Editing Custer, Washington (section)

== History ==

Custer was named in 1886 after Albert W. Custer, an early settler and the first storekeeper and postmaster of the town.<ref>{{cite book | last = Phillips | first = James W. | title = Washington State Place Names | url = https://archive.org/details/washingtonstatep00phil | url-access = registration | publisher = University of Washington Press | year = 1971 | location = Seattle and London | pages = 34 | isbn = 0-295-95498-1}}</ref> Originally the town was located at the intersection of the current Valley View and Bay Roads. In 1890-1892 the town moved to the current location with the coming of the railroad.

In December 2020, a [[Derailment|train derailment]] led to the spill of approximately 30,000 gallons of oil. Most of the oil burned or evaporated, but possibly up to 8,000 gallons of a type of crude oil could not be recovered. Within weeks, air quality was considered normal and soil mitigation was completed, but the testing of groundwater and ongoing cleanup has been determined to take several years.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McCarthy |first1=Grace |title=Custer derailment leaked nearly 30,000 gallons of crude oil |url=https://www.thenorthernlight.com/stories/custer-derailment-leaked-nearly-30000-gallons-of-crude-oil,15795 |access-date=March 9, 2023 |work=The Northern Light |date=January 27, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Taft |first1=Molly |title=America's Worst Toxic Train Disasters |url=https://gizmodo.com/worst-train-derailments-chemical-spills-usa-1850129958/slides/8 |website=Gizmodo |access-date=March 9, 2023}}</ref>