Mossyrock in Lewis County, Washington — The American West (Northwest)

Mossyrock

East Lewis County

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 17, 2015

1. Mossyrock Marker

Inscription. The community of Mossyrock sits on the eastern edge of the Klickitat Prairie. The prairie, named after the Klickitat Indians, was actually home to the Taidnapam, or Upper Cowlitz Indians. Both spoke a dialect of Sahaptin. Early settlers often confused the Taidnapam with the Klickitat because the language sounds similar.

Klickitat Prairie was once considered the entrance to the land of the Taidnapam. Today it is the gateway to East Lewis County.

East of here the highway parallels the Yakima-Cowlitz Trail, a historic route connecting American Indian settlements east and west of the mountains. This was also the principal route used by settlers into the valley from about 1855 to 1890s.

We invite you to take a few detours off the pavement. Discover for yourself why the people here call this home.

This marker erected in honor of the 1995 Lewis County Sesquicentennial through the support of Tacoma Public Utilities, the U.S. Forest Service and East Lewis County.

Erected 1995 by Tacoma Public Utilities, U.S. Forest Service, and East Lewis County.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Native Americans • Roads & Vehicles • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1855.

Location. 46° 31.966′

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N, 122° 30.268′ W. Marker is in Mossyrock, Washington, in Lewis County. Marker is on U.S. 12, 0.9 miles west of Williams Street, on the left when traveling west. Marker is located in a pull-out on the south side of the highway. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Mossyrock WA 98564, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 2 other markers are within 15 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Riffe Lake Overlook (approx. 6 miles away); Mount St. Helens - Edge of the Blast Zone (approx. 14.4 miles away).

Also see . . . History of Mossyrock. In years past the Native Americans used the Mossyrock area as a gathering and hunting ground. The different Washington tribes would travel to the area to trade, hunt and gather the local vegetation and berries in preparation for winter. The Klickitat Valley was not only used for hunting but the tribes were the original “farmers” of the area. (Submitted on October 30, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Marker detail: Woven Baskets image. Click for full size.

2. Marker detail: Woven Baskets

Marker detail: Mossyrock area map image. Click for full size.

3. Marker detail: Mossyrock area map

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 17, 2015

4. Mossyrock Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on October 30, 2020. It was originally submitted on October 30, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 271 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 30, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.