Copalis Beach, Washington

Copalis Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States.

Both the Chehalis people and Quinault Indian Nation claim the Copalis are a subdivision of their tribe.

The Copalis Native Americans belong to the coastal division of the Salishan language family and historically occupied the area of Copalis River and the Pacific Coast between the mouth of Joe Creek and Grays Harbor.

The community sits near the northern end of probably the greatest razor clam bed in the world[citation needed] for the flavor renowned variety abounds, apparently only in the Pacific Northwest, and particularly on Copalis Beach.

During the commercial season, Copalis' normal population of about 350 persons, leaped fourfold.

During 1947 and 1948, commercial diggers took more than a million pounds of bivalves from Copalis Beach, earned themselves approximately $200,000.00 and brought huge additional sums to cannery men and workers.

Sea Beach Packing Works cannery workers and a clam cleaning machine, 1915
Working at a Sea Beach Packing Works clam opening machine
Sea Beach Packing Works cannery in Copalis, 1915
Map of Washington highlighting Grays Harbor County