Archives Treasure #2: The Centralia Massacre file

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Nov. 11 is a joyous date in Washington history since it’s when statehood was attained in 1889. But it’s also a date marked by violence and tragedy in 1919 in the form of the Centralia Massacre, which resulted in four deaths. An Armistice Day Parade ended in a shootout between American Legion marchers and Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) organizers, also known as “Wobblies.” Three World War I veterans were shot and killed during the melee. That night, a mob forced its way into the town jail, removed IWW member Wesley Everest and drove him to a bridge over the Chehalis River, where Everest was lynched. The State Archives has a collection of material devoted to this event. The collection is the second of this month’s Archives treasures. The material includes court proceedings, prison files and other records pertaining to the massacre. It specifically includes a Grays Harbor County Superior Court case file, State Supreme Court case file, court exhibits, State Penitentiary inmate files, and other materials.