Got d' Fever at Port Townsend |
After cruising numerous times over
the years through the San Juan’s, Gulf Islands, and northern B.C., we
anticipate making speedy progress northward, stopping for short stays in order
to coincide with reservations at Haida Gwaii around June 1st. Of course boaters are always ready to change
plans and reservations due to weather conditions. Happy to be on our way, we departed Seattle around
2pm on
May 16th and headed up Admiralty Inlet to Port Townsend
where we had a lovely dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, the Fountain Café. We always enjoy walking around this Victorian
seaport listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. One can’t help but appreciate the treasures
in this town filled with buildings from the 1800’s and Victorian homes perched
high on a hill overlooking the town below.
It seems such a shame that this town did not become a major shipping
port as once hoped. Settlers first came
to Port Townsend in 1851 and by the late 1800’s the town was a well-known
seaport. Unfortunately when the
Depression hit and the rail lines ended on the east side of Puget Sound, many
people left the area.
It wasn’t until
the 1970’s that the town reinvented itself as a tourist town refurbishing its
historic buildings. Visitors flock here
every summer not only for the Victorian treasures, but also for the historic WWI
Fort Worden State Park and the Point Wilson Lighthouse.
Port Townsend continues to be a popular
seaport for pleasure boats, offering two main marinas, public wharfs, and an
annual wooden boat festival. We had a
pleasant stay at Point Hudson Marina, refreshed and ready to go the following
morning.
Victorian Port Townsend |
The Fountain, Port Townsend |
Point Wilson Lighthouse, Port Townsend |
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