Brief History
The Gate Community Club was officially formed on January 29, 1944 as a domestic, non-profit corporation in the State of Washington. However, the Club traces its roots back to the early 1900s.
The town of Gate, Washington was established in 1881 and platted in 1890. The Northern Pacific Railway built a junction in Gate, and the town developed a thriving lumber industry.
The community was originally called “Gate City,” but later shortened to simply “Gate” due to the railroad junction, which made it a “gateway to the Pacific Coast.”
Much of the town of Gate was destroyed by fires in the 1900s, with major fires occurring in 1902 and 1918. From those ashes rose The Gate Community Club.
The Club was formed as a means for the local citizens to organize themselves and plan activities in an effort to preserve the community.
In its infancy, the Club was known as the “Gate Homemakers Club.” Homemakers would support the Club through quilt-making and other activities. The Club later evolved into an organization comprised of all members of the Gate community.
The Historic Schoolhouse:
The Gate Schoolhouse was built in 1910 on land donated by T. V. Mounts to serve the growing needs of Gate housing grades 1 through 4. The schoolhouse is a classic example of the “one-room schoolhouse” built during that era.
A sink is in the entry way for the children to cleanup. Outhouses were located out the back door to the west of the property. With the exception of a few panes all the windows are original. During the day you can see waves, called wans, common in old glass caused by rollers during manufacturing.
The floor is a beautiful example of straight grain fir from the nearby Boudreaux logging camp of the early period. Original slate blackboards line three walls above bead-board wainscoting.
Students would use apple crates for desks if there were not enough desks to go around.
In June of 1990, the Club, acting through the Thurston County Historic Commission and the Washington State Department of Community Development Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, applied for the schoolhouse to be listed with the National Register of Historic Places.
The schoolhouse was added to the National Register a short time later and remains on the Register to this date.
In January of 1994, Thurston County deeded the schoolhouse to The Gate Community Club in consideration of its commitment to preserve and maintain the schoolhouse in perpetuity. The Club has remained the owner since that time.
At about the same time, the Schoolhouse was added to the Washington State Historic Register.
