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Address | Chehalis, Washington |
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Coordinates | 46°39′47″N122°57′30″W / 46.6630°N 122.9582°W 46°39′41″N122°57′03″W / 46.6613°N 122.9507°W |
John Dobson and McFadden Parks were once the center of the Chehalis, Washington park system and they were referred to by residents as the "Top-of-the-Hill" parks due to their proximity to one another. [1] [2] They are the two oldest non-athletic parks in Chehalis. Begun as memorials to well respected Chehalis residents, they are located in the Hillside district on Park Hill, above and east of the historic downtown. The parks are connected by the Dobson-McFadden Trail.
Despite the local community continuing to legally use the parks, they are technically closed as the city does not budget for maintenance except for efforts to clear brush to lower the risk of wildfire. [1]
John Dobson Park | |
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![]() Dedication marker at John Dobson Park | |
Type | Picnic, hiking |
Area | 15.5-acres (6.3 ha) [lower-alpha 1] |
Created | 1908 |
Founder | Chehalis Land & Timber Company |
Status | Closed; trail is open |
Hiking trails | Dobson-McFadden Trail |
Habitats | Forested |
Parking | Limited |
Facilities | Scout Lodge (closed) |
John Dobson Park was named after a local farmer who became a prominent Chehalis banker. [3] Donated by the Chehalis Land & Timber Company in his name in 1908 after his death, [lower-alpha 2] the initial plot was 15.5-acres (6.3 ha) [4] [5] and the park has had various listings of its acreage, reaching up to 26-acres (11 ha) in size. [1] The city officially received the deed to the park in 1924. [6]
Despite repeated plans to cultivate the land into a park by early Chehalis park commissions, the area would be consistently listed for years as undeveloped. In 1924, a lack of oversight and questions of deed ownership led to the unauthorized cutting of 50 trees on the land. [7] No major improvements were completed until a reservoir, with a capacity of 1-million gallons, was built on the site in the 1920s. [8] [9] The reservoir would be expanded to 5-million gallons in 1927. [10]
A formal dedication of the park was held in July 1933, and the land was listed as being increased to 22.0 acres (8.9 ha). [11] Interest in building up the park was reinvigorated, with the city making early, but ultimately unrealized, plans to build a swimming pool on the Dobson tract in the mid-1930s. [12] Construction of a community recreational building and playgrounds, including the Troop 373 and 7373 Scout Lodge, was begun in 1937 as part of the Works Progress Administration. [13] A water filtration plant was built on the grounds in 1960. [14]
McFadden Park began in 1912 as a donation to the city in memory of Obadiah B. McFadden, a Washington Territory Supreme Court judge. [15] The area was rededicated in 1945 by Mr. McFadden's grandson, Winlock Miller, and a plaque presented for the site. [16] The area encompasses 28-acres (11 ha) with views of Mt. Rainier and the Olympic Mountains. The park has been outfitted and improved over the years with a covered kitchen, picnic areas, trails, and playgrounds. [15] [17] Various improvements to the site took place in the early 1960s with the construction of a main "rim road" and a water filtration plant for the city. [18] [19] By 1973, due to costs associated with pervasive and destructive vandalism to the kitchen and picnic areas, the city announced that no further repairs were to be attempted. [20] In addition to vandalism, McFadden Park's location and competition from newer recreational areas in Chehalis, led to the park being considered closed by the city in the late 1980s. Several antenna towers dominate over the site. [21]
Dobson-McFadden Trail | |
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Troop 373 and 7373 Scout Lodge near the Dobson-McFadden trailhead | |
Length | 1.3 miles (2.1 km) |
Use | Hiking |
Elevation gain/loss | 360 feet (109.7 m) |
Elevation change | Steep |
Difficulty | Easy to moderate |
Hazards | Overgrowth, steep incline at beginning of trail |
Surface | Bark, soil, gravel |
Maintained by | Chehalis Parks and Recreation |
Website | Chehalis Parks and Recreation - Dobson-McFadden Trail |
A trail, the Dobson-McFadden, is accessible at the National Register of Historic Places listed Troop 373 and 7373 Scout Lodge. The trail is 1.3 miles (2.1 km) long with an elevation gain of 360 feet (109.7 m) [22] as it bridges the parks and leads to open views to much of Chehalis, including downtown, and the Newaukum River valley. [1]
Chehalis is a city in and the county seat of Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 7,439 at the time of the 2020 census.
Obadiah Benton McFadden was an American attorney and politician in the Pacific Northwest. He was the 8th justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, temporarily serving on the court to replace Matthew Deady. A Pennsylvania native, he later was a legislator in the Washington Territory, and he served in Congress representing that territory.
Rainbow Falls State Park is a public recreation area on the Chehalis River. It is situated off Washington State Route 6 and is approximately 1.0-mile (1.6 km) east of the town of Dryad, Washington.
Claquato Church is a historic Methodist church located off Washington State Route 6 in Claquato, Washington. It is the oldest standing church building in the state of Washington.
Littell is an unincorporated community in Lewis County, Washington, United States, located off Washington State Route 6 between the towns of Adna and Claquato.
McCormick is an unincorporated community off Washington State Route 6 in Lewis County, in the U.S. state of Washington.
Meskill is an unincorporated community off Washington State Route 6 in Lewis County, Washington. The town is located near Rainbow Falls State Park, and rests between Ceres and Dryad. The Willapa Hills Trail bisects the area.
Wildwood is an unincorporated community in Lewis County, in the U.S. state of Washington. The town is located between Boistfort and Vader. The community's early days, similar to other areas in Lewis County, had an economy driven by lumber production however it has retained its predominant agricultural roots. The area is known for its elk hunting.
Parks and recreation in Chehalis, Washington is administered by the Chehalis Parks and Recreation Department. Trails that connect Chehalis with locations beyond the city limits are maintained in conjunction with other local jurisdictions, state government agencies, and/or local non-profit groups and volunteers.
The Recreation Park Complex is located in Chehalis, Washington in the city's South Market district near the Green Hill School. The venue, also known as the Chehalis Sports Complex, contains four distinct parks within its borders, providing recreation for athletics, walking, swimming, and playground activities.
Westside Park is located in Chehalis, Washington in the city's Pennsylvania Avenue-West Side Historic District which was catalogued on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1991.
Stan Hedwall Park is the largest park in Chehalis, Washington at 204-acres. It is located west of I-5, and southeast of Lintott-Alexander Park and the beginning trailhead for the Willapa Hills Trail.
Millett Field is the oldest, continuously used public park in Chehalis, Washington and is most noted as home to a Chehalis minor-league baseball team in the early 20th century. The ballfield was regularly used as the central hub of Chehalis sporting activity for decades, including hosting games for several Negro League teams in the 1920s. Located in the city's South Market district, one block north of the NRHP-listed O. B. McFadden House, the 3.3-acre (1.3 ha) park began in 1898.
Lintott-Alexander Park is a 6-acre (2.4 ha) park in Chehalis, Washington, located west of I-5 and south of Washington State Route 6. Due to its location in a bend of the Chehalis River and at the confluence of the Newaukum River, the park can flood in most years.
Henderson Park is located in Chehalis, Washington in the city's South Market district and is a block northeast of nearby Recreation Park.
The Willapa Hills Trail is a 56.0-mile (90.1 km) intercounty rail trail in the U.S. state of Washington that is part of the Willapa Hills State Park. Following an east–west route alongside State Route 6, the tract links Chehalis and South Bend, traveling through or near several small towns and parks along the way. Overseen by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, local cities and towns often maintain areas of the trail within their jurisdictions. The trail is built upon a decommissioned railroad track.
Mary's Corner is an unincorporated community located in Lewis County, Washington. The area sits at the crossroads of U.S. Route 12 and Jackson Highway. The community is 11 miles (18 km) south of Chehalis and 4 miles (6.4 km) west of the town of Ethel.
Winston, also known as Winston Creek, is an unincorporated community located in Lewis County, Washington. The rural, residential community sits in the mid-south area of Lewis County and is 3.0 miles (4.8 km) southeast of Mayfield and 4.0 miles (6.4 km) northeast of Wilson.
The O. K. Palmer House is the historic home of Osmer K. Palmer and is located in Chehalis, Washington. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1986 and is situated in the city's NRHP-listed Pennsylvania Avenue-West Side Historic District.
The O. B. McFadden House is the historic home of Obadiah B. McFadden and is located in Chehalis, Washington. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1975 and is situated south of Millett Field. The house is the oldest structure in Lewis County and the oldest residence in Chehalis.
Photos of park vandalism