Inspector William Bird Goodell

In the winter of 1863, a landslide in the Olympic Mountains created a huge reservoir above Port Angeles. On the night of December 16, 1863, the dam burst, sending a torrent of water through the town. The Customs House, a two story structure stood exactly in the path of the vast torrent of water, and overturned the structure, and swept it away in a moment. Of the three occupants of the Customs House at that time, Dr. Gun, the collector, was fortunate enough to be standing near the door, and was able to make his escape. His Deputy, Mr. J. W. Anderson and Capt. William Bird Goodell, the inspector, were overwhelmed inside the building, as it was swept into the Strait of Juan De Fuca. The men drowned in the collapsed building. The Makah Indians found the building and towed it ashore. The men's bodies were recovered. Burial information is unknown.

S. Schwartz

July 17, 2017