Mysteries are part of our lives. Every country, city, town, and culture has its mysterious legends. Lewis County has many mysteries, from the unknown reason an arsonist set fire to the old lumber mill to crop circles and the birthplace of the infamous term “flying saucers,” as well as cryptids such as the notorious Bigfoot and the many theories behind the creature. Here are five unsolved mysteries in Lewis County.
The Lumber Mill Ruins
In the 1930s, a Centralia lumber mill was bustling and employed many workers. There was even a tunnel the workers used to travel to and from work. That tunnel is now buried and sealed, and old lumber mill ruins are located on the s-curves in Centralia.
Many drive by these ruins; some may know of their origin, while others may not. But few know of the fire that destroyed the lumber mill and how the workers abandoned it, leaving it in ruin.
The fire was ruled arson. However, it is not clear who set it or why. There were many speculations, but when one delves into the local history of bootlegging, a theory comes to the surface. Could the bootleggers have set fire to the lumber mill to gain access to the underground tunnel the mill workers used to and from? Or was an angry employee responsible?
Only one thing is known. The fire was arson and caused the mill to shut down forever, and now lies in ruins for the residents of Centralia to see.
The Mystery of Bigfoot
Bigfoot mythology skyrocketed in the 1960s after the Paterson Gimlin Film, but there have been supposed sightings long before and alleged sightings in the present day.
Several of those present-day sightings have occurred in Lewis County. Below are recent local reports from The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization:
- 2020, a family finds 17-inch footprints near Packwood.
- 2021, a possible Bigfoot sighting north of Centralia.
- 2023, a motorist spotted Bigfoot on Highway 12 near Packwood.
- 2024, a possible sighting in Grand Mound.
There are many myths about Bigfoot, and when researching worldwide occurrences, it is found that a version of Bigfoot is reported in almost every country. Bigfoot or Sasquatch have been attributed to missing people cases, unexplainable brutalizations, strange sounds, cabin attacks, and even responsible for the battle in Ape Canyon.
Bigfoot has even been connected to UFOs. More recently, Bigfoot is theorized to be surviving Neanderthals who have evolved. It remains a mystery, and Bigfoot has yet to be proven, but ask yourself. Is it truly a good idea to prove the existence of an amazing creature? Or is it best to keep them a secret for their safety?
Ghosts in Downtown Centralia
Reports of ghost sightings or unexplainable sounds across Lewis County are abundant. These include encounters with the kind lady ghost of the old Stahl Building and things being thrown at a person in the Olympic Club.
Many people have felt a presence when staying in the Olympic Club hotel. Some have said, “I felt like I was being watched.” Others have heard strange noises. The Oly Club is filled with compelling history, both inside and outside the building.
People have reported hearing coughing On the corner of Tower and Main Street. At this corner in 1891, three men died after falling into a well and passing away due to gasses emanating from the bottom and the bodies were left there.
Ghosts themselves have many mysteries. Some speculate that ghosts are reliving their moments before their death. Other theories say that ghosts aren’t ghosts at all, but what is being seen is a glimpse of past events through time slips. Either way, the stories of ghosts in Lewis County mirror accounts of ghost encounters worldwide and across the centuries.
Chehalis Crop Circles
Documents and photos from 1996 at the Lewis County Historical Museum clearly show crop circles discovered in Adna and Chehalis.
The one in Adna measured approximately 150 feet in diameter. Some residents at the time said they were real, while others said they heard about kids doing it. Many crop circles have been proven to be hoaxes, but several haven’t been proven pranks and appeared far too fast for some of the extremely complex designs.
A woman who claimed to be a coordinator for a National Crop Circles Studies Network said humans did not make the formations and that “The hoax stories were hoaxes themselves and backed by a lot of money and people who don’t want the truth coming out.” This woman also believed the formations to be trans-dimensional and multi-dimensional events that open interdimensional windows.
The circles were only two of six reported in the previous two years in the Northwest region. No one ever claimed responsibility for the crop circles, which remains a mystery. Not much is known about these mysterious circles.
Imagine how the farmers felt when they went out onto their land to find these random designs in their crops and fields. One farmer was reported to be upset because the circles caused $500 in damages to his crops.
Are the circles from advanced beings? Are they hoaxes? Either way, they are a feat of great imagination, ingenuity, and rather mysterious.
The Story of Kenneth Arnold’s Flying Saucers
Businessman and pilot Kenneth Arnold was born on March 29, 1915. On June 24, 1947, Kenneth took flight in his CalAir A-2 light airplane. His flight plan was to first take off from the airport in Chehalis, refuel at Yakima, and then proceed to Pendleton, Oregon, for an airshow.
The weather was great, the skies clear, and the conditions were perfect for a peaceful flight. So imagine his surprise when, on this day of a simple flight down south, he looks out to see nine unidentified flying objects in the shape of a boomerang.
Arnold was on this particular route near Mount Rainier because he was looking for the crash remains of a U.S. Marine Corps commando transport. If found, the finder would receive a $5,000 reward. On his route in search of the crash remains, he said he saw “a flash from the Northeast.”
Arnold said it startled him, for he thought it might have been a military pilot flying a shiny P-51, but he quickly ruled out any military aircraft because he saw that the light came from the glare of nine shining objects.
Arnold described these objects as circular, approximately 100 feet across, and without a noticeable tail. He also described the objects’ maneuvers — they banked, weaved, and flipped, akin to a Chinese Kite.
When the fling objects crossed Arnold’s flight path, he quickly calculated their flight speed at anywhere from 1,200 miles per hour to 1,700 miles per hour. The fastest known aircraft of the time was 700 miles per hour.
Arnold was misquoted and denied ever calling the objects “Flying saucers.” The press jumped on the story, and it quickly took on a life of its own, bringing attention to Arnold, which he did not embrace.
Arnold suffered embarrassment, and his account of the event changed over the years. He later described a known aircraft with different features. However, nothing has been proven and human memory does decay year after year. Arnold was also a highly experienced pilot and aided in search and rescue.
Furthermore, if he did see something known or is now known, why would it be gleaming and traveling at such high speeds around two volcanoes? Some theorize that UFOs use what lies within volcanoes to fuel their aircraft or use volcanic tubes to travel to and from a hollow Earth.
Arnold’s famous report started the summer of UFO sightings, and the origin of this story begins in Chehalis and has never ended. Arnold sadly passed away on January 16, 1984, and spent his years from 1947 explaining what he saw. This event changed his life and birthed the term “flying saucers.”
