Pacific City

Washington's ghost towns are mill towns and mining camps in country so green the forest is already taking them back.

Pacific City is an extinct town in Pacific County, in the U.S. state of Washington. Pacific City was laid out ca. 1848. Pacific City was the original seat of Pacific County at its establishment in 1851, but was soon dissolved with the establishment of the military fort at Cape Disappointment. A post office called Pacific City was established in 1850, and remained in operation until 1865.

Calling it Pacific City was either optimism or a very good joke — boomtowns were never modest about their ambitions.

The on-the-ground condition of Pacific City is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Pacific City is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.