History & Culture

Olympic Forest Reserve was established in 1897 and transferred to the Forest Service as Olympic National Forest in 1907. Mt. Olympus National Monument, established in 1909, was designated as Olympic National Park in 1938 by Franklin D. Roosevelt. Today many of the buildings and guard stations built by the Forest are now managed by the Park. View Olympic National Park History and Culture Information.

Japanese History on the Olympic Peninsula

Japanese families have been a rich part of Olympic Peninsula cultural history. Yet, World War II caused a big impact to local Japanese. Executive order #9066 meant the disruption of lives for over 7,000 Puget Sound people of Japanese ancestry.

Read a synopsis of the experiences of one family in Jefferson County.

Historic Sites

Interrorem Guard Station House, April, 1937 is a window to the past.

The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) was signed on October 16th, 1966. The National Historic Preservation Act ensures that the history of these properties is taken into consideration so that these sites can continue to be enjoyed and convey the history of the Olympic Peninsula. Many significant historic sites are available for the public to enjoy through recreation rentals or interpretive sites, while others are still in use in the administration of the forest as work spaces, along trails and roadways.

Louella Cabin

Front and side of Louella Cabin The Louella Guard Station was built in 1912 by Forest Service employee E. M. Cheney, who dedicated the structure to his wife, Louella. During the Great Depression, a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp was built in the lower part of the meadow. The Forest partnered with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) this past summer (2016) to restore and maintain Louella Cabin.

Interrorem Cabin

There are very few log structures from the early Forest Service era that survive in the Pacific Northwest. Interrorem Cabin is the oldest administrative facility in the Olympic National Forest, and one of the earliest remaining Forest Service structures in Oregon and Washington. The cabin has been in use for over 100 years!

Lake Quinault Lodge

The historic Lake Quinault Lodge was built in 1926, in just 53 days! Since 1926, the present structure has provided the area with what is undoubtedly its most central and important hostelry related to recreational pursuits. It’s a fun fact to note that President Franklin D. Roosevelt dined at the lodge on October 1, 1937 while he was touring the peninsula.