Blockhouse Smith: The Pioneer Who Built a Frontier Blockhouse in Washington

In this episode of Searching for History, I investigate the mysterious road names around Oakville and Cedarville, Washington — Blockhouse Road, Blockhouse Smith Road, and more. Who was James L. "Blockhouse" Smith? Born in New York, he arrived in the Chehalis Valley in 1854 and became one of the earliest pioneers in what is now Grays Harbor County. During the 1855-56 Indian War, a government blockhouse was built on his donation land claim for protection — and that structure gave him his famous nickname and shaped local history. In this video: • Driving tour of the historic Blockhouse roads • The 1857 GLO survey plat showing Smith's claim • The story of the blockhouse and the Puget Sound Indian War • What happened to the original structure • Smith's life, family, and legacy If you love Pacific Northwest pioneer history, early Washington Territory stories, or local history detective work, this one’s for you! Location: Oakville/Cedarville area, Washington #oakville #pacificnorthwest #washingtonhistory Music Attributions Song 1: Sugarbee by Chris Haugen (YouTube Audio Library License, no attribution is required) Song 2: Ibiza Dream by Chris Haugen (YouTube Audio Library License, no attribution is required) Song 3: Spanish Moss by Chris Haugen (YouTube Audio Library License, no attribution is required) Song 4: Keep On Movin’ by King Canyon (YouTube Audio Library License, no attribution is required) Song 5: Cherish you’re day (Instrumental Version) by EinarMK (YouTube Audio Library License, no attribution is required) Image Attributions Image 1: GLO Cadastral Survey Plat for Township No 16 North, Range No 5 West, Willamette Meridian. (Olympia, WA) 16 Jan. 1857. Retrieved from the Bureau of Land Management, https://www.blm.gov/or/landrecords/la.... Image 2: Aberdeen Herald. (Aberdeen, WA) 14 Mar. 1912, p. 1. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/sn87093220/1912-03-14/ed-1/.