Millett Field

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.

The city of Chehalis is located in Washington state and rests upon the Chehalis River. Due to the city's location in the Chehalis Valley along with the nearby confluences of the Newaukum River south of Chehalis and the Skookumchuck River in neighboring Centralia, the community has suffered from numerous floods. Some floods have occurred resulting from overflows of creeks and minor tributaries in the Chehalis river basin, and severe cresting of the Cowlitz River has occasionally led to flooding in the Chehalis area. The flood stage levels of the Chehalis, Newaukum, and Skookumchuck have fluctuated upwards historically, based on the height of dikes, levees, and floodplain surveys. Water inundation from heavy rains and excessive snowmelt has led to a considerable number of historic flooding events in the twin cities of Centralia and Chehalis. Accounts of floods are traced as far back as early Native American settlement and since the beginnings of the city of Chehalis. Most floods occur between November and February, with only one minor event, in April 1991, occurring after March. The 20th century recorded over two dozen notable flooding events in and around the Chehalis community.

Chehalis ( shə-HAY-lis) is a city in and the county seat of Lewis County, Washington. The population was 7,439 at the time of the 2020 census.The city is located in the Chehalis valley and is split by I-5 and Washington State Route 6. It is twinned with the bordering city of Centralia. The communities of Napavine and Newaukum lie directly south, with the town of Adna to the west. Due to the community's location on the Chehalis River, and the nearby confluences of the Newaukum and Skookumchuck rivers, the city has experienced several historic flooding events during its history. Incorporated in 1883, Chehalis was primarily a logging and railroad town, with a shift towards farming in the mid-20th century. The city has bolstered its economy in the 21st century with a focus in manufacturing and warehousing. Chehalis is home to the historic neighborhood of Claquato, the Chehalis–Centralia Airport, and the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds. The city has several distinct historical areas and boasts 11 locations on the list of National Register of Historic Places, more than any other region in Lewis County. Several museums that highlight motorcycles, veterans and military history, and the Chehalis history of railroads are located within the city limits. Chehalis contains approximately 273 acres (110 ha) of parks, most begun by land donations and are overseen by volunteer community efforts. The community is known locally for its annual summer event, ChehalisFest. The city anchors the beginning trailhead for the Willapa Hills Trail and accommodates riders during the Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic. Chehalis once was home to a championship minor league baseball team and often welcomed barnstorming ballclubs and competitions featuring teams from Negro league baseball. In the 21st century, Chehalis initiated several charity, volunteer, and local government sponsored groups to revitalize the city, with focus on renovations to its historic downtown district, the upgrading of the community's transit sector, and increasing the education and graduation rate within the school district. Additional efforts of improvements were led via art programs and renovations to its parks.

The Lewis County Courthouse is a neo-classical Beaux-Arts inspired courthouse located in Chehalis, Washington. The structure was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 18, 2014. The Lewis County Courthouse is the last of possibly 7 or more courthouses that represented the county, including two prior judicial buildings in the city of Chehalis. The first official courthouse is debated between the home of Judge Sidney Ford in Ford's Prairie or the log cabin Jackson Courthouse under early pioneer John R. Jackson in present-day Mary's Corner. Judicial proceedings were known to have taken place on the homesteads of other prominent, early settlers in Lewis County. The first courthouse built on order of the county government was located in Claquato, temporarily becoming the county seat. The county seat moved to Chehalis in 1874 and the first courthouse in the city was constructed that same year. The structure served as a centralized judicial building until possibly 1901, when the county purchased a mixed-use hotel, entertainment, and commercial building built by the matriarch of Chehalis, Elizabeth Barrett Saunders. Known as the Barret Block Courthouse, it was often in disrepair, considered unsanitary, and experienced several prison escapes. The site was criticized consistently in the local press for its lack of facility and the building's eyesore nature. Moderate attempts to keep the building in working order were undertaken and it lasted as use as a courthouse until the Lewis County Courthouse was completed in June 1927. The Lewis County Courthouse held a dedication on June 17, 1927 after two years of construction. Attended by prominent government officials and a large crowd, the festivities included an evening ball. The courthouse was declared to last 100 years and, as the "people's courthouse", was always open to any and all Lewis County citizens. The courthouse, designed by Jacque "Jack" DeForest Griffin, was erected at a cost of over $418,000 on a corner lot at Main Street and Chehalis Avenue on grounds that contained a church and other buildings. The four-story structure is built mostly of concrete, with Tenino sandstone, carved inscriptions, and various motifs on the exterior. Bronze doors dominate the main entrance on North Street. The interior is dominated by a central staircase and the building contains original woodwork. Painting restoration efforts in the early 2000s reflected the initial wall colors of the 1920s. It once contained a jail on the attic floor from which several escapes were attempted, some successful. The courthouse floors include a basement and mezzanine and numerous original details still remain within the corridors of the building. The courthouse, despite being built with expansion in mind, began to suffer from overcrowding in the coming decades. The judicial building became a focal point of a larger government campus created to alleviate the crowding issue, beginning with the build of a 1950s annex known as the Lewis County Public Health Building. Continuing issues over a lack of functional space led to the construction of the Lewis County Law and Justice Center annex in the late 1970s, and the Lewis County Jail at the turn of the century. The Law and Justice Center once contained a skyway that connected to the courthouse, its purpose to ferry prisoners between the two buildings. The skywalk, the only such architectural feature in the county at the time, was removed for lack of use and deterioration in 2002. The Lewis County Courthouse has experienced over its lifetime several fires, acts of prisoner violence, vandalism, and is often a site for local protests. The building has also undergone numerous remodels, renovations, and restorations as needs for the county government has changed. Despite the necessary alterations over the years, restorations have allowed the courthouse to remain true to its original state. As of 2014, the courthouse's rebuild value was reported to be $140 million. The judicial building has been noted for its permanence of construction, historic character, ties to courthouse history in the county, and is considered to be an excellent example of pride within Lewis County and the city of Chehalis.

The Chehalis Post Office is a federal post office in Chehalis, Washington. The Georgian Revival building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) since 1991. The site has been declared a historic building by the Chehalis Historic Preservation Commission. The post office is the only federal building in the city and was completed and dedicated in 1934. The Chehalis MPO, as it is listed in the NRHP form, was the last post office constructed in Chehalis. The build ended a stretch of perhaps nine different postal locations in the community. The first office was established in 1858 at the homestead of Schuyler and Elizabeth Saunders, the founding family of what later became Chehalis. The brick building was constructed for $97,400 during the Great Depression by the Works Progress Administration. Two stories tall, the structure was one of the last federal Beaux-Arts-style buildings erected and an example of 1930s architecture used by the United States government. The exterior contains several features of note, including numerous semi-circular windows, dormers, a front pediment entrance, as well as various terra cotta designs and motifs. Materials, which included sandstone, were mostly procured in the Pacific Northwest. The interior was built with modern amenities of the time and many features, including flooring and millwork, remain in the present day. The first floor hosts the post office's public duties, and the building contains a basement, mezzanine, and a second floor used for office space. Outside of natural upgrades and maintenance, the Chehalis Post Office is considered to remain in a mostly unaltered state. Located in between two other NRHP-listed sites, the Chehalis Downtown Historic District and the Lewis County Courthouse, the post office serves as a central hub for local mail deliveries and rural routes expanding across Lewis County. The Chehalis Post Office reached first class status in 1937 and mail service has operated continuously in the city since September 1870.

Green Hill School is part of Washington state's correctional system under the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration, and is the state's only maximum security penitentiary for youths. It is located in the South Market district of Chehalis on I-5, next to Recreation Park. The school is independently managed by the Washington Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF). It provides "academic classes and vocational training and works" for adolescent males who have been incarcerated.

The Pennsylvania Avenue-West Side Historic District is a neighborhood located in Chehalis, Washington and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) since 1991. The district is one of three NRHP neighborhoods in the city, including the Chehalis Downtown Historic District and the Hillside Historic District. The city of Chehalis recognizes a much broader and expansive historic district, known under such monikers as the Historic West Side or the Westside neighborhood, with the inclusion of several other homes and streets. The neighborhood began in the 1880s and was mostly built up by 1915. Early, prominent members of the Chehalis community platted, built, and resided in the historic district. Residences were constructed in a variety of architectural styles with American Foursquare, Craftsman, and Late-Victorian the most numerous or notable of homes. The area is known for its ornamental street lamps, first installed in 1929. The district was once home to the West Side School, which was destroyed in an earthquake in 1949, and is home to Westside Park. The O. K. Palmer House, an NRHP-listed home, is located within the Pennsylvania Avenue-West Side Historic District.

The Hillside Historic District is a neighborhood located on Park Hill in Chehalis, Washington and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) since 1996. It is one of three NRHP neighborhoods in the city, including the Pennsylvania Avenue-West Side Historic District and the Chehalis Downtown Historic District, which borders the Hillside District. Numerous homes have been awarded recognition by the Chehalis Historic Preservation Commission for their architectural and historical importance to the city. The hillside was originally part of a land claim under the Saunders family, the founders of what would later become the city of Chehalis. The area was used for timber and mining in the community's early days. The build of a residential neighborhood began in 1888 with the first homes erected by 1890. Progress was initially slow with a major expansion of home construction occurring during the mid-to-late 1900s, which also included several infrastructure improvements such as a reservoir and sewer system. Several pioneer and prominent Chehalis families resided in the Hillside District during the early 20th century, many of which either owned large tracts on the hill or helped to expand the neighborhood further. In the 1920s, another infrastructure and residential expansion progressed and by the 1930s, the district was considered mostly complete. The hillside underwent the addition of modern changes, such as the construction of apartment buildings, in the 1960s and 1970s. The Hillside District contains a variety of differing residential architectural styles, including American Foursquare and several types of American Craftsman and Craftsman Bungalows. Distinct styles in the neighborhood include Dutch Colonial, French Eclectic, Queen Anne, Tudor Revival, and Victorian. Several homes contain turrets, a rare architectural touch in the city. Most homes, due to the upslope of the hill, have views of Chehalis and the surrounding river valley. The district is home to John Dobson and McFadden Parks and the Troop 373 and 7373 Scout Lodge, an NRHP-listed site.

The St. Helens Hotel, also known as the St. Helens Inn, is located in Chehalis, Washington and has been registered on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) since 1991. The historic hotel is situated on the south end of the Chehalis Downtown Historic District, an NRHP-listed district. The first St. Helens Hotel was a wooden inn built in the late 19th century and owned by William West, a prominent Chehalis pioneer. Due to a growing, modern city and an increase in travelers through the region, the hotel was rebuilt of brick and expanded between 1917 and 1921. The West family continued full or partial ownership of the hotel since its inception until 1976, when the St. Helens underwent a full conversion as an apartment house. Named after Mt. St. Helens, the hotel was a center for civic activity in the city during its peak and hosted numerous events and guests during its run as a hotel. The St. Helens is the tallest building in Chehalis and is the core marker of the downtown district.

The Chehalis Downtown Historic District is located in Chehalis, Washington and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One of three NRHP districts in the city, including the Hillside Historic District and Pennsylvania Avenue-West Side Historic District, the district represents three separate development periods. The community was an important timber hub and freight exchange stop between south Puget Sound and Portland, Oregon. The historic district is home to the St. Helens Hotel and is located in the northeastern part of the city and includes North Market Boulevard, Northwest Pacific Avenue, Northeast Cascade Avenue, Northeast Boistfort, Front Way, and Northeast Division.

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 Park System, local cities and towns often maintain areas of the trail within their jurisdictions. The trail is built upon a decommissioned railroad track.

The Chehalis–Centralia Railroad (CHTX) is a heritage railroad based in Chehalis, Washington. The railroad operated No. 15, a 2-8-2 steam locomotive built by Baldwin in 1916, over a 10-mile section of former Milwaukee Road track. The route was originally built by the Puget Sound & Willapa Harbor Railway in 1914 and winds through scenic hills, farmland, and over several wooden trestles over the Chehalis River, along with various tributary streams including the Newaukum River. Operations were suspended indefinitely in 2022 due to insurance issues.