La Wis Wis Guard Station No. 1165 is a historic building located in Gifford Pinchot National Forest near Packwood, Washington, United States. It was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1937 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on April 8, 1986.
Etymology
The name "La Wis Wis" has two proposed origins: it may be an indigenous term meaning "rivers running together," or it may refer to a female Native American spirit or girl given the title of princess. In Cowlitz legend, La-wis-wis is described as a "valley maiden" or "nymph," the spouse of Ne-ka-na (also spelled Nekhani), the great spirit of the air and mountains. According to the legend, the couple journeyed to Tahoma (Mount Rainier) and built a lodge near a stream. A jealous spirit named Memalek attempted to poison La-wis-wis, but she was saved by her husband. She is believed by the Cowlitz people to sleep forever in the area, in the Valley of Paradise at the base of the mountain. A white rose that grows in the area is known as the la-wis-wis rose.
Location and Geography
The guard station is situated in Lewis County at La Wis Wis Campground, approximately 7 miles (11 km) east of Packwood, within Gifford Pinchot National Forest. It lies southeast of Mount Rainier, off U.S. Route 12, at a triple confluence of the Ohanapecosh River, Purcell Creek, and the Cowlitz River. The site is located within an old-growth forest.
History
Before pioneer settlement, the area was a harvest site of the Upper Cowlitz people, who collected cedar roots for basket making and red alder for dyes, and gathered plants for medicinal use. The land was first homesteaded in the 1890s by Grant Purcell, who later deeded the grounds for use as a public park. A recreational camp was built by the CCC in the 1930s, initially named Clear Fork Campground. It was renamed La Wis Wis during a dedication ceremony on July 20, 1935, attended by Governor Clarence D. Martin.
The guard station was constructed by the CCC in 1937 and remained in use by the United States Forest Service (USFS) until 1993. After falling into disuse and neglect, the building began to deteriorate due to water damage. A two-phase restoration effort began in 2012, undertaken by USFS staff, the Forest Service's Passport in Time program, and the White Pass Country Historical Society and Museum. An additional renovation project began in 2023, funded under the Great American Outdoors Act.
Architecture
The guard station is a 1½-story, 25 ft × 32 ft (7.6 m × 9.8 m) rectangular wood-frame building on a poured concrete foundation. It is classified under the "Northwest rustic" architectural style used by the USFS during the Great Depression and was one of only two buildings built under this design in the Pacific Northwest. It was designed by the Region 6 architects of the United States Forest Service.
The exterior features a "broken coursed" stone rubble chimney with a vaulted cap, located on the north side of the building. The roof is wood-shingled with projecting eaves and vergeboards, and exposed rafters. Horizontal clapboard sheaths the exterior, while the gable ends are done vertically with battens. Windows are six-over-six, double-hung sashes, either single or in sets of two or three with mullions. Shutters flanking the main entrance contain a simple cutout of a tree. The recessed entrance is offset in the northeast corner under a lateral gabled roof, with a flagstone porch supported under squared timber posts with curved brackets.
Significance
The station was listed on the NRHP and the Washington State Heritage Register on April 8, 1986 (NRHP reference No. 86000813). It is considered a rare example of existing CCC and Forest Service architecture and was described by the NRHP as a "singular expression of early twentieth century American architectural thought" with "very high" quality in both design and execution. It is part of the Depression-Era Buildings multiple property submission.
