land Claim abutting the Chehalis River was the center of what became known as Fords Prairie, which became an important travelling stop between the Columbia River and Puget Sound. ^[6]

The community was notified in late 2024 by the city of Centralia and several Lewis County departments that drinking water within Ford's Prairie may be unsafe. Nitrate levels had been recorded as increasing in wells in 2023, leading to additional testing of private well water which confirmed a regional issue. No official announcement of contamination was issued but potential causes that were considered included seepage of bird manure from a local game farm and leaking septic systems. ^[7]

Geography

Ford's Prairie is often considered a neighborhood of Centralia, which borders the community to the south. ^[7] Grand Mound, in Thurston County, borders Ford's Prairie to the north. Interstate 5 forms the eastern edge of the CDP, with access from Exit 82 (Harrison Avenue) in Centralia.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Fords Prairie CDP has a total area of 3.9 square miles (10.0 km²), of which 3.7 square miles (9.7 km²) are land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²), or 3.27%, are water. The community sits on the east side of the Chehalis River, which flows northwest to the Pacific Ocean at Grays Harbor.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1960	1,404		—
1970	2,250		60.3%
1980	2,582		14.8%
1990	2,480		−4.0%
2000	1,961		−20.9%
2010	1,959		−0.1%
2020	2,234		14.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [8] 2020 Census [3]

As of the census ^[4] of 2000, there were 1,961 people, 785 households, and 588 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 502.0 people per square mile (193.6/km²). There were 820 housing units at an average density of 209.9/sq mi (81.0/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 93.83% White, 0.05% African American, 1.07% Native American, 1.53% Asian, 0.31% Pacific Islander, 1.43% from other races, and 1.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.62% of the population.

There were 785 households, out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.7% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 21.5% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 20.7% from 25 to 44, 29.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $42,927, and the median income for a family was $47,829. Males had a median income of $34,073 versus $26,344 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $21,610. About 4.2% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.9% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Ford's Prairie is the location of the Wesley Everest Gravesite, a National Register of Historic Places listing since 1991. ^[9]

Parks and recreation

The Fort Borst Park complex, which includes the Borst Home and Pioneer Park Dog Park, is situated south of the area. The Discovery Trail, opened in 2006, meanders inside the riparian zone next to the Chehalis River, is northwest of the region. ^[10] The community is home to the Bob Oke Game Farm, a pheasant hunting site funded and overseen by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The grounds were opened in the 1950s and known as the Lewis County Game Farm. ^[7]

Government and politics

As of 2024 ^[update] , Ford's Prairie is considered part of Centralia's urban growth area. Both the county and city of Centralia are in a joint jurisdictional agreement, which includes determination of public utilities. ^[7]

Presidential Elections Results

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third parties
2020 [11]	64.55%508	32.27% 254	3.18% 25

Fords Prairie is recognized as being majority Republican. As Fords Prairie is an unincorporated community, there are no defined bounds and the precinct may be incongruous with the census boundaries.

The 2020 election included 14 votes for candidates of the Libertarian Party and 8 votes for write-in candidates.

Education

Centralia High School is located within Ford's Prairie. ^[7]

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files –Washington". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Fords Prairie, Washington
3. "2020 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File". American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau . Retrieved March 16, 2022.
4. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
5. McDonald, Julie (October 28, 2019). "Descendant of Pioneers Shares Living History in Free One-Woman Play". The Chronicle. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
6. Herndon Smith (1942). Centralia: The First Fifty Years. Gorham Printing.
7. "Centralia, county staff continue testing Fords Prairie neighborhood wells; cause of nitrate contamination yet to be identified". The Chronicle. December 20, 2024. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
8. "U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. Retrieved June 7, 2013.
9. Mittge, Brian (September 3, 2002). "1919 massacre remembered". The Chronicle. pp. A1, A11. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
10. Trent, Eric (September 9, 2020). "Invasive Plant Removal Planned at Discovery Trail Saturday". The Chronicle. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
11. "Lewis County 2020 Election". Results.Vote.WA. Retrieved July 20, 2021.