Packwood, Washington

How Packwood is governed

Packwood 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 Packwood does have local officials.

Form of government not yet listed.

0 of 14 positions listed. Gray dashed boxes are placeholders waiting for a name.

• Mayor

  Executive

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  The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.

  • 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).

    • Police Chief

      Administration & departments

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      Leads the police department.

    • Fire Chief

      Administration & departments

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      Leads the fire and emergency services department.

    • Public Works Director

      Administration & departments

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      Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.

    • Finance Director

      Administration & departments

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      The budget, taxes, and city accounts.

    • Planning & Zoning Director

      Administration & departments

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      Land use, zoning, building permits.

    • Parks & Recreation Director

      Administration & departments

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      Parks, programs, and public facilities.

• City Council

  Legislative

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  The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.

  • City Clerk

    Administration & departments

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    Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.

  • City Attorney

    Administration & departments

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    The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.

  • Boards & Commissions

    Legislative

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    Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.

• Municipal Court

  Judicial

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  Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.

  • Municipal Judge

    Judicial

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    Presides over the municipal court.

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Population over time

From 1,330 in 2010 to 319 in 2020 (−76.0%).

History

Before the Packwood community began, a large village of the Upper Cowlitz people existed at the present-day site of the town; tribal members near Kiona Creek were known as the ceq'klama.

The name "Packwood", used for the town, a mountain pass, and a lake, honors William Packwood, a Virginian pioneer and explorer of Oregon and Washington. Packwood and James Longmire were tasked by the Washington Territorial Legislature to chart a low pass over the Cascade Range, this necessitated by the deaths of several delegates in their journey to the first legislative session. As a mark of their successes in this venture, the charted pass – called the Packwood Saddle – is still unused by any road, trail, or other conveyance to pass between the east and west sides of the Cascades. Packwood is home to the historic Packwood Ranger Station located off of US-12.

Flooding

Packwood suffered severe flooding during an excessive rain and snowmelt event in December 1977. Eight homes were washed away and evacuations were necessary. Several bridges were closed after either washouts or structural damage, cutting off Packwood. The Johnson Creek Bridge, located on the main arterial of White Pass Scenic Byway, collapsed.

The community was inundated again during a November 2006 flood necessitating evacuations of hundreds of people from the High Valley area after a dike broke. Washed out homes were carried away by the Cowlitz River, which was recorded as exceeding 10 feet (3.0 m); the powerful flood changed the course of the river.

The Cowlitz crested twice during the 2025 Pacific Northwest floods. The river on December 9 reached 12 feet (3.7 m), considered just under major flood stage; it peaked the following day at 13.3 feet (4.1 m). People were evacuated along the river in the Packwood area; approximately 60 or more people were rescued in part by efforts of Packwood's county fire district. The bank of the river was rebuilt beginning the following week in the High Valley neighborhood after severe erosion threatened homes in the area.

The record peak of the Cowlitz River in Packwood is recorded at 14.6 feet (4.5 m).

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Other cities in Washington

• Seattle 737,015
• Spokane 228,989
• Tacoma 219,346
• Vancouver 190,915
• Bellevue 151,854
• Kent 136,588
• Everett 110,629
• Renton 106,785

All Washington cities →