Turn onto Rainier Avenue in Port Gamble, Washington,
blink twice, and you’d swear you had been transported to a tree-lined village
in New England. And, you wouldn’t be entirely wrong.
In 1853, Maine lumbermen, Andrew Pope and William Talbot,
sailed around Puget Sound seeking the right place for a Northwest logging
outpost for their successful San Francisco- based timber and shipping company.
They chose a small harbor off the Hood Canal, brought in mill machinery, and
constructed a saw mill, bunkhouse, store, and cookhouse. Named Port Gamble, it
became one of several successful, company-owned logging towns taking advantage
of the plentiful, first-growth forests around the Olympic Peninsula.
When gold was discovered in the Klondike, workers
abandoned their lumber jobs to seek fortunes in Alaska. It was obvious to the
company that married men would provide a more stable, dependable
workforce. Pope and Talbot sought to
recruit workers from their hometown of East Machias, Maine, and to lure them
into taking the long trip west, they recreated the town on the shores of Puget
Sound. A proper church, school, and Victorian frame houses complete with picket
fences and lawns transformed the rough sawmill town into a little bit of New
England in Washington State.
The mill and town thrived and timber from Port Gamble was
shipped to ports all over the world including Australia, Hawaii, and England.
However, by the late 20th century, overharvesting, economic
downturns, and some bad business decisions forced the company to shut down the
mill in 1995. It was the oldest continuously operating mill in North America.
However, the company (now called Pope Resources)
recognized the unique value of the town, and poured money into restoring the
community to its former glory days. The
only remaining company owned town in Puget Sound, Port Gamble is now listed as
a National Historic Landmark with tourism replacing timber as the main
business. The homes, commercial
buildings, common outdoor areas, and water/sewer system are all owned by Pope
Resources and are leased rather than bought and sold.
A good place to begin a visit is the General Store. In
the downstairs level, is the Port Gamble Historic Museum (open May through
October) where local history is interpreted through a number of realistic
tableaux. On the mezzanine, is Of Sea and Shore Museum featuring a remarkable
collection of seashells, part of one of the world’s largest private collections.
The store, dating back to 1916, sells everything from candy to
sweatshirts, and
houses an excellent restaurant serving breakfast and lunch. Get there early as it is quite popular, but a
good alternative is the award-winning Mike’s Four Star BBQ located nearby in
the former service station.
The main street is lined with a number of attractive,
frame homes and commercial buildings now occupied by antiques shops, retail
stores, and a tearoom. You can’t miss the grandiose Walker-Ames house, next
door to the General Store. The Queen Anne mansion, built for the mill manager,
faces the bay so ship captains would spot it first. Today, it has a reputation
for being haunted with mischievous ghosts residing in the basement.
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| Walker Ames House |
Beyond the iconic, wooden water towers, sits the St.
Paul’s Episcopal Church, also a company-owned property. Built in 1879, its
Gothic windows and needle spire are reminiscent of the Congregational church in
East Machias, Maine. The church and a new pavilion overlooking the water have
made Port Gamble an increasingly popular wedding destination.
To reach Port Gamble from the south, follow Interstate 5,
US Hwy. 101 from Olympia, and Wash. Hwy. 3 past Bremerton and Silverdale. If
you want the ferry experience, take the Seattle-Bainbridge Island or, further
north, the Edmonds-Kingston ferry. Other
sites nearby include the neighboring town of Poulsbo known for its Norwegian
roots, and the Victorian city of Port Townsend. Or, make your stop in Port
Gamble a launching pad for a visit to the Olympic Peninsula.
A handy and comprehensive “Walking Tour of Historic Port
Gamble” with map, photographs, and descriptions may be downloaded from the
following website: www.portgamble.com.
