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City of Toledo, Washington

130 North Second Street
PO Box 236
Toledo, WA 98591
360.864.4564
cityoftoledo@toledotel.com

Nestled in the beautiful Cowlitz River basin, Toledo is the gateway to Mount Saint Helens via State Hwy 505. Toledo prides itself on tranquil rural living and amazing community involvement.

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Brief history of Toledo and the surrounding areas

The site of what is now the City of Toledo was originally held by Joshua Tibeau who squatted on the land in the early 1850s. He built a house near the river on what is presently Cowlitz Street. Christopher Pagett bought Tibeau’s squatter rights in 1854 and filed for a donation land claim.

Pagett and his wife, Urania, were awarded a donation land claim by the U.S. Government on March 6, 1866. Pagett sold the land in April of the same year to Javan Hall for $250, but re-acquired it on March 28, 1871. In 1873 he sold the property for $800 to Augustus Rochon.

Little is known about the actual founding date of the town that was to become Toledo. It is reported that there was a town at the site as early as the late 1860s, but there is no record of the population.  There were no records kept until the town was incorporated in 1892.

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City & Area Highlights

Settled along the Cowlitz River Toledo offers an array of visitor attractions.  The St. Francis Mission, which is the oldest Catholic Mission in the Northwest.  Historic Knab (marker), established in 1888.  Toledo Historical Jail.  The historical Jackson Courthouse, built in 1851 and is the first courthouse in Washington State.
 
Picnicking and wildlife viewing at the Kemp Olson Memorial Park. Front Street Boat Launch for boating and kayaking. South County Park (Wallace’s Pond) with a playground and walking trails. Lewis and Clark State Park with many historical buildings and preserved old growth forests. Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument and the Gifford Pinchot National Park.
 
Plus, camping, playgrounds, the Big Foot Trail System, Skydive Toledo and seasonal hunting.

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