Battle Ground Lake State Park History

The Boring Volcanic Field

Battle Ground Lake is a part of a geologic formation called the Boring Volcanic Field (named for the town of Boring, OR), but the stories revealed in its bedrock are actually quite interesting!

In the Pacific Northwest, the slow-moving subduction of the oceanic crust of the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate underneath North American continent produces molten magma that rises toward the surface. Sometimes, the magma reaches the surface and produces a volcanic explosion (like the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980). The more than 80 lava flows, cinder cones and other features of the Boring Volcanic Field are geologically recent effects of an unusual area of subduction volcanism (centered around today’s Portland-Vancouver metro area) that began about 2.7 million years ago.

Between 60,000 and 100,000 years ago, magma rising in a diatreme (volcanic pipe) beneath today’s Battle Ground Lake came in contact with an underground aquifer. The tremendous heat of the magma instantly turned the water into steam, expanding its volume and causing a massive explosion, called a phreatic eruption. The eruption pulverized overlying rocks and launched them into the air along with steam, water and ash. The ejected material, called tephra, fell back to earth forming a ring around the center of the crater. Geologists call this type of volcanic feature a maar.

After the explosions (several may have occurred), groundwater seeped back into the crater from the aquifer, forming Battle Ground Lake. Groundwater flows through the lake continuously, moving in and out through fissures in the rock. The diatreme below the lake is filled with sediment below the 60-foot depth of the lake.

Indigenous Lands

Battle Ground Lake State Park lies within the traditional territories of Coast Salish and Sahaptian Indigenous people whose present-day descendants include members of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, the Confederated Tribes of Grande Ronde, and the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. For thousands of years this area has provided habitat for a diverse community of life that forms the basis of their cultures.

Traditionally, the Indigenous people of the region left winter residences along the Columbia River and its tributaries in the spring to travel to various areas to collect, hunt, fish and trade on seasonal rounds. The rivers have long served as the primary transportation corridors in the region as well as the source of salmon, a mainstay of Indigenous food and culture. Naturally treeless prairies in the area surrounding Battle Ground Lake were maintained by periodic prescribed burning to facilitate growth of camas and other food sources.

Some tribal representatives ceded ownership of the area to the US federal government under duress in the Yakima Treaty of Camp Stevens in 1855, keeping rights to harvest natural resources in their usual and accustomed places, including the Columbia River.

Other local tribes refused to accept the conditions proposed by Washington Territorial Governor Isaac Stevens at the Chehalis River Treaty Council in February 1855. Subsequently, title to the land was relinquished to the US federal government and the Chehalis Indian Reservation was established by executive order of Secretary of the Interior J. P. Usher on July 8, 1864. The Cowlitz Indian Tribe received federal recognition in 2000.

A Battle That Never Happened

Battle Ground Lake and the nearby city of Battle Ground take their names from a confusing incident between Indigenous residents and local militia volunteers in 1855. Poor communication at the treaty councils throughout Washington Territory in 1854 and 1855 and provocations by territorial officials and local settlers afterwards led to armed conflict between allied tribes against US government forces and volunteer militias in southern Puget Sound and eastern Washington.

In response, the US Army at Fort Vancouver ordered a group of Indigenous people resident in the Lewis River Valley to move to encampments in the vicinity of the fort. Initially, the people complied, but later a group led by Chief Umtux (sometimes spelled Umtuch) left the encampment and headed toward the Cascade Mountains. On November 7, 1855, a company of mounted Territorial Militia under the command of Captain William Strong intercepted the group near today’s Battle Ground Lake. The parties negotiated their return to Fort Vancouver on the next day after reassurances that their safety would be assured at the fort.

Unfortunately, tragedy struck the next morning. Chief Umtux was found shot to death, lying beside a log halfway between the two camps. It is unclear who was responsible for his murder, but it is likely that he was gathering horses to prepare for the return to Fort Vancouver when it happened.

Despite the tension his death created, Captain Strong agreed to let the survivors mourn and bury the Chief and he returned to Fort Vancouver with his troops. When local settlers learned that Strong had left the group unguarded, the Captain was reportedly attacked by an angry settler wielding a knife. Within a few days the survivors returned to Fort Vancouver as they had promised. Local settlers mockingly referred to the site of the confrontation as “Strong’s Battle Ground.” Minus the Captain’s name, it stuck.

Dividing Up the Land

Government surveys were completed in 1858 and the land in today’s Battle Ground Lake State Park passed into private ownership under the federal land distribution laws. Most of the lakeshore and the area around today’s horse camp were sold to Newton Fortney in 1866. The land that makes up today’s campground and cabin loop was sold to Sabra Lancaster in 1870. Homesteaders Edward McIrvin and Sylvester Pease claimed land now occupied by the group camp, walk-in campsites and park entrance. They “proved up” their respective claims in 1872 and 1873 by building homes, developing farmland and residing on the property for at least five years. The Pease home had become the first Battle Ground post office by 1871.

In 1895, 40 acres of timberland just west of the lake were granted to the Northern Pacific Railway (NP), part of nearly 40 million acres of public lands granted to the railroad by the federal government to subsidize the construction of the line. As with most of its granted lands, the NP sold this parcel to another private landowner. Another piece of today’s park, including today’s horse trailer parking area, trails and meadows in the southwest corner of the park, was included in the homestead patent of Ellen Kelley in 1908.

Early 20th Century Resort

According to local historian Louise Tucker, a portion of the former Fortney property surrounding the lake was leased in 1914 to local resident Henry Blystone to develop a resort. The bathhouses, cottages, store, pool hall, boardwalk, high dive, slide, and wooden swim tanks developed by Blystone all centered around the lake as a favored local swimming hole.

In 1964, the resort and surrounding property were purchased by Walter and Alice Ek, owners of a nearby tree farm and sawmill. Virgil and Verna Dollar continued to lease the property from the new owners and operate the resort. In September 1968, fire burned a building with the resort’s restaurant and living quarters.

Putting the Pieces Back Together to Make a State Park

In September 1965, Washington State Parks Director Charles H. Odegaard reported to the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (WSPRC) that “a rather unique lake, surrounded by open and wooded lands….had been called to the attention of staff.” The WSPRC directed staff to secure an appraisal on ten properties surrounding Battle Ground Lake and determine the willingness of the owners to sell. In February 1966, the WSPRC approved the purchases. The largest parcel, including the resort, was purchased from the Eks. It was reduced in price by the amount received in the insurance settlement from the fire. All of the land acquisitions were completed by 1972. Battle Ground Lake State Park was dedicated on May 25, 1975.