Gause Elementary School first opened its doors in 1953 when it was originally designed as a junior high school. Over the years it has also housed high school students as well. For a long time, it was home to only grades 3, 4 and 5, receiving K-2 students from Hathaway. In 2001 it was remodeled and began its current run as a K-5 elementary school. In 2002, a Community Education sponsored pre-school was added to make us a PreK-5 elementary school. The preschool closed in the early 2020s.
Gause was named after longtime Washougal resident and school board member Omer Gause. Several of his family members still live in the Washougal area.
