Port Townsend, WA

                                      Sunday 9/9/2012

Everyday we had a few deer visit our campground. This deer was sampling some apples that had fallen off a small apple tree. We never saw the cougar that we had been warned to watch out for.

Today we are driving to see Port Townsend, which is northeast of our campground. It was about a 50 min. drive. This picture is as we come down a hill into the town.

This is where we will be coming tomorrow, when we leave Sequim and catch the ferry boat across the bay to LaConner, Wa.

We stopped at the visitor's center and collected info on what to see and do. There are a lot of old homes that have been renovated, so we drove around to check a few out. This is the Captain DeLion House (1883) Italianate Renaissance-style home. (you knew that already, didn't you? We did?) I forgot to say that this is Joe writing this blog.

This is a cape cod bungalow, right? Diane says it is a Victorian style home which used to belong to George Starret back in 1889. Who knew. It is now a bed and breakfast called the Anne Starret Mansion. Guess she outlived George.

Can't beat the detail work. Just don't call me when it needs a fresh coat of paint.

I have caught on to Diane's secret, read the description of the historic homes on our guide! This is The Peter Mutty House.(1881). It still has iron grillwork on it that has been removed from many other Victorian homes

At the end of each block of sidewalk you see the name of the street that you are facing.

We take a break from our house sightseeing when we arrive at the ocean. We check out a RV park right on the bay.

View from Point Hudson.

View from the sidewalk that runs in front of the RV park. Way out in the distance you can just make out a light house.

To see the lighthouse you need our zoom, to see from where we were.

Even closer look. We found out how to get there later. This is Point Wilson Light.

There is the ferry that we will be on tomorrow.

This large freighter was coming into Port Townsend as we ate our lunches in the car.

After lunch I walked over to the RV Park office and got the prices. Not a fancy park but a great location.

Back to sightseeing; this is the Jefferson County Courthouse. (1892) It is one of the two oldest government buildings in the state. It features a 100 ft. high clock tower.

Hat's off to the town for preserving such a fine piece of architecture.

This is the George Downs House (1886) noted for it's artistic stain glass windows.

One of it's stain glass windows.

This is the First Presbyterian Church (1890) Queen Anne Style.

This is the Frank Bartlett House. (1883). It has a french mansard roof and fine architectural lines.

This bell town sat on a hill overlooking the town.

Pretty cool.

View from the Bell Tower.

These stairs lead down to the town and harbor. We will head down there now.

We are now downtown. There are many really nice historical businesses in this part of the historic downtown. I turned Diane and Malley loose to go shopping while I wandered around and took these pictures.

A good example of a great preserved building.

One after another. Put some old horse and buggy's in the streets and what a look.

A little newer looking but great just the same.

Check out this 50's soda shop.

I tried my hand at being creative and took this picture in the reflection of the rear window of this Toyota Highlander car.

This building was 3 blocks long and was built at the same time.

Looking from downtown up at the bell tower. Diane liked this town and wished she had more time to look around, but I was glad we needed to move on.

I met up with the girls and we head out to see Fort Worden.

Fort Worden used to be a navy training base. It was the location used in the film, "An Officer and a Gentleman".



I think these were some of the barracks.It was past closing time so we couldn't go in to learn more.

We found a RV park on the base. I don't know if it is open to the public or just military.

 

Here is Point Wilson Light we saw when we stopped for lunch earlier. 

It was time to head home. On our way out of town, we make a quick stop at the Vintage Hardware store. We were told by a couple we met earlier that it was worth a look. She told us it was an antique lighting and accessory store.

Check out these cool entry doors.

This store has a great collection of imitation antique hardware.

Diane liked this style the best. Not cheap.

This is an original antique carriage carried by hand.

Diane liked this sign.

As we get close to home we look back at the point where we just came from. Port Townsend is on the far side of the point.

At the stop there was as Bird and Nature shop off Hwy. 101. This fence was made with shovels, pitch forks and other tools or objects.

View of the Olympic Mountains to the west of our campground.

When we got home our neighbors brought over some tomatoes for us. They live about 1 1/2 hours away, and they had to run home for their dentist appointments. They found their tomato plants were overflowing and they had more than enough. They could see our tomato plants were still not ripe, and figured we would love them. And yes we did! What wonderful neighbors we find on our Big Adventure!