Montesano is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,976 at the 2010 census. Take a look below for 15 fascinating and amazing facts about Montesano, Washington, United States.
1. It is the county seat of Grays Harbor County.
2. According to Edwin Van Syckle, a portion of the present-day town of Montesano was first platted in 1870 by Samuel Henry Williams, who purchased land in what was known as Medcalf Prairie, named after the early settler William Medcalf.
3. At about the same time, surveyor Charles Newton Byles bought a farm from Walter King on the present-day site of Montesano on April 9, 1870, and later platted three blocks on the west side of Main Street.
4. The town of Montesano was born, but it was not incorporated until November 26, 1883, by the Washington Territorial Legislature.
5. Prior to that time, the name Montesano was used to refer to the homestead of Isaiah Lancaster Scammon and his wife Lorinda.
6. They filed a 640-acre Donation Land Claim on January 15, 1853, on the Chehalis River, opposite the mouth of the Wynoochee River, in the area now referred to as South Montesano.
7. The Scammon home was often referred to as “Scammon’s Landing” or “Scammon’s Hotel”, because it was an important stopping point along the Chehalis River for early pioneers, and the furthest up-river mooring point and railroad junction for seagoing ships.
8. According to Edmond S. Meany, in 1860 the seat of what was then called Chehalis County was moved to “the place of J.L. Scammons”.
9. Mrs. Lorinda Scammon was very religious and wished to have the place named “Mount Zion”.
10. Another early settler, Samuel James, suggested “Montesano”, which was derived from Spanish meaning “mountain of health”; it was said that this had a more pleasant sound and meant about the same.
11. The suggestion was approved, and soon after, a post office was secured with the name “Montesano”.
12. The people of Chehalis County voted to move the county seat to the platted town of Montesano in 1886, and the Scammon home was then known as South Montesano.
13. In 2012, a man calling himself Michael Thomas entered the county courthouse where he struggled with a deputy sheriff, shooting her in the shoulder with her own gun.
14. He also stabbed in the neck a judge trying to assist the deputy. Later identified as Steven Daniel Kravetz, the assailant was convicted on assault charges and acquitted of attempted murder.
15. The annual Festival of Lights is a winter holiday event that has been celebrated for 22 years. The highlight of the weekend is the Grand Parade.
