Cape Shoalwater, Washington photographs and clippings , circa 1955-1971

Cape Shoalwater is located along Washington State's coastline. It is known for the rapid erosion that occurs there. This collection contains 41 images dealing with this erosion. There are also several newspaper articles that accompany the images. These newspaper articles use many photographs from this collection, and give additional background story on the erosion. The dates of the articles are from 1955 to 1965.

To combat the erosions effects on the shoreline the local residents tried several different approaches, documented in these photographs. They tried to create a bulwark with old cars and large rocks. This did not last. Then they created a groin out of wooden pilings and metal torpedo netting. This also did not last. Houses were lost, and acres of shoreline land were also lost to the sea. From 1890-1965 the cape eroded 12,303 feet at a rate of about 124 feet per year. A moving tidal channel caused the erosion. The channel migrates on an 8-12 year cycle.