Friday, December 3, 2010

Hoquiam: A Developing Community Rich in History

By Mike Miller


A city in Grays Harbor County, Washington State, United States, Hoquiam, means "hungry for wood". This name was coined by Indian settlers for the river running into Grays Harbor. It was the first site of the Indian village. However, white settlers got immersed in the area in the 1850s due to abundance of game, shellfish, and giant trees. The city was integrated on the twenty first of May, 1890.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city occupies an area of 15.6 square miles. Land makes up 9.2 square miles of the total area while water composes 6.4 square miles. Due to the large composition of water, the city's climate is oceanic. It may be found in the following latitude and longitude, 46.981N and 123.888W respectively. Hoquiam has an elevation of 20 feet and is found in the Pacific Standard time zone.

Based on the 2000 Census Data of the city, 4,425 males and 4,672 females comprise the total population of 9,097. The city has a relatively young population wherein 22.6% of the total population are 15 years old and below. As per ethnicity and race, the whites lead the population, then by Hispanics, American Indian and Alaskan natives, multicultural races, Asians, African Americans, and by Native Hawaiians.

The city has a vast and rich culture and history. Tourists may engage in the city's historical museums, dramatic murals, and restored monuments. With the following activities such as walking along the 8th Street Landing of Rayonier's Waterfront Park, touring of the Arnold Polson Museum, shopping at the Farmer's Market, and viewing of shorebirds migrating at the Bowerman basin, visitors cannot help, but, ask for more. With the Griffits-Priday Ocean State Park and the Ocean City State Park, tourists can learn more about the heritage and life in the city.

The city is also home to the number of festivals as the Ethnic Heritage Festival during March, Shorebird Migration Festival during April, River Festival in July, Grays Harbor Bluegrass Festival and Push Rods Festival both in August, and Loggers Playday and Harbor Heritage Festival during the month of September.

In March 2009, the city was named a Tree City in the United States community by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to community forestry. The recipient of the award has met the standards of the Foundation with its tree board or department, tree care ordinance, its comprehensive community forestry program, and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation. This is an excellent proof that the city is indeed safe and clean for its residents and dwellers.

Due to the city's continuous innovation and development, an award from the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) for the AWC Municipal Excellence award was garnered in June 2010. This just goes to show how the city values improvement in its neighbourhoods, pedestrian walks, and lifestyle having won from over the 50 entries.

The city has indeed gone a long way from being an Indian settlement to a well developed dwelling.




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