Port Townsend, Washington City Guide
For over 20 years, Pamela Lanier's Port Townsend, Washington Travel Guide has been your connection to Port Townsend's tourism community with invaluable details on local attractions, restaurants, shopping, museums, history, outdoor recreation and more.
Introduction & History
 Tucked perfectly between the Olympic Mountains and Port Townsend Bay, visitors will find abundant opportunities for recreational outings and downtown fun. State and city parks afford playtime on the hiking and biking trails and picnic grounds, while the marine waters beckon kayakers, boaters, and swimmers. Festivals, galleries, restaurants, and more combine together with the stunning natural setting to make Port Townsend a fabulous Victorian seaport and arts community and a destination visitors return to time and again.
Known as the “City of Dreams” and named in honor of the Marquis of Townshend, a good friend of Captain George Vancouver, Port Townsend was the home to Native Americans for thousands of years. The first white settlers arrive in 1851 and railroad lines followed shortly afterward in the 1870’s. The good, safe harbor of Port Townsend was believed to be an ideal location for a shipping port and major city, but the depression hit and soon the town lost its energy and life. The economy began growing in 1920 when the paper mill was built and the town came back to life when people returned to the area in search of an affordable home or a nice place to retire. Because the economy fell so quickly, most of the original buildings were never torn down and they remain standing today, along with a collection of gorgeous Victorian homes.
|
