Editing Pe Ell, Washington

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Pe Ell, Washington
|settlement_type          = [[Town (Washington)|Town]]
|image_skyline            = File:Trains at Pe Ell station along the construction route of Yakima and Pacific Coast Railroad, Washington, circa 1890-1892 (TRANSPORT 1411).jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Pe Ell station along the construction route of Yakima and Pacific Coast Railroad, ca. 1890-1892
|image_map                = Lewis_County_Washington_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Pe_Ell_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Pe Ell, Washington
<!-- Location ----->
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Washington (state)|Washington]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Washington|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Lewis County, Washington|Lewis]]
<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         = 
<!-- Area ---->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_53.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 1.55
|area_land_km2            = 1.53
|area_water_km2           = 0.02
|area_total_sq_mi         = 0.60
|area_land_sq_mi          = 0.59
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.01
<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 642
|population_density_km2   = 440.62
|population_density_sq_mi = 1142.13
<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific (PST)]]
|utc_offset               = −8
|timezone_DST             = PDT
|utc_offset_DST           = −7
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 413
|coordinates              = {{coord|46|34|17|N|123|17|54|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}<ref name=gnis/>
<!-- Area/postal codes and others -->
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 98572
|area_code                = [[Area code 360|360]]
|area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 53-53930
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2413122<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2413122}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|www.townofpeell.com}}
|footnotes                = 
}}

'''Pe Ell''' ({{IPAc-en|p|iː|ɛ|l}}) is a town in [[Lewis County, Washington|Lewis County]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], United States. The population was 642 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="2020 Census (City)">{{cite web|title=2020 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US5353930 |work=American FactFinder |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=March 16, 2022}}</ref>

==Etymology==
The community was almost named Mauermanna, named after one of the first non-indigenous settlers in the area, Joe Mauermann, who objected to the honor.<ref>{{cite news |title=Pe Ell Near to County Line |url=https://www.newspaperarchive.com/us/washington/centralia/centralia-daily-chronicle/1953/06-06/page-85 |access-date=October 15, 2024 |work=[[The Chronicle (Centralia, Washington)|The Daily Chronicle]] |date=June 6, 1953 |page=25C}}</ref> The name Pe Ell was chosen and there are several versions of the backstory of the moniker, none of which can be authenticated.

The more accepted version is that the name comes from the attempts of the local Indians to pronounce the first name of an early French-Canadian settler, Pierre Charles, who was an ex-[[Hudson's Bay Company|Hudson's Bay]] employee. The account has it that the Indians could not pronounce Pierre, and their attempts turned it into Pe Ell.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OFVOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4e4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6845%2C4107045 | title=Unusual names, odd spellings found in Washington | work=The Spokesman-Review | date=December 24, 1977 | access-date=May 20, 2015 | pages=A12}}</ref> Another rendition is that P and L were the first initials for Pierre Charles and his Indian wife. Two words were made from the initials: "Pe Ell".{{citation needed|date=May 2020}} A differing, distinct account is that Charlie Pershell, a Frenchman, settled in the area and married an Indian woman. The Indians found it difficult to sound out the "sh" in Pershell so it became Pe Ell.<ref>''A History of Pe Ell, Washington and the Upper Chehalis River Valley'', Chapter 4 by Ray Graves</ref> A separate story mentions the railroad map designated the spot as PL, and that became the name.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}

==History==
In 1897, the North Pacific Railway built a railroad depot in the town. In 1907, Pe Ell's population was around 1,000—larger than it is today. The rich agricultural and timber resources of the region attracted farmers, millworkers, and loggers. By 1909, the town had a [[bank]], three [[dry goods]] stores, two [[general store]]s, three [[grocery store]]s, two [[barber]] shops, five [[Western saloon|saloons]], four [[hotel]]s, a [[newspaper]], a [[blacksmith]], and even an [[opera house]].

Pe Ell was officially incorporated on March 9, 1906.

The community was once home to the Rock Creek [[sanitorium]] in the 1930s. Owned by both Lewis and Pacific counties, it was overseen by Dr. Angus MacMillan who also managed a similar [[tuberculosis]] hospital in [[Forest, Washington]] during the 1940s.<ref>{{cite news |title=Former Point Man Medical Director At Sanatorium In West |url=https://www.newspaperarchive.com/us/wisconsin/stevens-point/stevens-point-daily-journal/1939/05-25/page-1 |access-date=October 24, 2024 |work=[[Stevens Point Journal]] |date=May 25, 1939 |page=1}}</ref>

The town lost its water supply, which was provided over the historic Weyerhaeuser Pe Ell Bridge, during the [[Great Coastal Gale of 2007]]. The [[Chehalis River (Washington)|Chehalis River]] in the Pe Ell area rose {{convert|50|ft|m|1}} during the event, overcoming the bridge and wrecking the water main. The lost pipe system was estimated to have a repair cost of $800,000; the system was installed three years earlier for $1.6&nbsp;million. The financial costs to replace the bridge and the water supply lines led the Pe Ell community to temporarily consider dissolving the town's government.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Schreiber |first1=Dan |title=Facing Flood Costs, Pe Ell Mulls Town Status |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/facing-flood-costs-pe-ell-mulls-town-status,199392 |access-date=December 5, 2024 |work=The Chronicle |date=June 21, 2008}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|0.59|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all of it land.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web |title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=December 19, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112090031/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=January 12, 2012 }}</ref> [[Washington State Route 6|State Route 6]] passes through the town and connects it to [[Chehalis, Washington|Chehalis]] in the east and [[Raymond, Washington|Raymond]] in the west.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 838
|1920= 861
|1930= 891
|1940= 825
|1950= 787
|1960= 593
|1970= 582
|1980= 617
|1990= 547
|2000= 657
|2010= 632
|2020= 642
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 7, 2013}}</ref><br>2020 Census<ref name="2020 Census (City)"/>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]],<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 19, 2012}}</ref> there were 632 people, 259 households, and 169 families living in the town. The population density was {{convert|1071.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 290 housing units at an average density of {{convert|491.5|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 91.3% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.2% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 3.2% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.7% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 3.6% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 4.3% of the population.

There were 259 households, of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.7% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.91.

The median age in the town was 40 years. 25% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.4% were from 25 to 44; 26.6% were from 45 to 64; and 17.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 49.7% male and 50.3% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]], there were 657 people, 248 households, and 174 families living in the town. The population density was 1,099.7 people per square mile (422.8/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 289 housing units at an average density of 483.7 per square mile (186.0/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the town was 93.15% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.30% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 2.28% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.91% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.61% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.07% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.67% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.28% of the population. 23.5% were of American, 15.1% English, 12.8% German, 9.9% Irish and 8.5% Polish ancestry.

There were 248 households, out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.8% were non-families. 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the town, the age distribution of the population shows 30.6% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $27,321, and the median income for a family was $30,625. Males had a median income of $36,875 versus $18,125 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $12,481. About 20.0% of families and 22.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 32.7% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.

==Arts and culture==

===Historic buildings and sites===
Pe Ell was home to [[Holy Cross Polish National Catholic Church]], listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] (NRHP) in 1987. Constructed in 1916, it was the only known Polish church of its kind in the state. The building was razed in 2010 due to a combination of disrepair and lack of funding.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Brewer |first1=Christopher |title=Pe Ell Says Farewell to Historic Polish Church |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/pe-ell-says-farewell-to-historic-polish-church,179955 |access-date=April 17, 2024 |work=The Chronicle |date=March 5, 2010}}</ref> A former existing site, the [[Weyerhaeuser Pe Ell Bridge]], was designated an NRHP site in 1982 but [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Lewis County, Washington#Former listings|removed in 1990]].

==Parks and recreation==
The town is the starting point of the Pe Ell River Run. Begun as a birthday celebration between a local group of young men in 1978, the event consists of entrants buying or building water crafts and floating down the [[Chehalis River (Washington)|Chehalis River]] from Pe Ell to [[Rainbow Falls State Park]], where riders can float over a slight waterfall that still remains despite severe flooding damage due to the [[Great Coastal Gale of 2007]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Alex |title=Swollen Chehalis Doesn't Impede River Run Revelry |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/swollen-chehalis-doesnt-impede-river-run-revelry,18075? |access-date=December 31, 2021 |work=The Chronicle |date=April 17, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Collucci |first1=Paula |title=Pe Ell River Runners Hit the Rapids |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/pe-ell-river-runners-hit-the-rapids,191122? |access-date=December 31, 2021 |work=The Chronicle |date=April 13, 2009}}</ref>

The [[Willapa Hills Trail]] bisects the town.<ref>{{cite web |title=Willapa Hills State Park Trail |url=https://parks.state.wa.us/DocumentCenter/View/7573/Willapa-Hills-Map?bidId= |website=parks.state.wa.us|publisher=Washington State Parks}}</ref>

==Government and politics==

===Local Politics===

The city of Pe Ell has historically used local law enforcement staff, rather than the county sheriff's department, for policing. The last Pe Ell [[town marshal]] formally retired on April 1, 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 15, 2019 |title=Pe Ell Town Marshal to Retire After 39 Years in Law Enforcement |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/pe-ell-town-marshal-to-retire-after-39-years-in-law-enforcement,10617 |access-date=July 29, 2023 |website=The Daily Chronicle |language=en}}</ref> The town went through several years of intermittent local police coverage, with the county sheriff's department filling in when the marshal's office was vacant.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chronicle |first=The |date=September 16, 2020 |title=Pe Ell Votes Against Certifying Marshal, Town Left With No Police Presence of Its Own |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/pe-ell-votes-against-certifying-marshal-town-left-with-no-police-presence-of-its-own,1304 |access-date=July 29, 2023 |website=The Daily Chronicle |language=en}}</ref> In 2022, Pe Ell reached an agreement with the city of [[Morton, Washington|Morton]] to outsource police coverage.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 5, 2022 |title=Morton Council Approves Pe Ell Police Contract |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/morton-council-approves-pe-ell-police-contract,301232 |access-date=July 29, 2023 |website=The Daily Chronicle |language=en}}</ref> Since then, the Morton has provided part-time police coverage to the town, along with [[Mossyrock, Washington|Mossyrock]].

The town is governed by an elected Mayor,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mayor |url=https://www.townofpeell.com/mayor-1 |access-date=July 29, 2023 |website=Town of Pe Ell |language=en}}</ref> along with a town council of 5 members.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Town Council |url=https://www.townofpeell.com/town-council |access-date=July 29, 2023 |website=Town of Pe Ell |language=en}}</ref>

Similar to other towns within Lewis County, Pe Ell is recognized as being majority [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] and [[Conservatism|conservative]].

==Education==
The Pe Ell School District provides public education from preschool to 12th grade.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pe Ell School District |url=https://www.peell.k12.wa.us/ |access-date=April 2, 2024}}</ref> The Pe Ell School occupies a single campus and students attend from Pe Ell, as well as the nearby [[Unincorporated area|unincorporated communities]] of [[Doty, Washington|Doty]] and [[Dryad, Washington|Dryad]].

The first public education building erected in Pe Ell was a [[one-room school]] constructed in 1882. The schoolhouse was built of split cedar and funded by donations; twelve students attended the first year. The growing population led to the construction of a new, larger Central school beginning in 1892 only to find an expansion necessary in 1913, with a gymnasium added in 1921. A wing for agricultural vocational education was added in 1936, a class popular enough to require an expansion by 1938. The combined Pe Ell elementary and high school, furnished with a library and athletic fields, was completed at the end of 1952.<ref>{{cite news |title=Pe Ell Had First School in 1882; Built of Split Cedar |url=https://www.newspaperarchive.com/us/washington/centralia/centralia-daily-chronicle/1953/06-06/page-84 |access-date=October 17, 2024 |work=The Daily Chronicle |date=June 6, 1953 |page=C}}</ref>

The Pe Ell high school boys' basketball team and the girls' softball team won state championships in 2010. The softball team also won a state title in 2012, and a combined championship with Willapa Valley in 2017.<ref>{{cite news |last1=VanTuyl |first1=Aaron |title=A Decade in Review: Looking Back at the Best of the 2010s |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/a-decade-in-review-looking-back-at-the-best-of-the-2010s,6057? |access-date=April 2, 2024 |work=The Chronicle |date=December 31, 2019}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|www.townofpeell.com}}

{{Lewis County, Washington}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Lewis County, Washington]]
[[Category:Towns in Washington (state)]]