State park nearly doubles number of campsites in preparation for centennial celebration
Schafer State Park has expanded its campground in preparation for its 100th anniversary as a state park, the state Parks Department has announced.
Washington State Parks is wrapping up a two-year renovation of the historic park on the Satsop River near Elma. Schafer’s new campground has 30 sites that add to its 38 existing sites and campground, according to a Parks news release.
The renovations also include a new restroom building, welcome center, reservoir for the park’s potable water system, landscaping, entry road and roads through the campgrounds, according to the state..
Schafer is included on the National Register of Historic Places. It officially became a state park in 1924 after a logging company donated the land to the state. Its structures were developed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the 1930s. The park’s new features were built in the original National Park Service rustic style to match the historic WPA-built structures in the park, according to the parks department news release.
“There is a lot of history at this park,” said Angela Galli, Schafer park ranger, in a statement. “There are multi-generational families and folks who have been coming to Schafer since they were 3 years old. It’s a place you can come to with your family, to relax, enjoy the river, camp, float and fish.”
To commemorate the park’s centennial anniversary, a public event is planned for July 20 with a free food truck, yard games, live music, storytelling, square dancing in period costumes, museum exhibits with historic artifacts, and other family-friendly activities.
