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History |
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Washington's second oldest city, Port Townsend, began as a farming, logging and seafaring town. By the mid-1800s, this small settlement became a thriving international seaport, with a reputation as notorious as San Francisco's Barbary Coast.
Bolstered by the promise of a new railroad link with the Columbia River, Port Townsend businesses flourished, property values skyrocketed and the population doubled. But then , in the early 1890s, the railroad chose Seattle instead of Port Townsend as its terminus and the country entered into period of financial depression. The dream had ended Over the decades that followed, Port Townsend maintained its economic stability in a variety of ways, including the development of artillery fortifications at Fort Worden. Miraculously, the buildings and homes of the city's first boom remained intact. In 1976, the Downtown waterfront and parts of Uptown were designated a National Historic district. Later, Fort Worden (now a state park) and the city of Port Townsend were designated National Landmarks. The city is further recognized as one of only three Victorian seaports on the National Historic Register. The other two are Galveston, TX and Cape May, NJ. Today, the city has gained an international reputation as a builder of wooden sailing vessels and state- of- the- art motor yachts. Many famous Victorian homes have been converted to bed & breakfast inns, making Port Townsend the B & B capital of the Pacific Northwest. Antiques, apparel, art galleries, delightful restaurants and a wide variety of accommodations and services abound. Fort Worden State Park now serves as a cultural and convention center and the home of Centrum, a nonprofit center for the arts and education. Rich in history and scenic beauty, Port Townsend awaits you with a warm welcome year-round. |
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