Skamokawa () is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...

in Wahkiakum County,

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

, United States. Skamokawa Valley, a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...

(CDP), lies directly to the north. ''Skamokawa'' is a Chinook term for smoke or fog on the water. Skamokawa rests on the banks of the

Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook language, Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin language, Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river headwater ...

, and on WA 4. The region's first American trading post was established near Skamokawa in 1844. The town includes a post office, restaurant, and general store, along with a nearby historical museum and covered bridge. Originally focused on logging, is now a local center for

kayaking Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits fac ...

and

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...

Gallery

File:Skamokawa, WA - post office 01 (19879230645).jpg, Post Office File:Skamokawa, WA - Redmen Hall 03 (19871756392).jpg,

Red Men Hall The Improved Order of Red Men are a fraternal organization in the United States. The group focuses on fundraising for charity and bases their rituals on perceived Native American customs. The Red Men had a peak membership of over half million in 1 ...

Skamokawa, WA - general store 01 (19879264035).jpg, General Store Crew in front of donkey engine, Columbia River Timber Company, Skamokawa, ca 1918 (KINSEY 2194).jpeg,

Donkey engine A steam donkey or donkey engine is a steam-powered winch once widely used in logging, mining, maritime, and other industrial applications. Steam-powered donkeys were commonly found on large metal-hulled multi-masted cargo vessels in the lat ...

crew, c. 1918 File:Felling men, Columbia River Timber Company, Skamokawa, ca 1918 (KINSEY 2195).jpeg, Felling men, c. 1918 File:Rafting logs on river, Columbia River Timber Company, Skamokawa, ca 1918 (KINSEY 2200).jpeg, Rafting logs, c. 1918

References

External links

Best Places profile of Skamokawa
Unincorporated communities in Wahkiakum County, Washington Unincorporated communities in Washington (state) Washington (state) populated places on the Columbia River Chinook Jargon place names {{WahkiakumWA-geo-stub