 As traveling by boat was easier than moving through the dense forests, many used the river system, entering from the port of Grays Harbor and canoeing inland via the Chehalis River.The British government gave full ownership of the area to the United States in 1846.In 1850, the land now occupied by Oakville was mainly open prairie, was maintained by yearly fires started deliberately by local tribes, which kept the forest from encroaching and which encouraged the bloom of camas, a staple food, and other plants.