Dobson McFadden Trail Chehalis Walk Part 1 January 17, 2026

John Dobson (1841-1907) was a pioneering business, banker, and farmer who played a critical role in the early development of Chehalis, Washington. His legacy is primarily recognized today through John Dobson Park, which sits on Park Hill in the city’s Hillside Historic district.
Sources:
Wikipedia – John Dobson and McFadden Parks
HistoryLink.org – Chehalis Thumbnail History
Wikipedia – Scout Lodge (Chehalis, Washington)

Early Career and Business Influence
Arrival and Family: Dobson arrived in the Chehalis area in 1864 with his brother-in-law William West, a fellow prominent early resident.
Economic Contributions: He was one of the city’s first business owners in the late 1800s. He co-owned a trackside warehouse that was the first building in Chehalis and later co-owned a “regulation depot” constructed by Northern Pacific Railroad in 1890.
Banking: Originally a local farmer, he transitioned into finance and became a Chehalis banker.
Sources:
HistoryLink.org – Chehalis Thumbnail History
Wikipedia – Scout Lodge (Chehalis, Washington)
The Daily Chronicle – Parks Gone Wild
Wikipedia – Lewis County Historical Society and Museum

John Dobson Park History
Donation: Following Dobson’s death in 1907, his family (or the Chehalis Land & Timber Company) donated a tract of land on the hillside to the city in 1908 server as a memorial park
Development: Initial work on the park began in 1914 and plans for a waterfall system and tennis courts. In 1923, the city installed a $100 concrete marker in his honor.
WPA Era and Scout Lodge: During the 1930s, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed the Scout Lodge (Troop 373 and 7373) on the park grounds, which remains a central landmark of the site today.
Top-of-the-Hill Parks: The park is adjacent to McFadden; together they are locally known as the “Top-of-the-Hill” parks and are linked by a 1.3-mile (2.092 KM) Dobson-McFadden Trail.
Sources:
Wikipedia – John Dobson and McFadden Parks
Wikipedia – Scout Lodge (Chehalis, Washington)
Wikipedia – John Dobson and McFadden Parks

Obadiah B. McFadden, a pioneer judge and first chief justice of the Washington Territory who settled and built his home in Chehalis in the 1850s. with historical markers and parks named in his honor.
Sources:
www.ci.chehalis.wa.us – Other Chehalis National Register Sites
The Daily Chronicle - Chehalis Oldest Home Restored

Obadiah B. McFadden (Chehalis Pioneer)
Role: Pioneer settler, Oregon and Washington Territorial Judge, delegate to Congress.
Legacy in Chehalis: Built his log home there (still standing as a historic site), and McFadden Park is named in his honor.
Sources:
www.ci.chehalis.wa.us – Other Chehalis National Register Sites
The Daily Chronicle – Parks Gone Wild
The Daily Chronicle - Chehalis Oldest Home Restored
Wikipedia - Obadiah B. McFadden