CLear Lake - Washington Ghost Town

CLEAR LAKE

NAME: Clear Lake
COUNTY: Skagit
ROADS: 2WD
GRID: 6
CLIMATE: Cool winter and summer.
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Anytime.

COMMENTS: Semi-ghost.
REMAINS: Many original buildings.

Some of the finest timber in the world covered the mountain foothills adjacent to Clear Lake. There were fir, cedar, hemlock, spruce, white pine, larch, and deciduous trees. Although there were settlers in the area as early as 1877, it was not until 1891 that the community of Clear Lake began to grow. In that year, a shingle mill was built followed by a number of other businesses to support a growing population. By December, 1899, there were several hotels, a meat market, a telephone company, a community church, and a school building among others. In 1906, the population had grown to 350 people. Clear Lake was a logging town with logging camps sprawled throughout the area. Fifty million feet of logs could be stored in Clear Lake while awaiting mill operations. At least a 1,000 people lived there around 1915 plus another 500 or 500 in camps around the outskirts of the town. By 1925, the mill, heart of the town, failed and brought down many Clear Lake businesses with it. Today, the town is a ghost of its former self. Submitted by Henry Chenowith.

Some of the finest timber in the world covered the mountain foothills adjacent to Clear Lake. There were fir, cedar, hemlock, spruce, white pine, larch, and deciduous trees. Although there were settlers in the area as early as 1877, it was not until 1891 that the community of Clear Lake began to grow. In that year, a shingle mill was built followed by a number of other businesses to support a growing population. By December, 1899, there were several hotels, a meat market, a telephone company, a community church, and a school building among others. In 1906, the population had grown to 350 people. Clear Lake was a logging town with logging camps sprawled throughout the area. Fifty million feet of logs could be stored in Clear Lake while awaiting mill operations. At least a 1,000 people lived there around 1915 plus another 500 or 500 in camps around the outskirts of the town. By 1925, the mill, heart of the town, failed and brought down many Clear Lake businesses with it. Today, the town is a ghost of its former self. Submitted by Henry Chenowith.

BACK