Why Hockinson Was Originally Called Eureka

February 14, 2022

Period-style illustration of the early Hockinson settlement when the community was known as Eureka

Before Hockinson was known by its current name, historical school and community records identify the settlement as Eureka. A local historical account places the Eureka settlement at about 1862, with organized schooling beginning in 1870 and the Hockinson name emerging during the 1884 post-office era.

Eureka and early Hockinson at a glance

Earlier community name: Eureka
Early settlement: about 1862
Organized school history: 1870
Hockinson naming milestone: 1884

Why was the community called Eureka?

One Hockinson history explains Eureka as the Greek expression meaning “I found it.” A local historical account says the settlement was established about 1862 by Swedish-Finno sailors, including Finns from the mainland and Swedish-speaking Finns from the Åland Islands.

Eureka before the Hockinson name

By 1870, Eureka residents had organized a public school, giving the community a documented institution before the Hockinson name became established. See the Hockinson school history for the longer educational timeline.

How Eureka became Hockinson

The change in name is tied to Ambrosius Hokanson. Historical records identify him as an early storekeeper and Hockinson's first postmaster. In 1884 he petitioned for a post office. Because another Eureka already existed in Washington, the local post office received the name Hockinson—an anglicized form of Hokanson. Read how Hockinson got its name and who Ambrosius Hokanson was.

The Eureka name therefore represents an earlier layer of Hockinson's identity: settlement first, then school and community institutions, followed by the post-office era that established the Hockinson name.