Washington Coast Magazine, March 01, 2016

SPRING 2016 $3.99

A supplement to The Daily World

Discovery Trail Bike Path

7th Street TheatreHistoric Aberdeen MansionCOASTAL Interpretive Center

LONG BEACH’S

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World-class fishing in the Chehalis River

FEATURES

34 DISCOVERY TRAIL IN LONG BEACH

The scenic bike ride lets you get some wind in your sails

TOP Long Beach’s Discovery Trail awaits bicycle ridersPhoto by Damian Mulinix

ABOVE The 7th St. Theatre’s iconic sign burns bright in Hoquiam Photo by Julie Rajcich

COVER In the middle of the day on Long Beach Photo by Kyle Mittan

COVER

contentsspring 2016

42 HOQUIAM’S 7TH

STREET THEATREA past restored to bring entertainment to the Harbor

50Step inside the Aberdeen Mansion, a home to generations of coastal families.

A HISTORY IN ONE HOME IN ABERDEEN

4 Spring 2016 | WASHINGTON COAST MAGAZINE

Windermere Real Estate/Aberdeen101 South Broadway • Aberdeen • 360-533-6464 • www.windermeregraysharbor.com

Our work is not about houses......it’s about people.

Serving all of Grays Harbor CountyResidential - Commercial - LandMulti-year

winner!

spring 2016

contents

IN THIS ISSUE12 BOOK Wintergreen rambles in a ravaged land returns

14 DIY A Home Maintenance Plan For All Seasons

16 OFF THE MAP The Force is Strong in Aberdeen

18 DINE Sand Verbena

24 SHOPPING Springy Things

26 DISCOVER Ocean Shores’ Coastal Interpretive Center

60 TRAVEL South Bend Day Trip

66 EVENTS Our Favorites

71 LAST SHOT Ocean Shores in the morning

72 WHO & WHY Aberdeen’s Mayor Erik Larson shows us his favorite sights

16

IN EVERY ISSUE10 From the Editor 74 Advertisers Directory

TOP Find Darth Vader everything in Aberdeen

ABOVE Don’t miss the Rodeo listed in our favorite events

EVERYTHING

STAR WARS

PG. 16

66


LOVE WINS.Most Awarded

Small SUVThe longest-lasting sedan in its class

2300 Carriage Loop SW • Olympia • Mon-Sat 8 to 7 ~ Sun 11 to 6 • www.HansonMotors.com

1-360-943-2120

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Publisher Stan Woody

Editor Doug Barker

Associate Kellie Ann BenzEditor

Contributors Editorial Dan Jackson Doug Barker Kellie Ann Benz Jake Schild Kyle Mittan Angelo Bruscas Gail Greenwood Ayres Callie White

Photography Kyle Mittan Julie Rajcich Damian Mulinix Wendy Murry Sharon Barker Michelle Wisener Angelo Bruscas Aaron Lavinsky MacLeod Pappidas Gabriel Green Kellie Ann Benz Editorial Karen BarkstromAssistant

Magazine Kristina Case, Simply GraphicGraphic Designer

360-532-4000 | [email protected]

For more information on these and other great events:www.elmachamber.org • (360) 482-3055 • 222 W. Main

Elma Chamber of Commerce

June 24-25 • Elma’s City Wide Garage Sale DaysAugust 5 -6 • Heat on the Street Car & Motorcycle Show • August 5 Cruise In • August 6 Car ShowOctober 31 • Elma’s Downtown Trick or TreatNovember 11 • Elma’s Veterans’ Day Celebration & ParadeDecember • Elma’s Tree Lighting Ceremony (Date to be determined)

December 3 • Santa photos with kids & petsJan 21, 2017 • Winter Wine Festival

Heat on the StreetAUGUST 5 - 6, 2016

Elma Gateway to Grays Harbor Since 1888

Join us for these great events in 2016!

Beach Homes Aren’t Just For Summer

The Heart of Washington Coast offers not just a Home, its a Lifestyle.

Donna Jones360-580-5354

Broker

[email protected]

Real Estate / Ocean Shores

Representing Buyers and Sellers


Contact informationAdvertising inquiries, subscriptions & change of address:

360-532-4000. Back issues $8 plus shipping and handling.

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be reproduced without express written permission, all rights reserved. No liability is assumed by Washington Coast Magazine, The Daily World or Sound Publishing

regarding any content in this publication. A subscription to Washington Coast Magazine is $14 annually.

Single copies are available at select locations throughout

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www.washingtoncoastmagazine.com © 2016 by The Daily World

315 S. Michigan St. Aberdeen, WA 98520

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WASHINGTON COAST MAGAZINE | Spring 2016 9

FINALLY HERE!

Like our Facebook page Washington Coast Magazine for updates, sneak peeks and announcements. We have many exciting things in store for you.

Doug Barker, Editor

SPRING:

We made it. As I write this, the sun is out, the Super Bowl is over and Spring Training is starting. Winter is

in our rearview mirror and daffodils are in our immediate future.

We made good use of the winter months by putting the finishing touches on a website for the magazine. Please go to Washingtoncoastmagazine.com to check it out. Alder Creative, an Aberdeen firm, helped us construct it. You won’t find content for the current issue. You still have to subscribe or go to the newsstand for that, but past stories and photos are there. Help yourself.

In this issue you’ll find stunning photo packages for a couple of my favorite places, the 7th Street Theatre in Hoquiam and the Aberdeen Mansion, the quintessential timber money mansion on “the hill” in Aberdeen. It might sound easy to photograph examples of grand architecture and make them look good, but the trick is to do them

justice and it takes a real pro. Julie Rajcich’s photos do that and more.

But I think my favorite photo in this edition is Kyle Mittan’s portrait of Don Sucher, the man behind the Stars Wars Store in downtown Aberdeen. The sheer volume of action figures and general Star Wars stuff is an experience in sensory overload. I was afraid it would all overwhelm the portrait, but Kyle perfectly captured the stuff and the man who loves it.

Kyle also nailed it in his portrait of Aberdeen’s new mayor, Erik Larson. It meant getting up before sunrise and heading out to a frosty duck blind, but the photo is a perfect complement to the piece Larson wrote for the Why I Like Living Here feature.

That’s just a sample of the stories in this edition. We hope you enjoy them. Don’t forget to check out our new website. Meantime, we’ll start work on the summer issue.


BOOKS

After 30 years, a welcomed new editionSTORY BY DOUG BARKER

It was 1986 when Robert Michael Pyle, a naturalist living at Gray’s River in the Willapa Hills of Southwest Washington, wrote “Win-tergreen: Rambles in a Ravaged Land.” It was a story of place and the Willapa, a prime tree-growing expanse of the coast range, was the main character. Supporting characters included the rain, lichen, moss, underbrush, salamanders, salmon, butterflies and every-thing else in the forests. This is a book that will help you understand the complexity of a forest ecosystem. Other characters include the Big Timber logging outfits and loggers – some of them Pyle’s neighbors – who seemed hell bent on cutting the forest down and this is also a book about the complexity of humans as part of the ecosystem.

You don’t need to have read the book to know that the timber companies got the upper hand, at least in the near term.

But nothing is simple and Pyle addresses that in the Afterward he has written for a new edition of the book, released late last year by Pharos Editions. Pharos is dedicated to reprinting “out of print, lost or rare books of distinction.” The books are chosen on the recommendations of notable authors. In this case David Guterson, the Bainbridge Island author of “Snow Falling on Cedars,” champi-oned “Wintergreen.”

The Willapa is roughly defined as that area from Interstate 5 to the coast and stretch-ing north from the Columbia River to Grays Harbor and the Chehalis River. Pyle writes lovingly and personally about the Willapa, with a dual perspective that ranges from lyr-ical to scientific. By the end of “Wintergreen” you’ll know about the geology, the climate, the flora and the fauna of the place. You’ll also know about the human climate, those who logged the area and those who tried to preserve it.

To be sure, the human effect on the Willapa has been profound, but the ecosystem per-severes, as it always has. Pyle spent much of the first edition describing the pressure that logging has put on that system, but reassur-ing us that nature would win out, despite us, not because of us. A perspective of 30 years makes it clearer still. As Pyle writes in the new Afterward:

“ … In real communities of humans and other species, sharp endings seldom occur; life is preparation for change, and the sto-ries go on and on, like the land.”

In the Afterward, he finds consolation in the few relatively small patches of old-growth that were saved by the indefatigable work of preservationists, but laments that in the heat of the battle not enough attention was paid to saving the advanced second growth forests beginning to show the diverse signs of old growth.

“In short, these were woods on their way to becoming real forests. We took a lot of pleasure in them, and yet we also took them for granted, because they were not old growth. How could we have known that vast tracts of the good secondary woods would be liquidated in between editions of this book – literally shaven in

-

Lucrative export markets and extra pressure on private timberlands because federal lands were off limits hastened the timber harvests in those years. Ironically, he points out, one

WINTERGREEN: STORY BY DOUG BARKER

Info

Wintergreen: Rambles In A Ravaged Land. Robert Michael Pyle. Pharos Editions, an imprint of Counterpoint, 2015. Pp 364.

In the world of publishing, 30 years is a long time between editions of a book. For an ecosystem, not so long.

of the biggest reasons for the accelerated loss of the second growth has been the transfer of lands from the old guard Big Timber owners such as Weyerhaeuser and Crown Zellerbach — which he chided in the first edition — to new corporate landowners who were more about being land companies than foresters.

In the Afterward, Pyle writes of new threats to the Willapa. He calls them the three C’s: carbon, climate and catastrophe.

Carbon threatens in the form of possible oil and natural gas shipping facilities that could be sited on the coast. The forest already shows signs of a warming climate that may someday make life harder in the Willapa, and catastrophe lurks in the form of a megaquake and tsunami already overdue.

But the Willapa’s story of place will always have new chapters. As he wrote in the first edition:

“The land has been hurt. Misuse is not to be excused, and its ill effects will long be felt. But nature will not be eliminated, even here. Rain, moss and time apply their healing bandage, and the injured land at last recovers.

Nature is evergreen, after all.”

Robert Michael Pyle

Wintergreen in 1986 about the Willapa. The reprint includes an extended Afterword.

THE AUTHOR

STORY BY DOUG BARKER


5 W Myrtle Ln. | Seabrook, WA

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OUTSIDE

DIY

A PLAN FOR ALL SEASONSReadying your coastal home for every time of year

BY GAIL GREENWOOD AYRES

Spring Cleaning is an ancient, cross cultural phenomenon.

To help you concentrate your efforts this year, home maintenance expert, Dave Murnen of NeighborWorks of Grays Harbor, helped compile a checklist of spring chores to keep your home tidy, safe and sound.

Top 8 places to clean and check OUTSIDE

Wash the outside of your windows. Use a gallon of hot water and a half cup of ammonia. Rinse very well with the hose.

1

Look for missing or damaged siding or trim. Repair and replace missing elements and protect your exterior with paint to avoid moisture, rot and insect problems.

Examine your roof. Are there any missing shingles or damaged sections? Take notes to plan your spring and summer projects.

Clean gutters of any leaves, branches, needles or gunk from winters storms. Make sure downspouts with splash blocks convey the water away from the foundation.

Check out your windows and screens. Fixing broken windows needs to be a priority. If the glazing putty or caulking is chipped, now’s the time to make those repairs. Ripped screens invite insects, spiders and bees.

Open any foundation vents you closed. During a cold spell, it’s okay to close or board up foundation vents. However, it is critical for the health of your house to open those vents come spring. Also, check the plastic ground cover under the house to be sure it is secure.

Make sure that soil and bark don’t touch untreated wood framing or siding. Having soil and bark at least 6 inches from your house discourages rot and bug infestation.

Take a critical look at your overall property. Create “use someday soon” project piles and “throw out” piles.

then donate or properly dispose of the throw away the pile. To donate building materials consider the Habitat Restore. If you have something you’d like to sell or give away, try 2Good2Toss.com.

Clean Gutters2 3

6

7

4

Soil CheckClean Windows

Roof Check

Siding

Window + Screen Check

5 Declutter

O

8 Check Vents


DIY

Top 8 places to clean and check INSIDE

4Furnace Filters

Wash the inside of the windows. Dust around the window frame and the blinds. Clean out the window tracks where mold, dust and dead bugs accumulate.

Open windows and doors for a few hours. This takes the stale smell away and lets out trapped moisture. Also, the extra light and fresh air help kill spores.

Test your smoke detectors. Use the beginning of Daylight Savings Time on March 13 to test your smoke detectors. Make sure they have fresh batteries.

Pull all appliances away from their footprint. Move your stove, refrigerator, freezer, washer and dryer. Then, thoroughly sweep and wet mop behind and under where each appliance gathers lint, toys and food that attracts insects and vermin.

Dust the coils of the refrigerator. Then replace the back cardboard covering the dusty motor to maintain the proper ventilation for the appliance. Also, take the vent off the front of the refrigerator and wash it.

Vacuum all the extra lint in and around your clothes dryer, including the exhaust tube and the outside at the

nest in your dryer.

Clean or replace the

Plan large home maintenance

painting exterior, ductless heat pump installation, etc. – around a written scope of work. Contact contractors early to get the apples-to-apples bidding done. That way you will be in your successful, licensed and bonded contractor’s schedule before the busy construction season starts.

Contracts:contracts. Bigger projects go more smoothly when your written

of work, states how much will it cost including tax and permits, and has start and end dates. It should also contain clauses about labor-material cost of change-orders and how the

after all work needing permits is inspected and after you have a written, unconditional lien waiver in your hand.

5Fresh Air!

6Clean the dryer

8Smoke Detectors

1Clean Windows 2Refrigerator Coils

3 Appliances

7 Home Projects

Clean windows let in lots of sunlight!

Now take a break, you deserve it!Regular home maintainence and cleaning will not only keep your home running and smelling better, you will also be rewarded with finding problems before they become big ones, and that saves financially.

INSIDE


OFF THE MAP

Don Sucher, owner, in his Star Wars memorabilia store.

Don Sucher estimates he has more than 100,000 items in the store. Most of the pieces come from collectors who come to the store to sell their old toys or memorabilia. Everywhere you

and small and Sucher thinks he has

in their original packages.

FIGURINES

Sucher’s favorite item in Star Wars is the Millennium Falcon, the space ship commanded by Han Solo and Chewbacca. Although he has many models of the ship in his store, this one goes for $5,000. Sucher initially got the same model from a boy in Montesano who won it from Toys R Us in a drawing. Sucher talked the boy’s father into letting him keep it in the shop. The father-son team eventually took the piece back and Sucher bought another model from a friend who was about to get married. “We made a deal where I got him enough money to start with to kick off his wedding and then I think I paid him $100 a month for about a year,” Sucher said with a laugh. He explained that only about 100 models were made.

MILLENNIUM FALCON

CANTINA BANDSucher has six 12-inch doll members of the Star Wars band, Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes. Set up to look like they’re performing, the

are priced at $79 each.


OFF THE MAP

No need to travel to a galaxy far, far away — The Force is right there on the main drag in downtown Aberdeen.

Don Sucher’s Star Wars Shop on Wishkah Street is chock-full of more than 100,000 items of Star Wars memorabilia, including a life-sized Jar Jar Binks and an enormous Millennium Falcon. It’s a cacophony of action figures, light sabers, posters, photos and any kind of collectible you can conceive of.

Started in 1997, the store has hosted visitors from across the country and the world, and, with the recent new movie, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” Sucher says he expects business to pick up.

In order to get the full experience, you need to wander into the intergalactic emporium yourself, but we’ll give you a few of the highlights from a store that is unique to Grays Harbor.

Also seen in the store

MAP: Sucher has kept a guest book at the store ever since it opened. He’s kept track of where visitors have come from and has a world map with pins in each country that has had a visitor at the store. “Almost every country in the world has been here. Probably over 35,000 people have visited our store in the last 18 years,” said Sucher. “I think that’s what makes the store go. I’m not just down here to sell stuff and make money, it’s just a lot of fun, meeting all these interesting people with the same love.”

TVS: There are 12 TVs and running in the store at all times. At least three of the Star Wars movies are played at all times, while other programs running in the store include “Spaceballs”, “Fanboys” and “Flash Gordon.” “My idea was to keep the customer interested,” says Sucher, “so they feel like they’ve entered into the Star Wars universe.”

COBAIN CORNER: Sucher has one section of the store dedicated to Aberdeen’s most famous son, Kurt Cobain. He started handing out fliers that show areas in town with some connection to Cobain after patrons often came in wanting to know more about the late Nirvana frontman. On his homemade map, he includes Rosevear’s music store where Cobain bought his first guitar, the “Come as You Are” sign on Highway 12 and Cobain’s childhood home, to name a few. Sucher estimates he has around 150 items of Cobain memorabilia, including T-shirts, newspaper clippings, books and DVDs. Sucher has even put up for sale jars of dirt from under the Young Street Bridge, a regular hangout for the young Cobain.

THE FORCE IS STRONG IN ABERDEEN

Sucher & Sons Star Wars Shop 413 E. Wishkah St., Aberdeen, WA 98520 www.sucherandsonsstarwarsshop.com

“There’s a lot of stuff I should get rid of but, you know, if the price is right, I can’t resist. I

get hell from my family, but I say ‘I can’t sell it if I don’t have it. I had a wall hanging here

that I’ve had for eight years and somebody bought it last week. This stuff doesn’t age, I

mean, it ages, but it’s not like vegetables or clothing that’s going out of style. So I never

have to worry about that.”

HARD TO LET GO

STORY BY JAKE SCHILD, PHOTO BY KYLE MITTAN

Star Wars fan? Don’t miss out!

WALL OF FAMESucher has pictures of fans and visitors of the store all over the Star Wars Shop. Since the shop opened, Sucher has taken photos of Star Wars super fans as well as people who have helped make the store a reality. Sucher has a tattoo of Carrie Fisher’s autograph, as well as a picture of him with the Princess Leia actress.


DINE

Above clockwise: The Shoalwater omelet features Dungeness crab, bay shrimp with Cheddar cheese and spinach. A signature cocktail made by Sand Verbena bartender. The chef brings heat to the kitchen.

STORY BY KELLIE ANN BENZ

PHOTOS BY KYLE MITTAN

Chances are good that if you’ve driven through Tokeland, you stopped at the Georgetown Gas station for a fill-up or settled in for a game — or two — across the street at the

Shoalwater Bay Casino.

If you did any of these, then you were within steps of one of the Washington Coast’s newest restaurant gems. But no one would blame you for missing it. The entrance hardly gives its location away.

Tucked neatly into the Georgetown Gas Station complex is the entrance to Sand Verbena. It’s a subtle entrance that you could easily miss, but it’s worth the effort for all who take the trouble to find it.

If you’ve yet to experience it, then let us be the

first to introduce you to Sand Verbena, a not-to-be-missed delight along Highway 105 at the entrance to Tokeland. The newest addition to the family of Shoalwater Bay Enterprise complexes, Sand Verbena is the dining experience that the Shoalwater Bay tribe had long wished for.

“We wanted a home to present our favorite dishes to the visiting public,” explained General Manager John MacClain. “And to share our passion for local ingredient-based delicious meals.”

The restaurant started slowly, opening only five days a week and serving only lunch and dinner for guests of the Shoalwater Bay Casino and its motel, Tradewinds on the Bay.

SERENITY ACROSS THE SAND

How an endangered plant inspired a dining experience in Tokeland

SAND VERBENA

4115 State Route 105 Ste B in Tokeland.Ph: 360-267-2048 x 248 Open Thursday through Monday, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Weekend breakfast is served from 8 – 11 a.m. Visit their website: www.sand-verbena.com for more information.

SAND VERBENA


DINE

“But we really wanted a place where we could serve breakfast to not only our guests but the people passing through Tokeland, too,” MacClain said.

That is perhaps why the restaurant is situated on the inner harbor of Willapa Bay looking out toward the open Pacific Ocean. On a clear day from the patio of the relaxing location, one can enjoy the blue herons fishing in the picturesque marsh the restaurant looks over. In the distance on the horizon, you can barely make out the cresting waves of the Pacific Ocean.

A little over two years old, Sand Verbena quietly opened in October of 2013 and has remained one of the area’s best kept secrets. The restaurant is named after the Pink Sand Verbena, a plant native to the West Coast but currently endangered.

We wanted a home to present our favorite dishes to the visiting public. And to share our passion for local ingredient-based delicious meals. -General Manager John MacClain

WHAT IS A SANDVERBENA?

A plant native tothe West Coast,but currentlyendangered,and the name selected for therestaurant.

The view from the balcony overlooks Willapa Bay.

Sand VerbenaS V

bring your appetite!Breakfast Menu MUST HAVES

Eagle Hill Hashlocal smoked salmon, bacon, onions and diced potatoes with two eggs and roasted tomato salsa

Long Liner Hashchopped prime rib, onions, bell pepppers and 2 eggs

Smoked Salmon Omeletcream cheese, green onions and spinach

The Shoalwater OmeletDungeness crab, bay shrimp, cheddar cheese and spinach


DRINKDINE

The meals are fresh and inviting, challenging first time guests to narrow their choice. While their lunches and dinners are surefire winners, it’s their breakfasts that are collecting raves.

You have your choice among specialties like Eagle Hill Hash ($12) made from local smoked salmon with bacon, onions and diced potato grilled with two eggs and roasted tomato salsa; Long Liner Hash ($9) that is chopped prime rib with diced potato, onions and bell peppers with two eggs your way; Smoked Salmon omelet ($12) with cream cheese, green onions and spinach or The Shoalwater ($15) made of local Dungeness crab, bay shrimp with cheddar cheese and spinach.

“We smoke all of our salmon on alderwood,” MacClain added. “I think it’s what sets the taste of our local caught salmon apart from other wild salmon you’ll have on the coast.”

You clearly can’t go wrong with any of these options.

“We’re very proud of our breakfasts,” MacClain said. “Being good at those was always part of the tribe’s plan and we’re so pleased that our guests are responding so well.”

Top: The bartender at Sand Verbena prepare a cocktail.Below: General manager Don MacClain enjoying the view from Sand Verbena.

-General Manager John MacClain

We smoke all of our salmon on alderwood,” MacClain added. “I think it’s what sets the taste of our local caught salmon apart from other wild salmon you’ll have on the coast.

Sand VerbenaS V


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If you are a Senior Citizen or Disabled you may qualify for a discount on your Grays Harbor PUD power bill. Your Grays Harbor PUD offers discounts of up to 35% to low income senior and disabled PUD customers. The amount of the discount depends on household income, which means if you are a senior or disabled customer of Grays Harbor PUD and meet eligibility requirements, you may receive a discount on your power bill.

To learn more about the Senior and Disabled Discount Program, go to the Grays Harbor PUD website at www.ghpud.org, or call Grays Harbor PUD customer service at 532-4220.

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DINE

The Shoalwater Bay Tribe has been resident on this land along the coast since 1865 and generations have grown up protecting this vital area of Washington state. The tribal government manages the local resources by supervising environmental permits, water quality, noxious weed control, wetlands and forest management, recreational trails, shellfish hunting licenses and their renewable energy program.

Their passion for honoring the local resources includes their hiring practices. Recently, Sand Verbena promoted a local sous chef who had trained at the restaurant to be their new executive chef. Today, James Mullins of Ocean City (north of Ocean Shores) heads up the restaurant’s culinary inventions.

Looking around the welcome room of the Sand Verbena, you’ll likely notice the gorgeous artwork that fills the walls.

“It’s all the work of local carvers,” MacClain said. “We have some of the best wood carvers in the country in our tribe, and all of their work is on display here.”

Top: Diners enjoying their meal at Sand Verbena.Below: The large dining room is bright and sunny.

Sand VerbenaS V


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DISCOVER

UNDERSTANDING THE COAST

Visiting Ocean Shores’ Coastal Interpretive Center reveals a treasure trove of oceanic details right on our coast. STORY AND PHOTOS BY ANGELO BRUSCAS

“Nature is not a place to visit, it is home.” — Inscription at the Coastal Interpretive Center

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Rain or shine, inside and out, the Interpretive Center at the very southern end of the Ocean Shores peninsula has become a destination that under one roof preserves the essence of life at the beach like no other destination in the area.

For birders and wildlife enthusiasts, the Habitat Exhibit area features four main environments of Ocean Shores: the ocean, the near shore and dunes, marshes and waterways, and coastal forests. Exhibits include wildlife and bird displays featuring the species found in the coastal area. A display featuring bird flyway

migration information has recently been moved into this area.

For beachcombers, there are collections of glass fishing floats, Japanese tsunami debris, agates galore, along with shells, sand dollars, stones, minerals and numerous artifacts from a history of shipwrecks and settlers.

For kids, there is a hands-on room. “You can open up the drawers there, there’s lots of stuff to look at,” advises Jim Nagan, president of the center board, as a family from Vancouver, B.C., stops by in early January.

Fvisitor’s cornucopia of the treasures that inhabit the Central Washington Coast and wash up on its shores.

Photographers capture images of a snowy owl at Damon Point in Ocean Shores. The Olympic Mountains line the horizon.

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For local history buffs, there is a section on the early days of Ocean Shores with celebrities like Pat Boone and Ginny Sims leading development in the 1960s. There is an expanding display on the Quinault Indian Nation and also a garden that includes some of the plants native to the beach area.

Newly renovated, with spectacular woodworking by local volunteer Dennis Hogan, the center is preparing for the spring and summer seasons with an emphasis on becoming a destination that stands on its own merit and is not just an afterthought for visitors who happen to stumble upon it.

The biggest hurdle the Interpretive Center might face is the difficulty some visitors have in finding it in the first place. Located by driving Point Brown Avenue to the southern end of Ocean Shores, the center is found by turning on Discovery Avenue at the intersection with Catala. You can’t miss the seahorse or the shipwreck artifacts in front, along with the newly painted whaling harpoon cannon and other displays neatly arranged around the building.

In the past year, the center — a non-profit organization that doesn’t charge an entry fee and relies on contributions and volunteers — was able to renovate its front entry and showcase some of its most valuable features, such as the bookstore, which has one of the best selection of books on coastal and Harbor wildlife, geology, lore and legend. You can even get a rock polisher and stock up on polishing supplies should you want to take beach collecting further.

Grants have come from the Home Depot Community Foundation, the Quinault Indian Nation and the Seabrook Foundation most recently. A $5,000 grant from the Quinault Nation will next allow the center to update all of its cultural exhibits, and the facility is looking for a curator as well. Funds from the city allow the center to now market itself outside of the area and hire a curator.

Nagan notes the center now is involved in much more than just displaying artifacts and treasures from the beach. Most recently, docents have helped identify rare species of sea turtles seen in local waters and have collected evidence of the impacts of ocean warming or of tsunami debris. The center has sponsored a popular annual lecture series, “Glimpses,” which brings regional and local experts into a public forum through winter and early spring.

“I think the additional programs we have started to offer, including the evening lecture series, trying to be more than just a place, that all helps us become part of the community network,” Nagan said of the center’s new push to market itself as a full destination facility.

For the summer months and nicer days ahead, there are now picnic tables set out where families and groups can pack a lunch and enjoy the park-like atmosphere, then take a walk on the interpretive trial through the beach forest. The remodeled Damon’s Outpost Bookstore has books on birds, animals, sea and marine life, Native American culture, history, gardening and recipes. An extensive collection of

Above left: Jerry Mergler, an Interpretive Center volunteer, inspects a Coast Guard bell he helped restore. It was once used to warn people in the event of a Japanese attack by sea during World War II. Above: Sea birds flock across the quiet tide on the North Coast

(continued on page 31)


DISCOVER

“I think the additional programs

we have started to offer,

including the evening lecture

series, helps us become part of

the community network.”-Jim Nagan, president of the center board

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DISCOVER

children’s books fills the corner, dedicated to longtime volunteers Walter and Elone Weed. Gift items include postcards, handmade bookmarks, artwork from local artists, even some authentic glass floats.

Long-term goals are to partner with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Olympic National Marine Sanctuary, as well as other museums in the area such as the Museum of the North Beach in Moclips and the Polson Museum in Hoquiam. The center currently has a seismic monitor that provides

earthquake data to a center at Stanford/U.C. Berkeley in California. It also has the most accurate rainfall totals on the North Beach.

To Nagan and the staff, the mission of the center is as clear as a light shined through a pure agate: “The Coastal Interpretive center is to educate the public concerning natural and man-made environments through presentation of the history and ecology of Washington State’s coastal life.”

That motto, Nagan says, tells the whole story of what the center strives to be.

Top: The carved wood sign that sits outside of the center, detailing the story of Ocean Shores.Above: A traditional native totem pole – one of many totem poles on display at the center.

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DISCOVER

Located: 1033 Catala Ave. SE in Ocean Shores, 360-289-4617

Online: www.interpretivecenter.org

Fall/Winter hours: The center is open to visitors on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Spring/Summer hours: In effect from April 1 through the week after Labor Day. The center is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Admission is FREE

Coastal Interpretive Center

Top: A helpful volunteer mans the information desk at the Interpretive CenterBelow: Displays show the vast array of items for viewing


STORY BY KELLIE ANN BENZ PHOTOS BY WENDY MURRY AND DAMIAN MULINIX

Discovering Long Beach along its peaceful (and restorative) Discovery Trail bike path

Waiting to Exhale

The Discovery Trail offers an easy activity for every member of your family. The paved path welcomes walkers, joggers, bicyclists — and you’ll see a lot of Long Beach’s most quiet areas.

First tip, summertime is for tourists. Let them have it. Let the taco shops and ice cream shacks be their memories of one of Washington’s little gems.

I’ll keep the springtime. Better yet, I’ll

keep the springtime along the Discovery Trail bike path which is truly a refreshing getaway on our coast. You see, spring is when the little winter-drenched town unbuttons from the coldish season and prepares for the upcoming dazzle of summer.

I first heard about the bike path while visiting Breakers Long Beach.

Breakers Long Beach has been a part of area since its founding, and the historical photos and well-placed markers illuminate

the storied past that this hotel and city still celebrate together. Perhaps one of the cozy, inviting hotel’s most endearing traits is its encouragement to guests to get outside.

Breakers Long Beach offers free bikes for all guests, along with helmets and maps to discover the bike trail.

I believe my host had only made it halfway through his offer of a complimentary bike when I was already wheeling it out the door. Snapping on my helmet mid-spin, I was immediately taken by the solitude of the beckoning path.

The secret to Long Beach is that the seaside town’s

best-kept secrets are right at your fingertips – you just need to know where to look.


Echoes of the hotel’s reminder that the bike had a four-hour time limit — before it turned into a pumpkin, I presumed — faded into the wind.

The complimentary bikes are of the low-riding, fat-tired variety, making the effort minimal and the joy maximized. The Discovery Trail is bump-free, hill-free and paved. I almost felt like I could be side-saddling this two-wheeled steed, the exertion was so low.

The Discovery Trail begins its eight miles at Breakers

Long Beach, winding around Clark’s Tree. It’s there that you receive your first gift of ocean air. No one would blame a soul for stopping at this juncture and inhaling. In fact, meditating on this corner is so welcome they’ve added a bench.

Once you’ve acclimated to the dream you’re currently in, you can’t help but notice the inviting path that encourages you on.

Like all great secrets, you’ll likely be alone on this path, but wishing you could share

every refreshing moment with anyone who will listen.

The nicest things about Long Beach’s Discovery Trail is that it dips and interrupts along some of the main attractions of the seaside town.

The trail’s first intersection is at Bolstad Street, forcing you to stop and look both ways for pedestrians and traffic. But take this moment to look to your left here, toward the city of Long Beach and you’ll see the famous Bolstad Arch sign that reads “World’s

Above: You can hear the ocean from the Discovery Bike Trail PathRight: You can park your bike anywhere along the trail — and lock it in many stops along the way, too — you’ll hear the pounding surf of the ocean all along the trail.

Breakers Long Beach offers free bikes for all guests, along with helmets and maps to discover the bike trail.

COMPLIMENTARY RIDE

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Longest Beach” just as it looked right out of family home movies circa 1967. It’s kind of fun to cycle under the arch imagining the day when the city founders truly believed this statement to be factual. In reality, Brazil’s Praia do Cassino Beach wins the real title of World’s Longest Beach at more than 150 miles long compared to Long Beach’s 30 miles — but when you’re biking along the calming ocean, who’s counting?

If you’re so inclined, at Bolstad Street you’re close enough to Marsh’s Free Museum (409 Pacific Ave.) to lock the bikes and take a wander around. It’s full of kitschy attractions like the half-man-half-gator.

Back on the Discovery Trail, the only test of biking skills comes in one little obstacle, the low-hanging pedestrian bridge. This is probably the only part of the trail where you’ll experience some small hills as the trail snakes along the pedestrian path the city built for walkers and photographers. It’s past this point that you’ll also begin to see some interesting art displays, like the Grey Whale Skeleton worth stopping and marveling at.

Another intersection awaits you near the Adrift Hotel, where you can stop and see the more modern developments in the area.

Once you’re past the new Adrift Hotel you’ve reached the smoothest part of the ride. Here, the trail lets you sail peacefully beside the ocean, with tall grass on either side.

And this is the part where the desire to keep this a secret truly kicks in. Biking along the path with the tall grass, the calming surf and the fresh Pacific Ocean air carries you away. Truly. In fact, I dare you not to lift your legs and let out a gleeful “whee” as you roll along this part of the path. It’s just you, the path and the sky. Embrace it.

The Discovery Trail takes you into the neighboring towns of Seaview and Ilwaco, and as far as Cape Disappointment.

The trail will take you far, but not too far as to not make it back. Ideally, give yourself half a day to really enjoy it, but an hour will also give you just enough to restore your senses.

I cursed the time-limit I had on my bike, but like all good guests who hope to be invited back, was sure to honor it.

While you can go either way along the eight-mile trail, there’s also a benefit to heading one way along the path, and taking the longer route back through town. If you choose to cycle back through town, I recommend gliding back one block off the main street, on Ocean

kitschy attractionsMARSH’S FREE MUSEUM

west coast hippie styleTHE SOU-WESTER LODGE AND CABINS3728 J Place, Seaview

fun monumentsTHE WORLD’S LARGEST FRYING PAN & THE WORLD’S LARGEST CHOPSTICKSNear Bolstad Arch

STOPS ALONG THE WAY

Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride.~John F. Kennedy

“”

If you’re fortunate to be on the trail at sunset, the view will not disappoint.

ON THE MAP: You’ll pass through Seaview, Ilwaco and Cape Disappointment

See photo on page 40!

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Beach Boulevard. There, you can slow-roll beside old Victorian homes and newer developments, that appear to live in harmony with each other.

Along that way, here’s a few don’t-miss spots.

The Sou-Wester Lodge and Cabins (3728 J Place, Seaview) is about as West Coast hippie as you can get. In fact, its evolution feels somewhat like a utopian world, just without the cult part. What was once a local grand ballroom built in 1872 to appeal to the wealthy settlers flocking to Washington state, is now a retro, eco-friendly, artist commune and self-sufficient economy all-in-one. In the ’50s, the then-empty lodge was remodeled, turning the ballroom into four suites and adding some stand-alone cottages on the property. The lodge’s contemporary owners began attracting RVs to the land surrounding the lodge, turning the entire location into an homage to the gypsy lifestyle. Eventually, they added their own grocery store and

market and now have a robust events calendar and artists’ residency all while still catering to visitors for short or long stays. You can rent a room in the lodge, a cabin or an entire RV for prices that start as low as $80 and only go as high as $178. Check out their website at www.souwesterlodge.com for all of the details.

Even if you just visit the Sou-Wester to marvel in its alluringly welcoming decor, you’ll be happy to know that you can indulge further in your Victorian home renovation fantasies with a step inside the North Coast Antique Mall (1206 47 Place, Seaview). This converted warehouse is like a museum that sells its exhibits, offering everything from vintage kitchen kitsch to local refurbishing artist wares. Give yourself a healthy full hour to wander aimlessly in the labyrinth-like mall.

The World’s Largest Frying Pan, a 500-pound clam pan homage to the town’s long held Razor Clam Festival (see pg. 40), and the

World’s Largest Chopsticks are fun monuments within walking distance of Bolstad’s Arch, definitely worthy of a selfie gallery to post or a photo to brag to your friends that you were there.

If the day’s excursion has left you a little chilled, hop into the Breakers hot tub and pool to re-acclimate for the evening. Once warmed, you can enjoy some hot cider and a barbecue from the covered fire pits that allow you to listen to the pounding surf in the distance while you watch the sun dip into the horizon.

No matter how you enjoy it, Long Beach’s restorative bike path, The Discovery Trail, offers a tranquility that invites every visitor to exhale. Just don’t tell anyone about it.

... I DARE YOU NOT TO LIFT YOUR LEGS AND LET OUT A GLEEFUL “WHEE” AS YOU ROLL ALONG THIS PART OF THE PATH. IT’S JUST YOU, THE PATH AND THE SKY. EMBRACE IT.

There’s only one spot along the Discovery Trail path where you’ll encounter a tiny hill. It’s here where the trail dips below the wooden walkway.

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Every spring, thousands of visitors stake their claim along Long Beach, their clam-digging dreams filled to the brim, to experience one of the biggest razor clam events on the coast. Long Beach’s Razor Clam Festival harkens back to a time gone by, with a harvest bounty that never seems to disappoint. Though the festival has been dormant for a little while, there’s a new energy intent on returning the event to its past glory.

Chairperson of the festival, Randy Dennis, explains that the event continues to draw clam enthusiasts each year, and he’s hoping to attract more to the annual tradition “I always offer a clam-cleaning demonstration and this year, I’ll toss those beautiful specimens in the pan and fry them up, too.”

The annual (and epic) festival celebrating Washington's world famous razor clams.

BY KELLIE ANN BENZ

PHOTOS BY LONG BEACH

RAZOR CLAM FESTIVAL

Bounty from the Beaches

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For more information about the Razor Clam Festival and its many events, go to www.long-beachrazorclamfestival.com or like them on Facebook

RAZOR CLAM FESTIVALAPRIL 9-10

FRESH FROM THE OCEAN, GRILLED UP NICE AND DELICIOUS AND ENJOYED IN THE SPRING WITH FRIENDS, IT’S WHAT MAKES LIVING HERE SO AMAZING.“ ”

Left page: Clam diggers seeking their prizes from the sands of Long BeachAbove: The queens of clam wear their tiaras in a throwback to the long history of the eventRight & below: A glance at some of the historic images that have made Long Beach’s Razor Clam Festival world renowned, including the famous frying pan. A replica of the pan is on display in downtown Long Beach.

“Fresh from the ocean, grilled up nice and delicious and enjoyed in the spring with friends, it’s what makes living here so amazing.” Dennis added.

The plans that Dennis discusses for this year’s event describes origins of the festival, too. The event website indicates that, “Thousands of visitors came out to the beach, dug their clams, enjoyed the delicious clam chowder, and sampled the ‘World’s Largest Clam Fritter’ that was made in the ‘World’s Largest Frying Pan.’ In 1940, the pan used was on loan from the city of Chehalis, with Long Beach commissioning the construction of its own pan the following year.”

You can still see that pan in Long Beach today. And if you’re lucky, you can be there for this year’s festival running April 9 and 10.


Hoquiam’s

7TH STREET

STORY BY CALLIE WHITE , PHOTOS BY JULIE RAJCICH

THEATRE

A community comes together to revive its downtown historic jewel.


Above: Lobby lanternBelow: Tile, wood and iron details are what make the 7th Street Theatre such a local treasureRight page Top: the fountain in the lobby Below: the view from the seats

in the town of Hoquiam is one of the glories of Washington’s coast. Big, coral-colored and ablaze with lights, the 7th Street Theatre is the pulsing heart of this small downtown.

With its starlit skies and hand-painted murals, this 1928 “atmospheric” theater, so called because its interior is meant to mimic the outdoors and a nighttime sky, is like a nearly 1,000-seat jewel box designed to evoke a Spanish courtyard at twilight in minute detail. Walking inside gives you a vivid sense of the past, its optimism and lush aesthetics.

Although the theater feels perfectly preserved inside, the reality is that its current state is due to years of hard work and a group of dedicated volunteers at the 7th Street Theatre Association. In its inception the theater hosted vaudeville shows and was one of the first theaters wired to play “talkies.” Over the early years it hosted performers such as Leontyne Price, Will Rogers and Paul Robeson. By 1957, TV had become the backbone of entertainment on Grays Harbor, and for that matter, the rest of the country, and the theater struggled financially, falling into disrepair.

Multiple owners saw the 7th Street’s potential, but restoring it would take more than any individual could hope to achieve on their own. Some of the early work in the 1980s and ’90s was done by the Association’s non-profit predecessor, which put the theater on the National Historic Register and put in some much-needed upgrades to the storefront rental spaces, utilities and bathrooms.

Even with plaster falling from the ceiling, chairs with busted seats and mismatched carpets, the interior of the theater still managed to dazzle – thanks to those lighted stars in the vaulted ceiling.

“Anyone who came in here, the first thing they’d say is, ‘I had no idea this existed,’ and the second thing they’d say is, ‘There’s so much potential,’” recounted Mickey Thurman, vice president of the 7th Street Association and a longtime volunteer.

And the association was successful at getting the community to come inside and see the potential for themselves by turning the venue into the default setting for many community events, such as Hoquiam High School plays, beauty pageants and the 7th Street Kids, a nearly three-decades-old summer program that teaches local youth performance arts through a camp and a full-scale musical production.

The quintessential 7th Street event, however, is going to a classic movie. Since 2002, when the theater first acquired a working projector (a non-working one is displayed in the lobby), its movie series have been the staple for connecting the community to the theater.

A movie is a gala affair at the theater, whether it is a family favorite like “Raiders of the Lost Ark” or a classic cowboy western like “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” All movies get fancy slideshows with film trivia and previews of upcoming films, and, most importantly, the chance to get real, old-fashioned buttered popcorn at the concession stand. Sometimes there are even costume contests or, in the case of “Back to the Future,” a fleet of DeLorean cars parked outside.

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“We try to make it feel like it would have felt going to this theater in the ‘40s or ‘50s, by playing previews and having the butter on the popcorn, and we have volunteers who work very hard to make each movie a special event,” Thurman said. “It’s really great for families because it won’t break the bank to bring your kids here and get some concessions and have a night of fun.”

And ticket prices haven’t changed since the film series’ earliest days — $5 for general admission.

While the theater managed to do a lot of backstage projects over the years – repairing dressing rooms and the roof, installing sound equipment and stage rigging, for example – the first real refurbishment of the public spaces happened in 2008, when the nearly 1,000 seats were refinished and repaired, a major boon to local tailbones.

In 2009, the theater received enough funding – primarily from the state – to repair the crumbling ceilings and repaint the walls and ornate plasterwork. Professional restorers used microscopic pieces of the plaster to determine the original pigments that were used, and recreated the feel of the 7th Street’s initial debut. The entire sky was restored with new lights and fresh plaster, and the walls and reliefs, which had been painted white in the ’70s, were touched up with earthy

yellows and reds.

Ray Kahler, president of the 7th Street Theatre Association, said that the two projects packed a real punch for those who had been coming to the theater for so many years.

“Before those two projects, the public couldn’t really see what we were doing to just preserve the building itself and make it functional and safe,” Kahler said. “But at our very first event after the paint dried, the theater finally looked the way it was supposed to. It was a very special and emotional event for those of us who had been here from the start, and many of us never thought we would see the day.”

That year the theater also sent a contingent of volunteers to Clute, Texas, to recover the theater’s original organ, which had been sold off long ago. The association has begun fundraising to make it playable – no small feat when it sits in hundreds of pieces.

The hope is that with some modern technology added to the original instrument, the organ can play music on its own before movies start, adding to the old-timey vibe.

In 2012, the theater installed a replica of its original neon candlestick sign. The original had been lost to history, so it had to be reconceived using only a few black-and-white photos and vigorous input from the association board, which works to keep the theater as close to its original look as possible.

And of course, when you are in charge of a building as big and old as the 7th Street, the work is never done, no matter how great it looks. The association’s attention has returned once again to protecting the building and keeping it safe. The project for 2015 was replacing its old, unreliable and incredibly inefficient heating system. In 2016 the focus will be on the rear wall, which leaks rivers of water when it rains (which happens a lot on the coast). Shortly after that, the association is looking to restore the exterior paint to its original colors and revive some original painted panels – some of sailing ships, some of Assyrian-style figures – that have been covered over.

“Every year we get a little closer to what the 7th Street was in its heyday, and every year it just amazes me that we’re here, doing it,” Thurman said. “This has been a true labor of love by volunteers for the community, and it really shows.”

Below: From left, some of the backstage improvements, the refurbished box office at the entrance to the theater and the popular candy display cabinet in the lobby.Right page: Clockwise-The original organ is being restored, the seats show the ornate iron work, a view of the atmospheric theater made to mimic a courtyard, and the Spanish style doors leading out of the lobby.

-Ray Kahler, President, 7th Street Theatre Association

“At our very first event after the paint dried, the theater finally looked the way it was supposed to. It was a very special and emotional event for those of us who had been here from the start, and many of us never thought we would see the day.”

Jan. 15 & 16 Spaceballs 1987

Feb. 12 & 13 Groundhog Day 1993

Mar. 5 & 6 Strangers on a Train 1951

Mar. 18 & 19 Big Trouble in Little China 1986

April 8 & 9 Monty Python and the Holy Grail 1975

April 23 & 24 The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance 1962

May 7 & 8 The King and I 1956

May 20 & 21 This is Spinal Tap 1984

Aug. 13 Hot August Frights – Creepy Crawly Marathon featuring Eight Legged Freaks 2002

Sept. 3 & 4 Desk Set 1957

Sept. 23 & 24 Hook 1991

Oct. 8 & 9 What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? 1962

Oct. 28 & 29 Alien 1979

Nov. 12 & 13 Stalag 17 1953

Nov. 25 & 26 Planes, Trains & Automobiles 1987

Dec. 3 Elf 2003

Dec. 17 & 18 The Bishop’s Wife 1947

2016 Movie Series

Since 2002, a favorite event at 7th Street is the classic movie series. Admission is only $5.


-Mickey Thurman, Vice President of the 7th Street Association and a longtime volunteer

hhhhh

“Every year we get a little closer to what the 7th Street was in its heyday, and every year it just amazes me that we’re here, doing it. This has been a true labor of love by volunteers for the community, and it really shows.”


home is where the heart is

BY KELLIE ANN BENZ

PHOTOS BY JULIE RAJCICH

How the current owners of the famed Aberdeen Mansion honor the histories of the families who came before them.

BLACK AND WHITE JONES HISTORICAL COLLECTION

|ANDERSON & MIDDLETON COMPANY

COLOR PHOTO GABRIEL GREEN

Above left: The study nook that includes a vintage school desk. Right: The landing on the upper floor leads to the bedrooms.Right page: The sunny dining room welcomed many guests over the generations.It

was heralded in The Aberdeen World as a testament to the skills of Aberdeen workmanship. Said an April 5, 1905, news article: “After six months of continuous work, J.H. Marshall and his crew of craftsmen have finished the Edward Hulbert residence on fifth street.”

Little did they know at the time that today, more than 100 years later, the residence would remain largely as it was intended, a home that the whole community could celebrate.

The home at 807 North M St. had such singular stature that it would eventually become known, as it still is today, simply as The Aberdeen Mansion. It was added to the Aberdeen Historic Register by the City

Council in May of 2014.

Though neighborhoods have grown up around the house, it still has largely unobstructed views of Aberdeen from the top of its fourth floor and remains one of Aberdeen’s signature locations thanks, in large part, to its current owners’ diligence in keeping it so.

“We felt we had to share it with the community,” said Joan Waters from the lovingly-restored living room of her home. “The first time we walked inside, we both agreed it must be shared.”

The “we” she refers to includes her husband Al.


Built in 1905 and simply known as The Aberdeen Mansion, its history and past spans 111 years and many different families.

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The original built-in

buffet in the dining room

has served many guests

through the decades.

H O M E D E T A I L S

They had no intention of buying the home when the two retirees from Kirkland first looked at it. In fact, they had an entirely different location in mind when they came to the Harbor. It was only because of the insistence of their real estate agent that they even looked at the mansion that just happened to then be on the market.

They admit that when they walked inside the original Hulbert home, Joan immediately fell in love.

“I wasn’t out of the foyer before I was tugging on Al’s sleeve,” Joan explained. She knew she wanted the home.

By December of that year, they had moved in.

And once inside the historic home, they began to dig into its past.

If these locally built walls could talk.

Aberdeen at the turn of the century was a gold mine for industrious dealmakers seeking their fortunes on the promise of — what seemed like — the boundless wealth of Washington’s natural resources. Edward Hulbert (1855-1918) took one look around Aberdeen and decided to stake such a claim on the area.

Hulbert’s first challenge was rebuilding after a devastating 1903 fire that destroyed most of the burgeoning town. But rebuild he did, securing what would become the Hulbert Mill and investing in lumber and mill companies throughout the Pacific Northwest.

While he focused on building his fortune, his young Canadian wife, Laura, focused on their family of seven children.


An impressive home atop the city in which he was prospering seemed only fitting.

The home’s foundational stone was quarried in the county and naturally, all of its wood beams were made from local wood and milled in Hulbert’s own mills. The home stood as a beacon of prosperity and was proof positive of Aberdeen’s potential. The five-bedroom home became a showpiece for a prosperous town, befitting one of its most successful businessmen.

Though Edward Hulbert passed away only 13 years into his life on the Harbor, his wife Laura continued to nurture and celebrate their family in the home her husband built. Thirty years after moving in, Laura passed away in their bedroom.

The now large Hulbert family decided to sell the family home.

By June 1935, a new family started it’s own history in the home.

A New Yorker by way of California, Lincoln Draper was also a lumber executive — he owned Mill 6 Logging Supply — when he and his Washingtonian wife Teresa, along with their three children, moved in to the home.

The Drapers reveled in the glamour of the home ensuring that each of the Draper kids — Richard, Virginia and Dorothy — were celebrated in style as they grew up. The home became a showpiece of Mr. Draper’s success. For the next three decades the Drapers enjoyed the high society life in Aberdeen with their stately home as the centerpiece of their lives.

Above, clockwise from left: The kitchen, a hub of activity for generations still retains some of its historic charm and airy, bright windows; the entrance way has welcomed generations of families and visitors(and still has the hidden bathroom beneath the stairs); the current owners Al and Joan Waters; a chess board made up of salt and pepper shakers collected over the years. Right: A bedroom door still holds the original key. One of many unique details to the house that still operate today thanks to care of owners over the homes history.


Above: River otter carvings and custom artwork are just some of the ways the Fosters’ home displays their taste.

The clawfoot tub is

original to the home

and has been kept in

wonderful condition.


Like the matriarch before her, Teresa’s passing in the home in 1962 shepherded in the home’s next chapter.

When John and Bobbie Robinson bought the home later that year, they did so after dreaming about it for more than a decade. Owners of the J.J. Robinson Paint Co., the couple instantly set about dialing down the opulence of the house and returning it to the comfort of a private home. In reporting on the purchase, The Aberdeen Daily World explained that Mrs. Robinson had taken the maid and butler bells out of commission and insisted on being the main housekeeper and chef in the home (with a once a week house cleaner). Over the years, the home often hosted formal public events, but the Robinsons emphasized it as a private home and limited the formal events to twice-a-year occasions.

After the Robinsons passed away, the home was again on the market and in 1993, Mitchell and Karen Pavletich saw the home’s potential for business and purchased it. They quickly set about turning the vintage home into a bed and breakfast.

They opened The Aberdeen Mansion Bed and Breakfast Inn in March of 1994 and set about welcoming guests from around the world to the now 18-room, seven bathroom structure. They named the guest rooms as a wink to its former inhabitants and showed off the original claw foot tub that was a feature in one of the bathrooms. Karen made breakfast for all the guests and

Mitchell and Karen Pavletich bought the home in 1993. They opened The

Aberdeen Mansion Bed and Breakfast

in 1994, welcoming guests from all

over the world to the 18-room, seven

bathroom home.


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accommodation rates ranged from $75-$95 a night. The Pavletichs marveled at the queries from far and wide, including interest from the extended Hulbert family.

Their business venture was a hit, garnering mentions in travel media from near and far. The couple reveled in the experience — and the home, celebrating it with their family and growing brood of grandchildren.

But their stay would be the briefest of all of the owners. By the late 1990s the home was again for sale.

It was in 1997 that the Waterses were merely being kind to their real estate agent when they walked inside the Aberdeen Mansion and fell in love with it.

Moving into the home business in1998, they kept the inn business running for almost another decade, until 2008.

Light from several windows and the beautiful chandelier make the sitting room a nice place to relax.

continued on page 58


“We still host long-stay residents, like doctors or nurses who need temporary housing,” Al explained. “But we prefer to not manage the day-to-day turnaround of guests anymore.”

Today, the Waterses host many community functions, regular long-stay guests and have allowed the old coach house in the back to be used as a small business for a local manicurist. The house still boasts many of its original details, from its still functioning claw-footed bathtub to the main staircase railing that goes back to the house’s origins. Those original aspects that the home retains are what inspires the Waterses to keep the details of the home’s many chapters.

“I save every clipping, every mention, all of it going back to the day this beautiful home was born,” Joan explained. “If we’ve done a good job caretaking it, then it will be here for another 100 years, so it’s important that we tell its story.”

Added Al, “We feel very lucky to be just a tiny part of its story.”

The original staircase

has been with the house

since the beginning and

features intricate details.


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A walk in the gorgeously maintained yard of the

Courthouse is worth the stop for those on a quest to

photograph Western Washington’s most scenic vistas.

PICTURE WORTHY


TRAVEL

southbend

In fact, if you’re heading south after Raymond take note. South Bend is likely your last stop for anything until you reach Astoria or Long Beach.

But South Bend does not get its name from the curve of the highway through town.

It comes from the bend in the Willapa River just downstream from Raymond and just before the river empties into one of the largest estuaries in our country and home to the world famous Willapa Bay oysters, along with eagles, hawks and egrets plus deer and elk.

According to the city’s history, South Bend was founded by lumber baron brothers Valentine and John Riddell in 1869. Then it was an ideal spot from which to harvest the abundant local forest and float the lumber down river to the Riddell owned sawmill for processing. By 1890 the city was established, thanks to the bustling citizenship, and boasted its own newspaper, a chamber of commerce and democratically elected civic leadership.

Typical of much boom and bust in the development of early West Coast towns, South Bend was seduced by the prospect of a terminus station for the Pacific Northwest railway. Thus, much investment poured into the city and so, too, did hope and competition from neighboring towns. The railroad did make it to South Bend, but it’s destination as a terminus never quite took hold.

Since its inception, South Bend has been part of Washington’s Pacific County and its residents fought hard with another small town on the Willapa Harbor, Oysterville (near Long Beach) for the county seat. South Bend won and since 1892 the city has been home to the county’s courthouse.

The quiet harbor of South Bend makes for a unique day trip

JUST AROUND THE CORNER

BY KELLIE ANN BENZ PHOTOS BY DAMIAN

MULINIX AND SHARON BARKER

If ever a town had an apt name, it’s Western Washington’s South Bend. It is, indeed, that little bend in the road as you travel south along Highway 101 after Raymond and

well north of anything else for a while.

Clockwise from top: South Bend’s public river dock sees a wide array of visitors, many of them fishermen out for the day. Heading out to the harbor is a commercial fisherman; antiquing options in South Bend are plentiful; a commercial fishing company displays some of the local art on their outside walls


TRAVEL

Clockwise from top: the mud reveals how active the local birds are along the river, especially where returning fishing boats are involved; Jayden’s German Store is one of the many must-see locations in the tiny town; fishing nets dry in the sun outside in South Bend.


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TRAVEL

From its position atop the hill overlooking South Bend you can imagine the many early settlers who came to the area with big dreams. A walk in the gorgeously maintained yard of the Courthouse is worth the stop for those on a quest to photograph Western Washington’s most scenic vistas.

But the main street also offers a variety of stop-worthy places. Whether staying in the area or just passing through, there’s some can’t-miss parts of South Bend that will make you glad you stopped to look around.

Hidden against the riverfront is a little café and patio called Elixir Espresso and Fare (1015 Robert Bush Drive) that offers that right mix of midday mocha and light bites. If you arrive on a drizzly spring day, enjoy the hippy-dippy indoors with its array of locally made honey, candles and knitted wear. If you make it there on a sunny day, you can step outside to their secret patio that overlooks the river — and the grazing cattle across the way — for a true break from reality. Good luck

pulling yourself away from this little zen-like spot. It’s all a part of Pacific 101 which is an all-purpose café/restaurant/pub/club but it’s the café that truly stands out as the best spot to stop when coming through town.

Wandering about the town’s main strip, you’ll find a wealth of antique grazing opportunities of your own at the many little antique malls in the area. A block up from the Elixir on Alder Street, you’ll discover an antique store that offers a true collection of unique items.

The store is neither well-advertised nor likely to show up on your Google Search, but once in South Bend, you’ll see the signs on Alder Street for antiques, follow them. That unnamed store probably holds some of the best antiques in the area. Not to say that the others aren’t worth stopping in, but this one is a find for true treasure hunters.

Speaking of unique treasures, if you love chocolate then Jayden’s German Store (608 Robert Bush Drive) is a can’t-miss. No kidding, as you drive through town, it would be difficult

to miss their bright red store with promises of chocolate. They deliver, and a visit to their store makes a trip to South Bend a sweet experience.

Finally, no stop in South Bend is complete without getting your own batch of Willapa Bay oysters. East Point Fish and Chips (313 Robert Bush Drive) has both their traditional fish store, and their fish and chips trailer. They offer the kind of roadside fried oysters and chips you crave when you’re coming through a town like South Bend, fresh from the bay and fried on the spot. If you’re not looking for anything battered, their smoked oysters are just as nummy for an afternoon snack.

No matter what your fancy is, discovering your own gems in South Bend isn’t too hard to do. Considering the many options you have, you’ll likely spend more time in South Bend than you planned. It will be worth your time to stop and take a look around.

No stop in South Bend is complete without getting your

own batch of Willapa Bay oysters at East Point Fish and

Chips. Fresh from the bay and fried on the spot. Yum.

GOOD EATS

South Bend’s Courthouse features a beautiful colored glass dome.


52,138Votes are being tabulated.

Votingis

Over!

Best of Twin Harbors®

publication will hit the street March 15th!

Pick up The Daily World newspaper or visit us online

at TheDailyWorld.com WASHINGTON COAST MAGAZINE | Spring 2016 65

EVENTS

our favoriteEVENTS

“The Science of

Santa” by Doktor

Kaboom comes

December 19th.

March

4-12 Mary Poppins The classic tale made famous by the Disney movie by the same name brings to life the timeless P.L. Travers story interwoven with songs from the Academy Award winning film at the Bishop Center for Performing Arts at Grays Harbor College. Mary and Burt lead the audience through beloves songs like “Step in Time” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” as everyone’s favorite flying nanny helps a family find themselves.

The Love List Two men try to answer the question: Does the perfect woman exist? The play at the Driftwood Theatre in Aberdeen, runs through March 12.

17 Grays Harbor College Music Department Quarterly concert of the Grays Harbor College music department conducted by William Dyer, featuring the college Jazz Band and Jazz Choir at the Bishop Center for Performing Arts at Grays Harbor College.

18-20 Razor Clam Festival & Seafood Extravaganza All things razor clam are featured at the 9th annual festival in Ocean Shores.

23 Tears of Joy Theatre The Tears of Joy Theatre presents an all new production based on the trickster of Native American lore, Coyote, in “Coyote Tales.” The group presents two short stories about Coyote in this family friendly show at the Bishop Center for Performing Arts at Grays Harbor College.

25-27 Grays Harbor Mounted Posse Indoor Rodeo Rodeo enthusiasts descend on the Grays Harbor Fairgrounds for this annual rodeo and show.

10 Rainier Agility Dog Trials Dog show enthusiasts descend on the Grays Harbor Fair & Event Center hosted by the Rainier Agility Team.

16 David Jacobs-Strain Oregon slide guitar player David Jacobs-Strain brings his eclectic style to the Bishop Center for Performing Arts at Grays Harbor College. Jacobs-Strain moves from humor to blues, delicate balladry to swampy rock and roll.

16-17 Pacific Rim Arabian Horse Show

April

A celebration of the Arabian breed takes over the Grays Harbor County Fairgrounds, hosted by the Pacific Rim Arabian Horse Association.

18 Tokeland North Cove Studio Art Tour Annual art show featuring the work of artists from the Tokeland/North Cove area. Headquartered at the historic Tokeland Hotel and nearby private art studios.

18-19 Long Beach Razor Clam Festival Long Beach brings back its historic 1940s razor clam festival, including digging lessons, life music and entertainment, a chowder taste-off and more.

Don’t miss out on the Long Beach

Razor Clam Festival.. History and

other interesting info on page 40-41.


EVENTS

23 Crab, Seafood & Wine Festival The 33rd annual Astoria-Warrenton Crab, Seafood & Wine Festival features coastal cuisine, arts and crafts, wine tasting and more.

30 Five Women Wearing the Same Dress Five bridesmaids discover a bond in this funny and touching celebration of the spirit of women. The play, at Aberdeen’s Driftwood Theatre, opens April 30 and runs through May 22.

Horns & Hooks Outdoor Days Outdoor sports enthusiasts take over the Grays Harbor County Fair & Events Center. Grays Harbor Raceway Season Opener Grays Harbor Raceway kicks off the racing season at the racetrack at the Grays Harbor County Fairgrounds with sprint cars, modifieds, street stocks and Outlaw tuners. A full schedule of races is planned through the summer and into the fall, with events happening nearly every weekend.

6-8 Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival Hoquiam’s Bowerman Basin celebrates migrating shorebirds with a fun fair, field trips, lectures, shorebird viewing and more.

12, 13 & 14 Grays Harbor College One-Act Plays Grays Harbor College students present their original on-act plays, written and performed by students at the Bishop Center for the Performing Arts. GHC faculty Brad Duffy and Lynne Lerych direct the student productions.

14-15 Home & Garden Show See what’s new & great in the landscaping and home improvement industry at the Grays Harbor County Fairgrounds in Elma.

26-29 6th Annual Grays Harbor Expo Arts & crafts, chainsaw carvings, car show & home show at the Ocean Shores Convention Center.

27-30 World’s Largest Garage Sale This bargain hunter’s paradase spans the Long Beach Peninsula from Ilwaco to Oysterville, offering miles to explore for treasure seekers.

May


June3-6 Tall Ships at the Port of Ilwaco Historic tall ships the Lady Washington and the Hawaiian Chieftain visit the Port of Ilwaco, where visitors can board the ships for self-guided tours. Crew members are on hand to answer questions and share stories. More intrepid visitors can even book a sail.

4 Wearable Art Show Artists in various forms of media create wearable pieces of art, blending whimsy and function at the Ocean Shores Convention Center. 6:30 p.m.

4-5 Festival of Colors Kite Festival Annual event showcasing kites and kite flying in Ocean Shores.

5 Grays Harbor Symphony Orchestra The symphony will present distinctly American works like John Philip Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes,” Aaron Copland’s “Hoedown,” Morton Gould’s “An American Salute,” and John Adams’ “Short Ride in a Fast Machine” at the Grays Harbor College Bishop Center. Featured soloists will be Joy Dorsch singing Copland’s “Old American Song,” and the winners of the Grays Harbor Music Teachers Association concerto contest.

11 Flag Day Parade Salute the Stars and Stripes in Ocean Shores at one of the few remaining small-town Flag Day parades. Waikiki Beach Concert Regional musicians present a variant of music starting at 7 p.m. at Cape Disappointment State Park.


EVENTS

12 Grays Harbor Civic Choir The Grays Harbor Civic Choir performs a light-hearted, toe-tapping concert of familiar songs, including Broadway show tunes, vocal jazz and American Folk tunes at the Grays Harbor College Bishop Center.

16 Grays Harbor College Music Department Quarterly concert of the Grays Harbor College music department conducted by William Dyer, featuring the college Jazz Band and Jazz Choir at the Bishop Center for Performing Arts at Grays Harbor College.

18-19 Northwest Garlic Festival Abandon your mouthwash and head for the coast! Sample an array of garlic-laced foods and crafts in Ocean Park on the Long Beach Peninsula.

24-26 Rusty Scupper’s Pirate Daze Talk like a pirate at this family friendly pirate celebration in Westport.

Saws ‘n Shores Master and amateur chainsaw carvers and sand sculptors take to the North Beach, centered around the Ocean Shores Convention Center, with daily competitions and carving auctions.

25 Savory Seabrook Wine & Seafood Festival Farmers Market, winery and seafood vendors, plus entertainment at Seabrook near Pacific Beach.

Waikiki Beach Concert Regional musicians present a variant of music starting at 7 p.m. at Cape Disappointment State Park.

26 Fleur de Lis Festival & Art in the Vines Westport Winery hosts a French-themed art market.

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A piece of sea-monster shaped driftwood watches over sandpipers as they chase the tides in Ocean Shores. A break in the clouds offer a glimpse of blue skies to come.


A day in the life of Aberdeen’s newest mayor..

Erik Larson is the youngest mayor in Aberdeen’s history. A

It’s 4 a.m. and my alarm goes off. The sun is still two hours from rising as I hurry to get dressed – my dad and brother will be outside waiting soon. It is a chilly Sunday morning and we are heading out to our favorite duck hunting spot. Once we arrive I work to untanglethe

decoys, my efforts hindered by my numb fingers as I place them into the water. The sunrise is just beginning to appear on the horizonas I get into the blind, and I think to myself how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful place.

I have lived in Aberdeen my entire life, and every day I become more convinced it is a place like no other. Aberdeen is surrounded on allsides by world class outdoor recreational opportunities and scenic landscapes, all within about a half hour drive of its small urban core.From the coastal beaches to the Olympic Rainforest, and all of the salmon-bearing rivers and tributaries that run between, there are manyplaces for a person to get their outdoor fix.

It is now 10 a.m. and we have our limit of ducks. We work quickly to pick up our gear so we can move on to our next endeavor. My dad has several crab pots that have been soaking in Grays Harbor bay since Friday and we suspect they may be full of Dungeness crab. It’s just a short drive to the Westport Marina before we are headed out in search of our buoys among the other hopeful crabbers. As we pullup the first pot, we look on in expectation as it nears the surface. Four crab … a decent start, but we will need to do better if we are toget our limits. The next pot fails to improve our luck, with only three more to add to our total. My brother suggests maybe we move the pots to another part of the bay, as so far the results are underwhelming, but we have one more pot to check and there is still hope. It slowly comes into view as it reaches the surface and … success! A full pot! We round out our limit and rebait our gear before heading in.As we reach the dock I check my watch – it is now just shy of noon.

“Perfect timing,” I think to myself as we head back to town.

I walk in the door and head straight for the shower. I imagine I am putting off a strong scent between the wetlands and the salty breeze of the bay. I get out of the shower and put on my blue and green. It is now a quarter past 1 p.m. The doorbell rings and a few of my friends walk in. From the fridge, I grab a growler of locally brewed beer I picked up earlier in the week, along with a few ice-cold glassesfrom the freezer. We all grab a spot on the couch as we turn on the game – Seahawks vs. Cardinals. This is why I love living here.

WHO & WHY

WHY I LOVE IT HERE:by Erik Larson


Erik (front) and his brother Grant on a early morning duck hunt.

I have lived in Aberdeen my entire life,

and every day I become more convinced

it is a place like no other. Aberdeen is

surrounded on allsides by world class

outdoor recreational opportunities and

scenic landscapes, all within about a half

hour drive of its small urban core.”

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LADY WASHINGTON DEPARTS

The Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain tall ships are spending the spring in Northern California before working their way up the coast to their homeport of Aberdeen in June.

In each port, the ships will open for walk-on tours and offer public sailings, including the popular two-ship Battle Sails.

Check the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport website at historicalseaport.org for a detailed schedule and to purchase tickets. Or call the Seaport at 800-200-5239.

THE SCHEDULE

Antioch – March 2-9

Redwood City – March 12-23

Sausalito – March 25 to April 11

Bodega Bay – April 14-27

Crescent City – April 29 to May 3

Coos Bay – May 7-16

Newport – May 19-31

Ilwaco – June 3-6

Aberdeen – June 9-22

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Washington Coast Magazine, March 01, 2016

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Transcript of Washington Coast Magazine, March 01, 2016