Big birthday bash planned for Carlton Appelo

Published 5:00 pm Monday, May 7, 2012

NASELLE, Wash. – The Appelo Archives Center will host a reception in honor of Carlton Appelo’s 90th birthday from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 12, at the Archives Center at 1056 State Route 4.

Throughout his 90 years, Appelo has played an active role in the growth of southwest Washington. Born on a boat near the town of Deep River in 1922, he grew up in the area, working in his parents’ store during the logging era when Deep River was a bustling town. He graduated from Naselle High School, then the University of Washington. He was active in the U.S. Army during World War II, serving in Okinawa. He gained an advanced degree studying in Stockholm, Sweden, then, shortly after returning to the Deep River area, he began working for the Wahkiakum West Telephone Company in 1952. He is still president of the company.

Appelo remains an active member of the Congregational Church in Naselle, the Deep River American Legion Post, and the Grays River Grange. Until just last year, he was an elected board member of Port District Two and had been since its beginning.

He has loved history all his life and been an active recorder of events as they happened, in photographs and on video. He recorded interviews of many pioneers in the area, and collected newspaper articles, photographs and memorabilia of local families that are all now available to the public in the Archives Center’s collection.

Appelo was active in founding Port District 2, then in founding the Columbia Pacific RC&EDD, representing four counties in the southwest Washington area. He has been on countless national telephone boards and been an active leader in supporting rural telephone companies most of his life. He still attends national telecommunications conferences and is recognized for his knowledge of the history of the telecommunications industry. He has won numerous awards, including the Governor’s Heritage Award, and is recognized as an important historian in Washington state.

In 2005, Appelo set up the Archives Center and it continues as a nonprofit with much success, illustrated by the Center’s latest book, “When Logging Was Logging.” His earlier histories of local areas, printed in early Wahkiakum West telephone books, are available for sale at the Center. Appelo’s work in recording this collection of history is the only record left of the early communities of the area. He wrote of Frankfort, Brookfield, Altoona, Pillar Rock, Deep River and Knappton and included various other materials in a pioneer scrapbook. His collection of photographs from the logging era is considered valuable.

Old and new friends are welcome at the reception. In lieu of gifts, he asks that donations be made to the Center. They can be sent to 1056 State Route 4, Naselle, WA 98638 or given personally at the reception. For more information, contact Anita Raistakka at (360) 484-3376 or the Center at (360) 484-7103.