page_title: Buckley, Washington
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Buckley, Washington / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Postcard: Buckley High School in Buckley, Washington; store Web page states: "Description: 1912 postmark. / Size: 3-1/2 x 5-1/2""
context_page_description: Buckley is a city in Pierce County, Washington, United States, founded in 1882. The population was 4,354 at the 2010 census and has grown to 4,944 people as of 2018 estimate. Buckley sits below Mount Rainier and is well known for hosting the annual Log Show.
context_section_description: Taken from the files of the City of Buckley and Buckley Library
  1856 Decisive battle of Indian War fought at Connell's Prairie, 6 miles (10 km) west of Buckley.
  1875
  Coal discovered at Wilkeson
  Jeremiah 'Jerry' Stilley, first permanent non-Indian resident, settled West of town.
  1877 Railroad built from Tacoma to Wilkeson to transport coal.
  1882 Town named "Perkin's Prairie"
  1884 Northern Pacific built railroad spur track from Cascade Junction (between South Prairie and Buckley) to  Perkin's Prairie.  Town given name "White River Siding" by railroad men.
  1885 Town's first store erected by "Dad" Chamberlain.
  1887
  Town renamed "Buckley" for J.M. Buckley, Northern Pacific Railway district superintendent.
  First school established.
  1888 Town site platted by Alexander and Mary Wickersham.  Town booming with lumber and shingle mills springing up overnight.
  1889
  First post office established.
  District Court appointed five men as trustees of the Town of Buckley.
  First newspaper printed and published in Buckley - The Buckley Banner.
  1890
  Town incorporated by electorate.
  1890
  Buckley Lodge 75, IOOF, chartered.
  Western Star Lodge, F&AM, chartered.
  1891 Land donated for Buckley cemetery.
  1892
  May 5 Business District almost wiped out fire. Started on second story of the Buckley Lumber Store.
  June 17 New school built at present site of White River School District building on A Street.
  First church built.
  World's Fair- Buckley Mills sell wood, shingles, and supplies to be used at the World's Fair Exhibit Buildings
  First organized water system established.
  1893
  February 24 Fire Department in Buckley was established. Dr. JH Sheets was selected as an honorary member to act as a surgeon
  1894
  October 17 First fire dept. dance. Ladies-free Men-$0.25  Children as spectators for $0.10
  Eola Rebekah Lodge chartered.
  1895
  July 6 Discussion of entering first 4th of July parade, uniforms and plans to build station were finalized
  1897 Women's Musical & Literary Club founded.
  1898 Business district razed by fire. First high school classes held, building erected.
  1900 Mt. Rainier Chapter, OES, chartered.
  1902
  Addition built on schoolhouse.
  Degree of Honor chartered.
  First library established.
  1905 First high school graduation held.
  1906 Buckley Aerie 1387, FOE, chartered.
  1907
  Gravity water system built; water stored in reservoir still in use by town.
  First general use of electricity.
  1909
  Marion Grange chartered.
  School burned to ground.
  Town established fire department to replace Columbia Hose Company, a private fire-fighting group.
  1910 New brick school built on A Street.
  1911
  White River Power Plant completed. (Headwork, flume, powerhouse.)
  Present town hall built.
  1912 Plank streets replaced by paving.
  1914 Wickersham elementary school built.
  1920 Large section of business district leveled by fire.
  1923 Vocational unit added to high school building.
  1927 FOE Auxiliary 1387 chartered.
  1928 Buckley Kiwanis Club chartered.
  1929 Town purchased pumper fire truck to replace hand-drawn equipment.
  1931 Carbon Glacier Post 1414, VFW, chartered.
  1932 Rainier State School opens.
  1937 Buckley Garden Club organized.
  1939
  Rainier School officially opened.
  Work commenced on Mud Mountain Dam on White River.
  1942 Mud Mountain Dam completed.
  1944 Buckley railroad logging ended with closure of Buckley Logging Company mill.
  1946 City limits extended to include Rainier School and farms south of town.
  1947
  Last company-operated coal mining discontinued.
  Additional construction at Rainier School.
  1948 Kindergarten class instituted.
  1949
  Additional construction at Rainier School.
  Buckley and Enumclaw school districts consolidated.
  1950 Buckley Business & Professional Women's Club chartered.
  1951 Rural Fire District No. 12 organized.
  1952
  New fire station built.
  Additional construction at Rainier School.
  Sewage disposal plant built.
  1953
  Purchase of a 1941 Packard as first aid car by fire dept. for $945
  Wickersham school annex built.
  White River School District (Buckley-Enumclaw) de-consolidated.
  1955 Buckley Planning Commission created.
  1956
  New gymnasium built at high sc
caption: Buckley High School, about 1912
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