The Oldest Incorporated Town/City in Washington State - Monday, August 17, 2020

Today's 10k walk takes us back in time to the town of Steilacoom (pronounced STILL-a-come), Washington. It is the oldest incorporated town or city in Washington State, dating back to 1854. 

Steilacoom was a prosperous town founded by early merchant Lafayette Balch with a port, wharf, and store -- a hub for settlers fresh from treks over the Oregon and Naches Trails. Steilacoom also had a water-powered grist mill and a wagon shop. The wagon shop was essential due to the town having three of the territory's five major roads running through it. (The information above is from the brochure: "Historic Steilacoom Walking Tour.")

Steilacoom is known as Washington's "Town of Firsts:"

• Port (1849)
• Post office (1852)
• Protestant church north of the Columbia River (1853)
• Incorporated town (1854)
• Territorial newspaper (1855)
• Public library (1858)
• Territorial jail (1858)
• Brewery (1864)
• Gas station and garage (1925)

There is a large historic district with homes dating from the mid-1850s. The town has dramatic views of the Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. You can also check out the Steilacoom Historical Museum. We found out there used to be orchards here and many yards now have trees with ripe plums, pears, and apples!

The Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound.

This home has a great view
as do their neighbors!

The shoreline and a ferry.

The walk took us through beautiful neighborhoods with elegantly landscaped lawns. Many landscapers were working today. We saw gorgeous plants, an adorable Little Free Library, and paths that connected streets to other neighborhoods.

The train runs along the Puget Sound.

Beautiful homes with views.

Little Free Library with stained
glass and mosaic art.

Peter Rabbit has his own Little Free Library!

A pretty door on the
Little Free Library.

The showy Chinese Lantern Plant.

Front yard lily pond.

A trail connecting neighborhoods.

We headed down to Sunnyside Beach Park. It's a beautiful location next to Puget Sound. This is a good place for beginning SCUBA divers and we saw some divers coming up out of the water while we were there.

Sunnyside Beach Park, Steilacoom, WA.

Sunnyside Beach Park frog and me.

Sunnyside Beach Park.

We walked through the old part of town, Pioneer Orchard Park, through Charlie's Park to the Washington State Ferry Terminal. An Amtrak train whizzed by as we watched. 

We stood next to the freight train
going by at Sunnyside Beach.

Cornerstone says, "Laid by the most
worshipful Grand Lodge F. & A.M.
of Washington. July 22, A.L. 5910.

HUGE sunflower!

Steilacoom Town Hall, 1930.

Tacoma Narrows Bridges
as seen from Steilacoom.

A Steilacoom neighborhood.

I love this immense home.

Unique weather vane.

Pioneer Orchard Park.

Okay everyone, time for a history lesson from 1792. Do you remember British Royal Navy Captain George Vancouver and the HMS Discovery and HMS Chatham? Captain Vancouver anchored off Bainbridge Island and sent out his 27-year-old lieutenant Peter Puget to lead a group to explore and map the southern waters of the inland sea. The crew consisted of two naval officers, one botanist, one sailing master, and 16 oarsmen. They departed in two small boats on May 20. 

Here's the really impressive part. They started from Bainbridge Island (near present-day Seattle) and in SEVEN days traveled 160 nautical miles south to what is present-day Olympia and back! With great accuracy, they surveyed and mapped the five inlets of the southern waters. However, they did not find what they were looking for: the "Northwest Passage." 

To honor his faithful lieutenant, Vancouver named these inland waters Puget's Sound.

"Rockin' 'Round the Clock."

Bair Drug & Hardware.

Charlie's Point Park.

Amtrak Cascade whizzing by.

From the ferry terminal, we headed up the hill, passed Perkins Park, and did a big rectangle through a neighborhood and by Saltars Point Beach Park. To get to the beach at Saltars, you had to cross a huge fenced overpass over the train track and down incredibly steep stairs. We did not go down to the beach there. [See photos  below.]

A lovely house in Steilacoom.

Perkins Park

Ripe pears. We were so tempted!

A marker for the site of the 
first Pierce County Courthouse.

Amazing dahlias!

The guy who owned the house above came out from under his arbor and talked to us about his weather vane, his new hound puppy, and the travails of training said hound. He was quite friendly and talked a lot. We were standing in full sun and I had black jeans on. I was so hot. Finally, we told him we needed to finish our walk!

I fell in love with the dragon wind vane!

Man, I would love one of these!

We walked through the neighborhood and came to this fence with decorated fish all over it and this bridge. Of course, we had to see what was up with this awesome bridge. It was made to cross the railroad tracks so people could get to the local beach! Just check out the stairs on the other side of the bridge to Saltars Point Park!

Bridge over railroad tracks to
Saltars Point Park beach.

They're not kidding about these stairs.

Saltars Point Park.

How about those stairs? A group of kids
from a local daycare was heading down there!

Onward and upward we walked, through more neighborhoods. We stopped for ice cream at Topside Coffee Cabin which proclaims Steilacoom is "the cutest little town on the Puget Sound."

Topside Coffee Cabin for ice cream.

"The cutest little town on the Puget Sound."

On the way back to the car we passed Steilacoom Historical Museum. Outside on their deck were displays about Bair Drug & Hardware (1895), Nathaniel Orr's Wagon Shop (1868), and the Voyage of Discovery. This informative history board added that the charts and logs of the Voyage of Discovery were published and formed the basis for exploration that followed, including Lewis & Clark in 1840, and the Wilkes Expedition of 1841.

In addition to the wagon shop, the Orrs planted an orchard in Steilacoom. 

About Nathaniel Orr's Wagon Shop.

The Orchards in Steilacoom.

Nathaniel Orr Pioneer Home Site (1857).

Steilacoom Historical Museum.

After the museum, we still had to schlepp our butts back up the hill to where we parked our car. It was along this stretch of road that we saw the sign about Steilacoom's firsts, which is now the last photo in this blog. The first shall be last, and all that. LOL.

The end, at last.