The Journey to Johnston Ridge

The Journey to Johnston Ridge

I recently completed a monumental project that (thanks to COVID) has taken over a year to complete. The Cowlitz County Historical Society received a grant from Cowlitz County Tourism to produce an audio tour that narrates the drive from Castle Rock, WA, to the Johnston Ridge Observatory at the end of State Route 504. As drivers undertake the journey along Spirit Lake Memorial Highway, the tour entertains and educates them

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The Deadliest Bridge Collapse in Washington State History

The Deadliest Bridge Collapse in Washington State History

On Wednesday, January 3rd, 1923, Cowlitz County Commissioner-elect Benjamin Barr sat in the back seat of his vehicle, when his driver – Arleigh Millard – felt an unsettling shudder through the springs in his seat. Miller glanced nervously at Barr through the rear-view mirror, unable to move the vehicle forward. The pair were stuck atop the Allen Street Bridge here in Kelso, Washington, when seconds later it all came crashing

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The deadliest bridge collapse in Washington State history

The deadliest bridge collapse in Washington State history

 On Wednesday, January 3rd, 1923, Cowlitz County Commissioner-elect Benjamin Barr sat in the back seat of his vehicle, when his driver – Arleigh Millard – felt an unsettling shudder through the springs in his seat. Miller glanced nervously at Barr through the rear-view mirror, unable to move the vehicle forward. The pair were stuck atop the Allen Street Bridge here in Kelso, Washington, when seconds later it all came

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