Monthly Meeting & Program: Growing up in a Finnish Community in Southwestern Washington

Whidbey Island Nordic Lodge Monthly Member Program featuring: Growing up in a Finnish Community in SW Washington

About 3 miles from the mouth of the Columbia River lies Ilwaco, WA.  The journals of Lewis & Clark reveal that they passed through this area in 1805. The first white settlers arrived in 1851. Not long after that the Finns began to arrive, in great numbers, populating not only Ilwaco but also Naselle, Deep River, and Astoria. In 1880 the first cannery in the Ilwaco area was established by a Finn. In 1890, Ilwaco was incorporated and named after El-wha-ko Jim, an Indian chief. Although much smaller than Astoria, Ilwaco became an important Finnish settlement in the region. 

In 1939, Nordic Lodge member Joe Heikkila arrived on the scene. You are invited to come listen to Joe talk about what it was like growing up in a Finnish community in SW Washington at the Nordic Lodge’s April Meeting. His stories will be packed with excitement – dancing on timber logs in the bay, eating boiled salmon caught by his dad and grandfather, and evading Japanese soldiers!

11:00am, April 15th at the Nordic Hall. We will have Finnish refreshments and lots of kahvi available! Non-members welcome!