Bucoda was home to Washington State’s first territorial prison, known as Seatco, created after years when Washington had no prisons and criminals were held in local jails run by sheriffs. Those jails had poor security and higher operating costs, while Seatco offered stronger security at lower cost and became the more attractive option for the Washington State Legislature. Known as Hell on Earth for its hard labor, harsh punishments, and difficult conditions, the prison remained active until 1887, when 93 inmates were transferred to a penitentiary in Walla Walla. The prison later burned in 1907. The site is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, having been recognized under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 for possessing exceptional value in illustrating American history and culture and entered in the National Register on May 2, 1975. The site also bears a memorial to Neil B. Corcoran, honoring his years of commitment to the community, with dates given as December 1936 to October 2001.