 The town was originally situated on the banks of the Quilcene River, before being moved to higher ground.The economy in Quilcene was based primarily on farming and logging, and by 1880 the town had a population of 53.The Tubal Cain Mining Company in 1902 claimed that Quilcene would become the center for the smelting of iron, copper, gold, and manganese that was expected to be found in the Olympic Mountains; however, little ore was ever discovered.