Cowlitz County

In 1805, Meriweather Lewis and William Clark camped at the mouth of the Kalama River and surveyed the area. Its natural beauty was astounding. In the coming days, they would journey through the land that is now the cities of Kelso and Longview, keeping close track of the flora and fauna they encountered. My, how things could grow! Many years later, Hulda Klager (1863–1960) arrived—a woman of German descent who had a special penchant for the lilac. She not only cultivated the flower, she hand-pollinated lilacs and began opening her garden to the public every spring during ‘Lilac Week’, winning national acclaim. Today, her house and lilac gardens are maintained as a state and National Historic Landmark by the Lilac Society. Building nearby? You won’t be disappointed in the natural beauty of Cowlitz County.