Yelm/Bald Hills

Originally published Saturday, January 12, 2002

Yelm is another place name that derives from an Indian word. In Salish, chelm or schelm means "heat waves from the sun."

Some can't think of Yelm without the Bald Hills coming to mind. The hills take their name from the local geography. The former logging community of Vail in southern Thurston County often is used as a reference point for this area. Vail was named after William Vail, who lived on the land bought for the Vail post office in 1930.

In this vicinity you'll find the Lackamas School. It's on Bald Hills Road about eight miles east of Vail and one mile south of the Pierce County line. Formed in 1917, it merged the Morehead, Bald Hills and Longmire schools. The district joined with Yelm in 1942, and the school was later closed. Cap Longmire donated land for the original school.

Lackamas Gymnasium, also called Lackamas Community Club, is adjacent to the school. It was built during the Depression years by Bald Hills residents on land that was donated by Longmire.

Deschutes Falls Park is nearby in Yelm along Bald Hill Road, about 13 miles from Vail. Charles Erb operated it at the turn of the 20th century as a private park. The county purchased it in 1992. The name Deschutes is French in origin and means "waterfall."

Nearby stands the Fort Eaton Marker, at the intersection of Yelm Highway East and Meridian Road. The blockhouse originally was located on Nathan Eaton's property, and was built in 1865 by Joseph Conner, William White, Abijah O'Neal, A.W. Stewart and Marcus McMillan. Eight families stayed there during the conflict with the Indians from 1855-56. The site was later a playground, and then a family cemetery for the Collins family. The remaining marker is in a grassy clearing, and is inscribed: "Fort Eaton -- built by settlers during Indian War of 1856 -- Erected by Freedom Community -- 1932."

Eaton Prairie, south of Lake St. Clair, also is named for Nathan Eaton, who came to the area in 1843 and claimed land. In 1853, he built a sawmill on the creek that also bears his name. His home was near Fort Eaton.

Lake St. Clair was not named for a pioneer, but a pioneer did choose the moniker. Peter Jacobson dubbed it Lake St. Clair in 1880 after the large lake in his former home, Michigan.

Lawrence Lake does bear a pioneer name. Lindley and Sam Lawrence began logging on the lake in 1892.

West of Yelm is the town of Rainier, which was founded by Albert Gehrke who arrived in 1890, was named for its proximity to Mount Rainier.

Gehrke Lake was part of his original land holdings.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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