Elma, WA: learn how this town fuels its local economy
January 2023: We visited the town of Elma, WA (population 3,438*) on our way to the Pacific coast on a Thursday morning in late January. It is accessible with a quick exit off of local Hwy 8 and we headed toward the business district in the middle of town. We parked near a local police station decorated with a cool mural and jumped out of the car to stretch our legs and walk around. Around the block we admired a bright white and red old fashioned gas station – then realized the building is the Elma Visitors Center. How clever! Of course, we had to stop by to see what we could learn.
Elma – a brief history
Wikipedia is short on Elma’s history but does share that the town was settled in 1853, later named for a Union soldier (Elmer Brown). It was incorporated into a town in 1888.
Downtown vibe / walkability
Inside the visitor center, we visited with the Chamber of Commerce Director who was very generous with her time. We learned about the gas station renovation into a visitor welcome center. She shared information about some of the local business, including the post-covid efforts to partner together in hosting a number of local events that attracted guests from around the region. What a terrific way to bring tourist dollars into town! These events serve the community by featuring local businesses and their products.
We didn’t try any of the local restaurants, nor any of the stores in the downtown area. But we did walk around the downtown to admire the historic buildings and see what shops and restaurants were available.
I also wanted to give a shout out to a local downtown Art gallery which has frequent painting parties for kids and adults alike featured online. Looks like fun!
Local Activities / Events
After our stop by the Elma Visitors Station, I looked up the Elma Chamber of Commerce website and Facebook page. It featured a variety of events, the most recent event was their Winter Wine Festival in mid-January 2023, featuring live music, local food and crafts, a beer garden, and wines from over 20 wineries (dailyworld.com). What a great way to shake off the wet winter blues!
For more information about this to do in Elma and the Grays Harbour area, visit the regional Tourism website at:
