Carlton Appelo
Carlton Edward Appelo (1922 - ) is a Finnish-American entrepreneur and amateur historian residing in southwest Washington state. Son of C. Arthur and Agnes Paju Appelo, he grew up in Deep River, Washington, working on the family's various enterprises: a store, an insurance company, a post office, and a telephone company. The latter business is still in existence, having grown from a community co-op to one of the largest private employers in Wahkiakum County. Originally incorporated as Western Wahkiakum County Telephone Company in 1927, it became a holding corporation, Wahkiakum West, in 1994, with subsidiaries supplying telephone, satellite television, Internet, and long distance telephone services. Carlton has led the company since 1952, and remains President and CEO.
Between 1963 and 1978 the independent telephone service produced a series of telephone books that included historical supplements written by Appelo. Based on source documents, pictures, and oral accounts, these histories covered the heyday of logging and fishing in the now communities of Frankfort, Brookfield, Pillar Rock, Altoona, Knappton, Cottardi Station, and Deep River. The supplements have since been published in separate volumes.