Thanks to a lengthy logging and coal mining history, there are a fair amount of ghost towns in Washington. Most of them have been diminished to nothing, others have a few structures remaining, and then, there’s the Riffe Lake underwater town, Kosmos, Washington. The underwater city in Washington has been submerged under Riffe Lake for over 40 years. The abandoned town has mostly been forgotten now, but it once had 500 people working at its timber mill.
Riffe Lake is a 23.5-mile-long reservoir that sits on the Cowlitz River. It was created in 1968 by the construction of Mossyrock Dam.
Long before Riffe Lake’s existence, in 1904, Kosmos, Washington was founded.
About 150 people called the town of Kosmos home. It had a tavern, a general store, a recreation hall, and a post office that doubled as a café. The Kosmos Timber Company was very successful.
Kosmos reached its peak in the 1940s.
Unfortunately, the need for Tacoma Power to build Mossyrock Dam was the beginning of the end. The town wasn’t relocated. Instead, the mills closed, and the buildings were razed. By 1969, the dam was generating power for Tacoma.
The crumbled remains of the town are located at the upper end of the reservoir.
When waters recede, some of the remnants of this underwater city in Washington emerge, and you can see some evidence that the town once existed. But more often than not, it stays buried under the waters of Riffe Lake.
This underwater city in Washington really makes you think. You could spend a day hanging out at a lake and not know that the remains of a city are right below you!
So, did you know about the Riffe Lake underwater town? Ever been to Riffe Lake? Know of any other intriguing abandoned places in Washington? Whatever it is, tell us!
The Riffe Lake underwater town is one of a handful of lakes in Washington hiding a secret. But if history isn't your thing, just grab a camera and check out some of the most beautiful lakes in Washington instead! There's so much to see, though, that you might want to make an adventure out of it.
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