Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The
Olympic Music Festival
(
&
206/527-8839;
www.olympicmusicfestival.
org), held nearby in an old barn near the town of Quilcene, is the area's most
important music festival. This series of weekend concerts takes place between
mid-June and mid-September.
EXPLORING THE TOWN
With its abundance of restored Victorian homes and commercial buildings, Port
Townsend's most popular activity is simply walking or driving through the his-
toric districts. The town is divided into the waterfront commercial district and
the residential uptown area, which is atop a bluff that rises precipitously only
2 blocks from the water. Uptown Port Townsend developed in part so that proper
Victorian ladies would not have to associate with the riffraff that frequented the
waterfront. At the Port Townsend Visitor Information Center you can pick up
a guide that lists the town's many historic homes and commercial buildings.
Water Street
is the town's main commercial district. It is lined for several
blocks with 100-year-old restored brick buildings, many of which have ornate
facades. Within these buildings are dozens of interesting shops and boutiques,
several restaurants, and a handful of hotels and inns. To learn a little more about
the history of this part of town and to gain a different perspective, walk out on
Union Wharf,
at the foot of Taylor Street. Here you'll find interpretive plaques
covering topics ranging from sea grass to waterfront history.
Before exploring the town, stop by the
Jefferson County Historical Society
History Museum,
540 Water St. (
&
360/385-1003;
www.jchsmuseum.org),
where you can learn about the history of the area. Among the collections here
are regional Native American artifacts and antiques from the Victorian era. It's
open Monday through Saturday from 11am to 4pm and Sunday 1 to 4pm (in
July and Aug open daily until 6pm). Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for chil-
dren under 12.
The town's noted Victorian homes are in uptown Port Townsend, atop the
bluff that rises behind the waterfront's commercial buildings. Here you'll find
stately homes, views, and the city's favorite park. To reach the uptown area,
either drive up Washington Street (1 block over from Water St.) or walk up the
stairs at the end of Taylor Street, which start behind the Haller Fountain.
At the top of the stairs are both an 1890 bell tower that once summoned vol-
unteer firemen, and the
Rothschild House,
Taylor and Franklin streets (
&
360/
379-8076;
www.jchsmuseum.org). Built in 1868, this Greek Revival-style
house is one of the oldest buildings in town and displays a sober architecture
compared to other area homes. The gardens contain a wide variety of roses,
peonies, and lilacs. It's open May through September, daily from 10am to 5pm.
Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for children under 12.
However, the most fascinating uptown home open to the public is the
Ann
Starrett Mansion,
744 Clay St. (
&
360/385-3205
), Port Townsend's most
astoundingly ornate Queen Anne Victorian home. Currently operated as a bed-
and-breakfast inn, this mansion is best known for its imposing turret, ceiling
frescoes, and unusual spiral staircase. The house is open for guided tours daily
from noon to 3pm. Tours cost $2.
Also here in the uptown neighborhood, at the corner of Garfield and Jackson
streets, you'll find
Chetzemoka Park,
which was established in 1904 and is
named for a local S'Klallam Indian chief. The park perches on a bluff overlook-
ing Admiralty Inlet and has access to a pleasant little beach. However, it is the
rose garden, arbor, and waterfall garden that attract most visitors.
