Onalaska’s iconic smokestack at Carlisle Lake was approved last Thursday by the Washington State Advisory Council on Historic Preservation to be listed to the Washington Heritage Register.
Being listed on the register, which is an official listing of historically-significant sites and properties found throughout the state, is an honorary designation similar in scope to the National Register of Historic Places.
The 225-foot smokestack was voted on to the registry by way of an unanimous vote, said John Blair, secretary and board member of Onalaska Alliance, the nonprofit that owns the park and lake encompassing the structure.
For Blair, whose family has been in the Onalaska area since 1903, making the registry marks a significant step in preserving the integrity of the smokestack and the bygone era it represents.
“It’s just part of my history, part of my family’s history and I’m just excited to see it on the list as part of keeping history and preserving history,” he said.
The smokestack is one of the last vestiges of the Carlisle Lumber Company Mill, which used the lake for operations during the turn of the 20th century. The town of Onalaska was largely built around the economic opportunity surrounding lumber.
The smokestack, located at the end of Alexander Road, is believed to have been built around 1920.
Two of Blair’s uncles even worked for the company, he said, noting that one was an engineer and another a scaler.
“During its heyday, the company provided opportunities for nearly 900 people. Its development was termed one of the wonders of the northwest and it was the sole expression of the business entrepreneurship of the Carlisle family. The community was diverse and brought large groups of Japanese, Swedish, Greek and Italian immigrants to Lewis County. In fact, the area east of the Presbyterian Church was a Japanese neighborhood with such streets as Nippon, Oriental and Tokyo avenues,” read Onalaska Alliance’s application to the advisory council.
In order to qualify for the Washington Heritage Register, a structure must be 50 years or older, high- to medium-level integrity, have documented historical significance at either the local, state or federal level, and have the consent of the owners to be added to the registry.
Though being added to the registry doesn’t come with any financial incentives, other groups have leveraged a listing to secure grant funding for preservation or renovation projects.
Blair said while there are currently no plans to use the listing to secure funding for the smokestack, their group is always looking for funding opportunities to upgrade their park and expand their playground.
Blair said the state has suggested adding additional structures around Onalaska to the registry, including some old mill houses, the old train depot and the original Carlisle house, but that would require the permission of the owners.
