Grays Harbor County Jail Inmate Search

The jail for Grays Harbor County has had a storied history. The story starts not as Greys Harbor, but when the county name was Chehalis. The jail itself is set in Montesano, but received the most business in the early days from Aberdeen, because of the saloons, houses of ill repute, and gambling houses. On top of that, because of all the logging, the unions and management were known to be violent with each other. The U.S. Navy also had a presence in the county, and they have their colorful characters when ships com in. While the entire county has calmed down, the jail still stands to hold those who would destroy the calm of the county.

One of the well known people to spend time in the jail in the early days is William “Billy Ghoul” Gohl. Coming to the county after going broke in the gold rush in Yukon, Gohl started first as a bartender. He was suspected of killing migrants during this time. He soon came to the attention of the Sailor's Union of the Pacific and his crimes became more focused for this purpose. He had several offenses, but was apprehended for two murders in 1910. The numbers vary depending on the source, but his incarceration is known to have stopped a serial killer that had been extremely productive.

Another person who is well known, but not for being a criminal, is the lead singer of Nirvana Kurt Cobain. Cobain has claimed he spray painted vehicles with the phrase “God is gay”, but that is not what he had spray painted when he was arrested. When he was caught, he had spray painted  "ain't got no how watchamacallit". Minus the youthful acting out, he became a change in rock music that is still spoken of.