McKinley Stump

The McKinley Stump was a remnant of a Douglas fir tree that was located in Chehalis, Washington. The tree trunk was originally for use as a speech podium for its namesake, President William McKinley. His stump speech, to be held in May 1901, was cancelled due to his wife's illness. The city kept the fir remnant, installing the landmark in time for a July 4th celebration that same year.

President Theodore Roosevelt became the first dignitary to speak from the stump in May 1903 during a 23-minute speech that heralded expansionism and hard work. William H. Taft, serving as Secretary of War, spoke from the stump in September 1907. Other politicians that have spoken from the McKinley Stump include Eugene V. Debs and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

The platform was cut in Pe Ell in 1901. The McKinley Stump was over 8 feet (2.4 m) in diameter at the top and approximately 8 feet (2.4 m) tall. The remnant was estimated to be between 360 and 700 years old, and the tree may have been up to 300 feet (91.4 m) in height. A bandstand-pagoda structure was constructed over the stump by 1903.

The podium had been relocated within Chehalis several times. First positioned near the city's original Northern Pacific train station, the landmark was slightly moved in 1914, immediately south of the 1912-constructed Burlington Northern Depot, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Remaining until 1959, the stump was transported to the city's Recreation Park in order to make more room for parking in the downtown core. The stump remained at the park into 2007.

Vandalization of the stump and pagoda was noted almost immediately since the early 1900s; the damages became a continuing issue for the city. Despite upkeep and basic maintenance, rot and deterioration was noted by the 1950s and two arson attacks in 1961 and 1962 further damaged the historic platform. The city planned no centennial celebration of Teddy Roosevelt's 1903 visit and by 2007, the stump was reported to be in a severe state of decay. The original McKinley Stump was cut up and removed from the park, despite hopes that it could be saved, in October 2007. A top slab of the podium was saved as was the pagoda.

A replica stump, 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and 8 feet (2.4 m) in diameter, was cut in Tenino and in January 2008, installed at the Lewis County Historical Museum. The replacement podium is estimated to be between 500 and 700 years of age. The original pavilion was restored and placed over the reproduction later that year and the replica continues to use the McKinley Stump moniker.