"[6][citation needed] This village of cedar houses included 300-400 inhabitants when visited by Lewis and Clark.

[7] In 1846, James Albion Birnie became the first permanent white settler at Cathlamet, moving there after a career with the Hudson's Bay Company.

In 1938, the Julia Butler Hansen Bridge was built to carry what is now State Route 409 across the Columbia River's Cathlamet Channel to Puget Island.

Cathlamet lies on the Columbia River in southwestern Washington across from Puget Island and Oregon.

The Pacific Coast to the west and Longview to the east are accessible via State Route 4.

[11] Another highway, State Route 409, crosses to Puget Island and connects with the county-operated Wahkiakum County Ferry, which travels over the Columbia River to Westport, Oregon.

Held usually in July, the event hosts a parade, street vendors, and an area for children's activities.

The city's "Art in the Park" workshop, farmer's market, and the marina are incorporated into the event.

[18] Films shot in Cathlamet include Come See the Paradise (1990), Snow Falling on Cedars (1999) and Men of Honor (2000).

[19] As stated in the afterword of Tananarive Due's horror novel The Good House, the setting of Sacajawea, WA is based on Cathlamet.