Hockinson Timeline: 1860s to Today

November 14, 2022

Illustrative Hockinson heritage scene representing major periods in the community's history timeline

This Hockinson history timeline traces the community from the Eureka settlement era in the 1860s through schools, businesses, cultural institutions and modern Hockinson. The record is best understood as a sequence of milestones rather than one incorporation or founding date.

Quick timeline facts

c. 1862: Eureka settlement
1870: organized school history begins
1884: post office and Hockinson name
1889: documented community flag
1895: new Hockinson school
2003: Hockinson High School opens

1860s–1880s: settlement, school and naming

c. 1862 — Eureka settlement: A local historical account says the community then known as Eureka was settled about 1862 by Swedish-Finno sailors. Early residents included Finns and Swedish-speaking Finns from the Åland Islands. Read why Hockinson was originally called Eureka.

1870 — Organized school history begins: Eureka residents established a public school. Hockinson later commemorated 1870–1970 as its school centennial. See the Hockinson school history.

1884 — Post office and Hockinson name: Ambrosius Hokanson petitioned for a post office. Because Eureka, Washington, already existed, the post office received the anglicized name Hockinson. Read how Hockinson got its name.

1889 — Historic flag: Women of Hockinson sent to San Francisco for raw silk and made a United States flag. The surviving historical record identifies it as a 38-star flag from 1889.

1895–1931: schools and community institutions

1895 — New Hockinson school: A surviving historical drawing identifies the school built in 1895 and shows its appearance in 1918. Read about the 1895 Hockinson School.

1922 — Diphtheria and school closure: The Hockinson Centennial program later commemorated a diphtheria epidemic that closed the school.

1924 — School water system: A drilled well with an electric pump replaced the older spring-based school water system.

1929 — Fifth Plain consolidation: Fifth Plain consolidated with Hockinson, and Hockinson District No. 8 became District No. 94. See the school consolidation history.

1931 — Finnish Hall and community band era: The Finnish Kaleva Hall became a major social center, and a Hockinson community band was organized that year. Learn about the Finnish Kaleva Hall.

1954–2003: modern school milestones

1954 — School dedication: Hockinson dedicated its expanded elementary school on November 12, 1954.

1962 — Junior high era: Centennial records identify 1962 as the year Hockinson became a junior high; the same year, the Columbus Day windstorm interrupted a football game.

1970 — School Centennial: Hockinson celebrated 100 years of school history with a historical program and the publication of From a Forest Clearing.

1973 — War memorial: A local memorial fountain project honored Hockinson youths killed in war.

2003 — Hockinson High School: The new high school opened with freshmen and sophomores beginning the process of creating traditions for the new school. Read how Hockinson High School began in 2003.

The 1884–2026 Heritage design timeline

The Hockinson Heritage 1884–2026 Limited Edition Series is a design timeline inspired by changing visual eras. It begins with the historically documented 1884 naming and post-office milestone, then continues through 1890, 1900, 1910 and successive decades to 2026. The later years are era markers for the collection rather than additional founding dates.

Historical sources

From a Forest Clearing: A History of Hockinson School
Erik Mattson, “Hockinson School History”
Historic Hockinson settlement and naming record
“A Pioneer Spirit” and the 1889 Hockinson flag record
“Finnish lodge a landmark in Hockinson for 50 years,” Bob Beck, The Columbian
Hockinson Elementary School Dedication Program, Nov. 12, 1954
“War memorial dedication set,” Mar. 20, 1973
“Starting From Scratch: Students at Hockinson High Work on Creating Traditions,” Amy McFall Prince, 2003