by Caroline M. Jackson
A perfect mini vacation for British
Columbians is a visit to Port Townsend which is located on the northeastern
corner of Washington's Olympic Peninsula. En route, you can take a short
detour and tarry in the quaint town of La Conner.
Poised at sea level near the mouth of the
Skagit River, the picturesque community of La Conner sprawls along the
Swinomish Channel. Considering its roots as a trading post dating back to
the early 19th century, it should come as no surprise to learn that one of
the town's best known attractions is its proliferation of antique stores on
Morris Street, the main artery running perpendicular to the waterfront. Many
of the stores are located in structures which were crafted in the 1800s and
early 1900s because, unlike many other Pacific communities which were
decimated by fire, La Conner escaped unscathed.
Local shops feature an array of art
galleries, fine wood-working and bunnies (the latter is Bunnies By The Bay,
where you can choose from a wonderful selection of appealing, hand-made
rabbits).
In April the Skagit Valley is famous for its
fields of tulips, daffodils and irises. However, in other months thousands
of blooms flourish under glass. The La Conner Flats Display Garden on Best
Road can be visited from June till September with ever-changing displays.
Make sure you visit the Tillinghast Seed Company, the Northwest's oldest
mail order seed house. The business began in 1885 and is easy to spot as it
is the first white clapboard building as you enter town via Morris Street.
The surrounding garden centre is a great place to purchase unique gifts for
friends who have a green thumb.
Museum buffs can visit the 22-room Gaches
Mansion which is now home to the La Conner Quilt Museum. This turn-of-the
century mansion was used as a hospital for a decade is now on the register
of national historic buildings. Another peek into the past can be found at
Skagit County Historic Museum. Perched on a hilltop, it affords a panoramic
view of snow-capped Mt. Baker and the Cascades. Art aficionados can check
out the Museum of Northwest Art on First Street.
If all this browsing has given you an
appetite, stroll along the waterfront and buy some hand-made fudge,
saltwater taffy, order an espresso and sit for a few minutes on one of the
sunny decks overlooking the Channel which teems with pleasure and commercial
craft. From this location, you will see the Rainbow Bridge which spans the
waterway from Pioneer Park, a popular place for a picnic or overnight
camping.
Visitors can spend a night at one of more
than a dozen inns or bed & breakfasts. Choices include a comfy quiet
cottage dating back to 1927, B&B in a Dutch Colonial farmhouse or a
restored Victorian edifice built by a sea captain in 1876.
After returning to Highway 20, continue
southwards on Whidbey Island till you reach the ferry terminal at Keystone.
From here, the green and white Washington ferry will transport you across
Puget Sound to Port Townsend. When Captain George Vancouver sailed his ship,
the HMS Discovery in these waters in 1792, his log book described Port
Townsend as "a very safe and capacious harbour" and named it after
the English Marquis of Townsend.
Set against a background of sandy bluffs,
this Victorian seaport has two distinct areas. Located on a plateau,
'Uptown' in days gone by, was frequented by the 'genteel' but is now the
residential area. By contrast, 'Downtown' on the shelf by the water was
frequented by sailors, gamblers and prostitutes. Today it is awash with
visitors exploring the many art galleries, boutiques and bistros.
Sprinkled throughout the residential area are
many Victorian-style bed and breakfasts most of them with lovely water
views. Some intriguing accommodations include the Quimper Inn B&B which
dates back to 1880, Lizzie's B&B which is a fine example of Italianate
Villa style while the Ann Starrett B&B (1889) is noted for classic
Victorian stick-style architecture and ceiling frescoes. One of my favourite
places was Manresa Castle. Built by a Prussian family in 1892, it was later
purchased by Jesuit priests who used the building as a training college.
Walking into this hotel is akin to entering a time warp complete with
turrets. Visitors can check with the front desk and take their own
self-guided tour. An interesting nugget of trivia: when the Jesuits left the
castle in 1968, there were three bathrooms. Today, Manresa boasts 43
washrooms.
After a refreshing sleep and a cooked
breakfast in your B&B, a great way to begin your first morning in Port
Townsend is to take a walk through the quiet residential area which sprouts
a proliferation of charming gingerbread mansions. Elegant gardens burst with
mauve hollyhocks, deep blue delphiniums, pink hydrangeas and borders of
scented lavender. Many streets open up into grassy parks which offer
unimpeded views of Admiralty Inlet. Of particular note is Chetzemoka Park.
Nearby is St. Paul's Church which dates back to 1865. Its red doors
symbolize the blood of Christ and the red flame of the Holy Spirit.
Apparently a soldier would not pursue an enemy beyond these doors.
If you are planning a picnic, replenish your
picnic basket in Aldrich's Store at the corner of Lawrence and Tyler.
Founded in 1895 by order of the International Order of Good Templars, this
grocery store appears to have changed little in the last century. As you
cross the green linoleum floors, the aroma of coffee assails the nostrils
and a wooden coffin which was once used to display cigarette packets, still
lies above the cash registry area. Just three blocks along the road is the
Uptown Theatre. The top storey of the building is the Oddfellows Hall
complete, I am told, with a hidden skeleton.
By now the waterfront will be beckoning with
its quaint shops and art galleries. In the summer months, there is a
Farmer's Market where you can purchase herbs, eggs, flowers, baked goods,
local honey and crafts. Historic Water Street is an ideal place to stroll
and to enjoy a leisurely lunch overlooking Admiralty Inlet and the Straits
of Juan De Fuca. Replete, you may want to wander into the red brick
Jefferson County Museum which chronicles the key role Port Townsend played
in Victorian times - a time when every foreign ship entering Puget Sound had
to clear customs in this port. It was here also that crews purchased
supplies and crewmen sought wine, women and song thus contributing to
flourishing bordellos and of course, the necessity for jail cells which you
can visit.
If you are a historian or a fresh-air fiend,
take a five-minute drive to Ford Worden State Park on the tip of the Quimper
Peninsula. A tour around the Commanding Officer's Quarters with 12 rooms of
late Victorian antiques will give you an insight into what life must have
been like for an officer's family on an early 20th century military base.
The nearby Coast Artillery Museum with an emphasis on the Harbor Defense of
Puget Sound is also worth a gander. The surrounding verdant lawns lend
themselves to a picnic and for the young-at-heart, there's the Marine
Science Centre on the pier.
Back in town for dinner, my favourite
restaurant was the Silverwater Café which offers an excellent seafood menu.
Next door is the charming Rose Theatre with thick red velvet drapes. The
upstairs balcony seats nine patrons - a perfect aerie from which to watch
the movie which is colorfully introduced by an usher.
Getting there:
La Conner: 15 miles west of Exit 230 on the I-5.
For Port Townsend, take the I-5 south, then, near Burlington, exit and
follow Highway #20 to Keystone ferry terminal on Whidbey Island for the 30
min. crossing to Port Townsend. During the summer, ferries run every 45 mins.
En route, allow yourself a little extra time to walk across the 450-metre
long Deception Pass bridge which connects Whidbey to mainland Washington
state. The adjacent park is popular with campsites, beaches and breathtaking
views.
Before returning to Vancouver, consider taking a leisurely drive along the
Chuckanut with a picnic stop at Larrabee State Park on the ocean - the
grandchildren will love it.
Events in Port Townsend:
21st August 99: Kiwanis Classic Car Show
10-12 Sept.99 Wooden Boat Festival
18-19 Sept.99 Fall Historic Home Tour
To find out about Festivals and programs including Elderhostel at Fort
Worden, check their web page @ www.olympus.net/centrum
