Onalaska, Washington
Unincorporated community in Lewis County · Not an incorporated municipality
About Onalaska
Onalaska is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Lewis County, Washington, United States. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 657. Onalaska is located along Washington State Route 508.
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How Onalaska is governed
Onalaska appears to be an unincorporated community or a census-designated place, so it may have no city government of its own — services usually come from Lewis County and its elected officials. The chart below is a generic template; readers can correct it if Onalaska does have local officials.
Form of government not yet listed.
0 of 14 positions listed. Gray dashed boxes are placeholders waiting for a name.
Residents of Onalaska
Registered voters elect the officials below.
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Mayor
Executive
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The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.
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City Manager / Administrator
Executive
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The professional administrator who runs day-to-day operations (in some cities appointed by the council instead of the mayor).
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Police Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the police department.
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Fire Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the fire and emergency services department.
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Public Works Director
Administration & departments
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Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.
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Finance Director
Administration & departments
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The budget, taxes, and city accounts.
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Planning & Zoning Director
Administration & departments
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Land use, zoning, building permits.
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Parks & Recreation Director
Administration & departments
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Parks, programs, and public facilities.
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City Council
Legislative
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The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.
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City Clerk
Administration & departments
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Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.
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City Attorney
Administration & departments
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The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.
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Boards & Commissions
Legislative
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Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.
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Municipal Court
Judicial
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Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.
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Municipal Judge
Judicial
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Presides over the municipal court.
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Population over time
From 621 in 2010 to 657 in 2020 (+5.8%).
Show the numbers
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 657 |
| 2010 | 621 |
History
Onalaska was built around the inland mill established by the Carlisle Lumber Company in 1909, with actual production commencing in 1914. At its peak in 1929, company inventory numbered over 20 million board feet of lumber, producing 300,000 board feet per day. The community's population was approximately 1,000, with 175 single-family homes and almost 50 bunkhouses of various occupancy. During the Great Depression, with issues regarding falling timber prices and production, along with increased unionization efforts, the Carlisle family closed the facility. The mill was sold for scrap during World War II.
The company's surviving 225-foot smokestack near Carlisle Lake was built between 1918 and 1920, and is the last trace of one of the most successful mid-sized sawmills in Washington state. In May 2021, the site was listed to the Washington Heritage Register by the Washington State Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.
The mill employed a significant number of Japanese and Japanese Americans. They lived north of today's State Route 508 and east of Carlisle Avenue. The streets, which ran parallel to Carlisle Avenue were called Oriental Avenue, Nippon Avenue and Tokyo Avenue. The 1940 census showed 62 people of Japanese descent living in Lewis County. Because of their experience in the mill, the local Japanese Americans were forced to relocate to Camp Tulelake in California to help with its construction, Kucera writes. The Army relied on their labor to finish the camp where they were subsequently interned for the duration of WWII. The Lewis County Historical Museum in Chehalis opened an exhibit honoring the Japanese and Japanese American internees.
In 2014, Governor Jay Inslee awarded $20,000 to Onalaska Wood Energy during his Climate Tour that year, and praised the company as “one of the leaders in biofuel technology.” By 2020, the company had left 100,000 gallons (378,541 litres) of hazardous waste and in 2021 the EPA started an emergency $0.9 million cleanup, shipping the waste by truck and railroad to Idaho and Utah.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.