Port Townsend | |
|---|---|
 Downtown Port Townsend, seen from the water | |
 Location of Port Townsend, Washington | |
| Coordinates:48°40′59″N122°46′31″W / 48.68306°N 122.77528°W /48.68306; -122.77528 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Jefferson |
| Incorporated | 1851 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager[1] |
| • Mayor | David Faber[1] |
| • City Manager | John Mauro |
| Area | |
• Total | 7.35 sq mi (19.05 km2) |
| • Land | 6.94 sq mi (17.98 km2) |
| • Water | 0.41 sq mi (1.07 km2) |
| Elevation | 154 ft (47 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 10,148 |
| • Density | 1,416.16/sq mi (546.75/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (Pacific Daylight Time) |
| ZIP code | 98368 |
| Area code | 360 |
| FIPS code | 53-55855 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2411468[3] |
| Website | www |
Port Townsend/ˈtaʊnzənd/ is a city on theQuimper Peninsula inJefferson County,Washington, United States. The population was 10,148 at the2020 United States Census. It is thecounty seat and only incorporated city ofJefferson County.[4]
In addition to its natural scenery at the northeast tip of theOlympic Peninsula, the city is known for the manyVictorian buildings remaining from its late 19th-century heyday, numerous annual cultural events, and as a maritime center for independent boatbuilders and related industries and crafts. ThePort Townsend Historic District is a U.S.National Historic Landmark District. It is also significantly drier than the surrounding region due to being in therainshadow of theOlympic Mountains, receiving only 19 inches or 480 millimeters of rain per year.
The bay was originally named "Port Townshend" by CaptainGeorge Vancouver in 1792, for his friend theMarquis of Townshend. It was immediately recognized as a good safe harbor, although strong south winds and poor holding ground often make small-craft anchorage problematic off the town's waterfront.
The official founding of the American city of the same name took place on April 24, 1851. Indian tribes located in what is now Jefferson County in the mid-19th century included theChimakum (or Chemakum),Hoh (a group of theQuileute),Klallam (or Clallam),Quinault, andTwana (the Kilcid band — Anglicized as "Quilcene").
Port Townsend is called the "City of Dreams" because of the early speculation that the city would be the largest harbor on the west coast of the United States. Guarding the gate ofPuget Sound, it would become known by its other nickname, the "Key City," a title that remains to this day.
By the late 19th century, Port Townsend was a well-known seaport, very active and banking on the future. Many homes and buildings were built during that time, with most of the architecture ornate Victorian. During this period, in 1888, the Port Townsend Police Department was established.
Railroads were built to reach more areas in the 1870s–1890s, and Port Townsend was to be the northwest extension of the rail lines. Its port was large and frequented by overseas vessels, so shipping of goods and timber from the area was a major part of the economy. Many of the buildings were built on the speculation that Port Townsend would become a booming shipping port and major city. When the depression hit, those plans lost the capital to continue and rail lines ended on the east side of Puget Sound, mainly inTumwater,Tacoma, andSeattle. With the other Puget Sound ports growing in size, Port Townsend saw a rapid decline in population when theNorthern Pacific Railroad failed to connect the city to the eastern Puget Sound city of Tacoma. By the late 1890s, the boom was over. Without the railroad to spur economic growth, the town shrank and investors looked elsewhere to make a good return. (TheMilwaukee Road built a short spur to the pulpmill and barged cars over fromAnacortes.)
Over the decades that followed, Port Townsend maintained its economic stability in a variety of ways, including the development ofartillery fortifications atFort Worden.[5] Many people left the area, and many buildings were abandoned. Port Townsend's economy was very weak until the 1920s, when apaper mill was built on the edge of the town. The bay is now home toNaval Magazine Indian Island, the US Navy's primary munitions-handling dock on the Pacific coast.
Since the 1970s new residents, including many retirees, have moved to town. The waterfront retail district has restaurants, services, and tourist destinations. Since 1999, the city has had an annual international film festival in September. Other cultural programming, some at Fort Worden, now a state park, includes a Wooden Boat Festival, writers' conference, playwrighting festival, and blues and jazz festivals, in addition to music, dance, and live theater performances. The town has two independent movie theaters, both upgraded by 2014 to handle digital film.
Because of the speed at which the economy declined in the 1890s and the lack of any industry to replace it, very few of the Victorian buildings were torn down or built over in the intervening period. They were essentially preserved for nearly 100 years, when the value of protecting them was appreciated and fostered. Unlike most cities in the Pacific Northwest that were ravaged by natural and man-made disasters such as fire and earthquakes, prominent examples of public, private, and business buildings from nearly every period of Port Townsend's history have survived to the present day.
The Port Townsend Historic District, an area including many Victorian-era buildings, was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1976. It was designated aNational Historic Landmark in 1977.
Port Townsend is located on theQuimper Peninsula which extends out of the extreme northeastern end of theOlympic Peninsula, on the north end of a large, semi-protected bay. Port Townsend is adjacent to theAdmiralty Inlet and a trio of state parks built on retired artillery installations (Fort Worden,Fort Casey, andFort Flagler). The city and its surroundings are well-treed, with largeDouglas fir dominant over many other tree species in the remaining wooded areas.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.46 square miles (24.50 km2), of which 6.98 square miles (18.08 km2) are land and 2.48 square miles (6.42 km2), or 26.22%, are water.[6]
A non-binding resolution was passed by the city council in 2022 declaring that a local sub-group ofkiller whales, known as theSouthern resident orcas, haverights of nature and should be protected due to the orca's significant "cultural, spiritual, and economic" value to the state and its citizens.[7] The U.S. government has exclusive jurisdiction more than three miles offshore.[8]
Port Townsend has a moderateMediterranean climate with damp, chilly (though not severe) winters and warm, dry summers. It lies in theOlympicrain shadow and receives an average of only 19.04 inches (483.6 mm) annual precipitation. However, the environment is not as dry as the mean yearly total would suggest; cool breezes and fog from theJuan de Fuca Strait provide a comfortable level of humidity.
| Climate data for Port Townsend, Washington | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 62 (17) | 65 (18) | 74 (23) | 76 (24) | 90 (32) | 100 (38) | 100 (38) | 96 (36) | 90 (32) | 75 (24) | 68 (20) | 67 (19) | 100 (38) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 46.4 (8.0) | 48.6 (9.2) | 52.1 (11.2) | 57.5 (14.2) | 63.1 (17.3) | 67.9 (19.9) | 72.6 (22.6) | 73.1 (22.8) | 68.0 (20.0) | 58.2 (14.6) | 50.1 (10.1) | 45.3 (7.4) | 58.6 (14.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 38.4 (3.6) | 38.3 (3.5) | 40.3 (4.6) | 43.2 (6.2) | 47.2 (8.4) | 51.0 (10.6) | 53.0 (11.7) | 53.5 (11.9) | 51.0 (10.6) | 46.3 (7.9) | 41.3 (5.2) | 38.4 (3.6) | 45.2 (7.3) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 5 (−15) | 7 (−14) | 19 (−7) | 27 (−3) | 28 (−2) | 33 (1) | 33 (1) | 37 (3) | 35 (2) | 22 (−6) | 12 (−11) | 5 (−15) | 5 (−15) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 2.24 (57) | 1.61 (41) | 1.85 (47) | 1.53 (39) | 1.52 (39) | 1.37 (35) | 0.73 (19) | 0.54 (14) | 1.10 (28) | 1.64 (42) | 2.43 (62) | 2.58 (66) | 19.14 (489) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0 (0) | 0.2 (0.51) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0.4 (1.0) | 0.6 (1.51) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 inch) | 16 | 12.4 | 14.5 | 12.6 | 11.6 | 9.7 | 5.8 | 5.3 | 7.5 | 12 | 17 | 16.1 | 140.5 |
| Source 1: NOAA[9] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: NCDC[10] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 917 | — | |
| 1890 | 4,558 | 397.1% | |
| 1900 | 3,443 | −24.5% | |
| 1910 | 4,181 | 21.4% | |
| 1920 | 2,847 | −31.9% | |
| 1930 | 3,979 | 39.8% | |
| 1940 | 4,683 | 17.7% | |
| 1950 | 6,888 | 47.1% | |
| 1960 | 5,074 | −26.3% | |
| 1970 | 5,241 | 3.3% | |
| 1980 | 6,067 | 15.8% | |
| 1990 | 7,001 | 15.4% | |
| 2000 | 8,334 | 19.0% | |
| 2010 | 9,113 | 9.3% | |
| 2020 | 10,148 | 11.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 10,502 | [11] | 3.5% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[12] | |||
According to the2020 census, there were 10,148 people in the city. Thepopulation density was 1,461.8 people per square mile (460.3/km2). There were 5,371 housing units at an average density of 607.8 per square mile (234.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 89.4%White, 0.9%African American, 0.6%Native American, 1.4%Asian, 0.0%Pacific Islander, and 4.2% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino people of any race were 3.5% of the population.
1.6% of the population is under the age of 5 years, 11.1% of the population is under the age of 18 years and 40.5% of the population are 65 years of age or older. 54.6% of the population are female. 4.8% of the population are foreign born and 9.7% of the population have been identified as Armed Service Veterans.
The median household income was $59,193, and 14.0% of the population were below thepoverty line.
As of the2010 census,[13] there were 9,113 people, 4,544 households, and 2,322 families residing in the city. Thepopulation density was 1,305.6 inhabitants per square mile (504.1/km2). There were 5,193 housing units at an average density of 744.0 per square mile (287.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 92.4%White, 0.5%African American, 1.1%Native American, 1.7%Asian, 0.3%Pacific Islander, 0.8% fromother races, and 3.1% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino people of any race were 3.3% of the population.
There were 4,544 households, of which 19.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.9% weremarried couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 48.9% were non-families. 39.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.98 and the average family size was 2.60.
The median age in the city was 53 years. 16.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.4% were from 25 to 44; 36.7% were from 45 to 64; and 24.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.0% male and 54.0% female.
The largest private employer is the Port Townsend Paper Mill.[14] The largest employer overall (private and public) isJefferson Healthcare, which operatesJefferson Healthcare Hospital.[15] Major industries include maritime trades, manufacturing, tourism, and timber.[16]
The sign entering town names Port Townsend a "Victorian Seaport and Arts Community".
Reflecting the numerous artists in the area, downtown has many galleries and two artists' collectives.[17] The nonprofit Northwind Art is located in the 1885 Waterman & Katz Building downtown. There is a monthly Art Walk, and a plethora of classes, workshops, and training are available locally.
Fort Worden State Park is home to a number of cultural organizations and venues.Centrum is a culture and arts organization that hosts a multitude of concerts, festivals, and workshops. These include "Fiddle Tunes", blues, jazz, voice, chamber music, and more.Copper Canyon Press, the poetry press, is located there, as are facilities forGoddard College, Madrona Mindbody Institute,Peninsula College, and the Port Townsend School of Woodworking. In late October and November 1981, Fort Worden was the central filming location for the 1982 movieAn Officer And A Gentleman starringRichard Gere.
Port Townsend has two dance schools for children and adults. The city is also home to Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra.
Port Townsend is host to several annual events such as thePort Townsend Wooden Boat festival,[18]Kinetic Skulpture Race [sic] (since 1983),[19][20] the Rhododendron Festival,Port Townsend Film Festival, and the annual blues and jazz festival.
Boating and maritime life are central elements in this port town, with regattas, weekly races, and a multitude of recreational opportunities, including annual boating events such as the Race to Alaska and Seventy48. The marine trades industry is an anchor economic driver for the community, with highly skilled, world-renowned tradespeople. The port is home to many classic wooden boats, and gets visits from owners of others seeking repairs.
Since 1999, Port Townsend has held its annual international film festival in September. The Rose Theatre[21] downtown shows contemporary American and foreign films. The Uptown Theater shows family-oriented films, and a nearby drive-in theater is open during the summer. Key City Public Theatre is the local playhouse presenting many award-winning productions and Shakespeare in the Park in the summer.
Starting in August 2019, Fort Worden began hosting a music festival called "THING", created by Adam Zacks, the founder of theSasquatch! Music Festival.[22] In 2023,Fleet Foxes, an indie-folk group from Seattle, led by Port Townsend's notable musician Robin Pecknold, was the listed headliner.[23] Due to difficult accessibility to the event because of Port Townsend's location, coupled with limited lodging options and low revenue, the THING festival would not return to the city in 2024.[24]
Port Townsend is noted for its Victorian houses and significant historical buildings. The city has more than a dozen large, well-preserved buildings, including the Port Townsend Public Library (a 1913Carnegie Library), the Federal Building (now commonly known as the city's post office), the Rose Theatre, and theElks Lodge, which now houses Silverwater Cafe.Fort Worden, now a state park, has retained some of its pre-World War I architecture built when it was a military facility. Buildings have been adapted for other uses, including the publicly available Olympic Youth Hostel, which closed in 2011. The Jefferson County Courthouse is in a Romanesque architectural style, as popularized byHenry Hobson Richardson, with a 125-foot bell tower.
In 1976, the Downtown waterfront and parts of Uptown were designated a Registered Historic District. Later,Fort Worden (now part ofFort Worden State Park) and the City of Port Townsend were designatedNational Historic Landmarks.[5]
The Bell Tower on the bluff above downtown is one of two known towers of this type in the United States. It was used from 1890 to the 1940s to call volunteer firefighters. It was restored in 2003 by the Jefferson County Historical Society.[25] The second bell tower is located inHelena, Montana, and was also used for fire alarms during the late 19th century.
A history museum is located downtown and thePort Townsend Aero Museum is located at the local airport. The Northwest Maritime Center is located on the waterfront, and features a wooden boat shop. The Port Townsend Marine Science Center has facilities at Fort Worden State Park.
The city is served by thePort Townsend School District, which manages publicK–12 education for pupils in Port Townsend, the Quimper Peninsula, and the area around Discovery Bay.[26] The school district had an enrollment of 1,173 students in the 2022–23 school year and approximately 153 staff members.[27] It has a single high school,Port Townsend High School, one middle school, and one elementary school.[28] The elementary school, named Salish Coast, opened in 2018 to replace the demolished Grant Street Elementary School.[29] The Port Townsend School District is a participant in theU.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm to School program and maintains a 12,000-square-foot (1,100 m2) farm plot that is used to provide produce for school cafeteria meals.[30]
Port Townsend is also home to the Swan School, a private school for pupils up to 6th grade.[31] Another private school, the non-profitJefferson Community School, was founded in 2005 to provide "experiential education" for students. It later transitioned into anonline school with international students until it closed in 2020.[32]
Peninsula College, acommunity college based in Port Angeles, opened its first Port Townsend campus in 2004. It moved to Fort Worden in September 2016 following $6 million in renovations to an existing building.[33] Fort Worden was also home to a branch ofGoddard College, a private online college that established its Port Townsend campus in 2005.[34][35] The college closed all of its campuses in 2024.[36] Other adult educational organizations in the city includeCentrum, Northwind Art, and the Port Townsend School of Woodworking.[citation needed]
The city is home to thePort Townsend & Jefferson County Leader, a weekly newspaper that has been published in Port Townsend since 1889. It was preceded by other newspapers, including thePort Townsend Register in 1859.[37][38] ThePeninsula Daily News, a daily newspaper based inPort Angeles, also covers the area.[37] The libertarian magazineLiberty was founded in Port Townsend.[39]
Port Townsend is within the broadcast range of radio stations inVictoria, British Columbia, and has its own local stations.[40]KPTZ was founded in 2011 as a nonprofit community station and is based in the city.[41] A second local station,KROH, was founded the same year to broadcastChristian programming.[42]
The city has been used as a location for several film and television productions.An Officer and a Gentleman, released in 1982, was partially shot at Fort Worden and other locations around the city. It was followed bySnow Falling on Cedars (1999),Enough (2002), andThe Ring (2002).[43]
Port Townsend lies alongState Route 20, a major highway that connects the Olympic Peninsula to the northern regions of the state. The highway terminates at 13 miles (21 km) to the southwest at a junction withU.S. Route 101 (US 101) inDiscovery Bay. US 101 continues west towardsPort Angeles and south toOlympia.[44] From the city, State Route 20 crosses the Admiralty Inlet toWhidbey Island via thePort Townsend–Coupeville ferry, part of theWashington State Ferries system. The ferry carries walk-on passengers and vehicular traffic, the latter of which requires an advance reservation for most of its capacity. The route is also prone to cancellations during stormy weather and high winds.[45]
The city is also served byJefferson Transit, a local public transit system that operates buses within Port Townsend and to adjacent areas. Its routes include service toSequim,Brinnon,Kingston, andPoulsbo with onward connections to other transit systems.[46][47] Jefferson Transit was established by a voter-approved ballot measure in 1980 and is funded by asales tax within the county. It replaced an earlier private bus system in Port Townsend that traced its origin to early jitney services in the 1910s.[48] Jefferson Transit becamefare-free in 2020.[47]
Port Townsend istwinned withIchikawa, Hyōgo,Japan. A group of local students participate in an exchange with this city during the summer.
According to the Washington State Lieutenant Governor's website,[55] Port Townsend also has a sister city relationship withJalapa,Nicaragua, though the city's website[56] does not reflect this.
Geographic data related toPort Townsend, Washington atOpenStreetMapMunicipalities and communities ofJefferson County, Washington,United States | ||
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