Hidden Histories
Uncover the stories behind the stories in Port Townsend’s past.
Port Townsend is a town with many stories.
Port Townsend’s architectural history is so well preserved, it’s easy to overlook the stories that remain hidden. Our city, community, and daily lives are defined by what came before. Today’s buildings and events are the legacy of the Native peoples who first lived here, the mariners who brought the first Europeans, and the diverse cultures that settled and remain here. The Hidden Histories project seeks to deepen our appreciation of the people and events that shape our lives today.
Hidden History Walking Tour
You’ll find signs around Port Townsend’s Uptown and Downtown districts to guide you through the city’s hidden history. The past is never a simple narrative; it’s a complex interweaving of lives, experiences, and events. We invite you to explore the themes and details of our home, the legacy of the its cultures and personalities, their ambitions, and the experiences that shaped this place.
Fire!
Early in its history Port Townsend suffered from fires damaged and destroyed homes and businesses. Learn more about how fire shaped our town.
Union Wharf
With little usable space between the water and the steep bluff behind, Union Wharf became an important gateway to the sea.
Preservation
Discover the story behind Port Townsend’s National Historic Landmark districts.
Women Settlers
Learn how early women settlers made lasting impacts on the community.
Water
Port Townsend sits at the tip of the Quimper Peninsula surrounded by salt water. How did early residents find and use fresh water?
Smuggling
Smuggling in the Port Townsend region took many forms over the last century and a half.
Crimping
Crimping, also known as “shanghaiing,” was forcing a sailor into service by underhanded means. How did Maxwell Levy become known as the “Crimper King?”
Chinese Exclusion Act
After the Exclusion Act, Port Townsend became a site of undocumented entry of Chinese immigrants into the United States from Canada.
Early Cabin
Learn how the early inhabitants of Port Townsend dealt with the limitations of building a city on a sand spit.
Railroad
Local businessmen and citizens invested their fortunes hoping to entice rail companies to choose Port Townsend for their terminal.
Quarantine
In the 19th and early 20th century, infectious diseases were a major concern for port cities. How did Port Townsend cope?
Tale of Two Cities
Learn how the fortunes of Downtown and Uptown Port Townsend rose and fell over the decades.
Learn More of Our History