Port Gamble

Port Gamble is on the Kitsap Peninsula situated on the shores of scenic Hood Canal. Explore the 120-acre National Historic Landmark complete with picturesque, turn-of-the-century buildings filled with shops, an historic church, breathtaking views, expansive grounds and New England style houses on maple and elm tree-lined streets.

portgamble.com

Port Gamble lies fifteen miles north of us on the eastern side of the entrance to Hood Canal. If it reminds you of some of the “company towns” found on the East Coast, that’s because it was a company town. The Pope and Talbot company opened a sawmill here in 1853. It operated until 1995.

In 1996, Pope Resources reacquired the town and refurbished it to its glory days. Today, Port Gamble is still a company town. The houses, the church, and the shops live on to serve today’s tourist industry.


There are vast expanses of green lawns in Port Gamble. Here we’re looking east towards the shallow channel that serves as the entrance to the bay.

The General Store lies at the foot of the main street. It houses a shop, cafe, shell museum, and history museum.

Surely you can find something you “need” amongst all this.
The upstairs museum is extensive – and free (donations accepted).

Something to consider: many of the houses are available for rent. You could use one for a weekend getaway or as a base camp to explore the area.

2 thoughts on “Port Gamble”
  1. You always find interesting places to visit. I wonder whether the nice houses are reflective of where the mill workers lived? Or were these just for the upper crust of Port Gamble. See any pics there that would indicate?

    1. There signs in front indicating these were for managers not average workers. That’s different that, for example, Woolrich PA, where workers and their families were provided housing. Or the Grand Coulee Dam, for that matter.

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