Packwood, Washington
Packwood is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located in easternmost Lewis County, Washington, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the CDP had a population of 319, while the town and surrounding Packwood community (east of Cora Bridge) had a total population of 1,277. Packwood was originally established as Sulphur Springs. Shortly thereafter, it was renamed to Lewis, in honor of Meriwether Lewis, but was finally renamed to Packwood, in honor of William Packwood due to the US Postal Service confusing the town with Fort Lewis. History The name "Packwood", used for the town, a mountain pass, and a lake, honors William Packwood, a Virginian pioneer and explorer of Oregon and Washington. Packwood and James Longmire were tasked by the Washington Territorial Legislature to chart a low pass over the Cascade Range, this necessitated by the deaths of several delegates in their journey to the first legislative session. As a mark of their successes in this venture, the charted pass - called the Packwood Saddle - is still unused by any road, trail, or other conveyance to pass between the east and west sides of the Cascades. Geography Packwood is located at (46.6040008, -121.6778664), at the