Port Gamble Historic District - Port Gamble, WA
N 47° 51.367 W 122° 35.044
10T E 531113 N 5300391
This historic district encompasses numerous former residences and commercial buildings in Port Gamble, WA.
Waymark Code: WMH0QM
Location: Washington, United States
Date Posted: 05/03/2013
Views: 6
Note: GPS Coordinates for this waymark are in front of the Port Gamble historical marker and flagpole and across the street from the Community Hall and Post Office. Parking is next to this marker.
The following text comes from the NRHP nomination form for Port Gamble Historic District:
Port Gamble lies in the nation's greatest reservoir of old growth saw timber; the great forests are composed principally of Douglas fir, but also include large stands of hemlock, cedar, and spruce. Nowhere in the world is there concentrated in such a relatively small
area such a large quantity of timber.
Port Gamble's buildings, grounds and history encapsulate the drama of the transplantation of a venerable New England community to colonize upon Puget Sound--with the consequent enrichment of Washington life over the years. An important part of Port Gamble's history also involves the interplay of this New England community with equally interesting Irish, Chinese and American Indian groups.
An old grist mill was built in the early days and operated by power from the sawmill. The flour from this mill was sold in British Columbia, Seattle and other sections of the Sound. There was also an old octagonal blockhouse erected out of logs at Port Gamble as soon as the mill was established which served a a fort and offered protection against the Indians. The site of the old blockhouse was occupied in later years by a blacksmith shop.
One of the amusing incidents of life at Port Gamble in the early days was that someone imported some pigs which were allowed to run loose and fed on scraps thrown out of the window of the cookhouse which stood on the edge of the beach. In time, these pigs became very numerous and seemed to learn that when the mill whistle blew it was feeding time and immediately rushed down the alley to the cookhouse in such large droves that it was all one's life was worth to attempt to walk in the alley at the same time. The alley has become known as pig alley.
On entering Port Gamble's main street is a row of extremely beautiful trees on each side of the street. It is said that these trees were transplanted from East Machias, Maine. The town and mill had a water system obtained from an artesian well.
Port Gamble is still owned by Pope § Talbot, Inc. A portion of the original village has been demolished but still standing are some small Greek Revival homes erected in the 1860's, 5 New England box-type residences, several Victorian houses, a church built in 1871, a Masonic Hall, community center and company store. The existing and still active sawmill and docks were rebuilt in 1926.
The Port Gamble Historic District is also listed as National Historic Landmark. This is mainly because at the time the Port Gamble Sawmill shut down operations in 1995, it was the oldest continuously-operated sawmill in the United States.
The following list contains original buildings or structures that are part of the Port Gamble Historic District:
List of Historic Contributing Structures
Note: The above table is a work in progress as waymarks have not yet been created for all contributing buildings and sites in the district. If you create a new "contributing" waymark in the district, let me know and I'll add the link to the table above. Thank you.