Wishkah River
The Wishkah River is a tributary of the Chehalis River in the U.S. state of Washington. Approximately 40 miles (64 km) long,[1] the river drains a remote rural area of approximately 102 square miles (260 km2)[2] in Grays Harbor County along the Washington coast north of Aberdeen. It flows south through the county and empties into the Chehalis at Aberdeen.
![](../I/m/Wishkah_River.jpg)
The name "Wishkah" is an adaptation of the Chehalis Indian word hwish-kahl, meaning "stinking water".[3][4]
In popular culture
Nirvana
The song "Something in the Way" on the Nirvana album Nevermind refers to the experiences of lead singer Kurt Cobain while living under a bridge on the river after dropping out of high school and being kicked out of his mother's home. According to his biographer Charles R. Cross, however, this was largely a myth created by Cobain himself. One third of his cremated remains were scattered in the river after his death.
From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah is a live album by the band. It was released on October 1, 1996, two and a half years after Cobain's death, and features live performances recorded from 1989 to 1994.
See also
- List of rivers of Washington
References
- "Wishkah River". The Columbia Gazetteer of North America. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
- "Chehalis River Basin Nonpoint Action Plan - Wishkah River". Chehalis River Council. Retrieved 2009-06-05.
- Phillips, James W. (1971). Washington State Place Names. University of Washington Press. ISBN 0-295-95158-3.
- "Unusual names, odd spellings found in Washington". The Spokesman-Review. Dec 24, 1977. pp. A12. Retrieved 20 May 2015.