Washington State Department of Natural Resources Board Meets in Olympia

December 1, 2015
Vancouver Notch

I first submitted the proposal to the Wa State Geographic Naming Commission in April, 2015 for the first consideration in May 2015. Read other posting in this blog.
In October 2015, it was approved for final consideration by the Commission.
 On Dec 1, 2015 Caleb Maki, as part of their Naming Commission, presented to the Board,  Vancouver Notch for final approval. The Board unanimously approved the name, Vancouver Notch as part of the Washington State Geographic Names. This enables the name to be used by cartographers in all future Wa State Maps.

Todd Matthews, Editor of the Tacoma Daily Index has written numerous articles as the Proposal has moved through the various stages. He arranged for us to view the privately maintained property owned by the Hancock Forest Management. see his latest article:

To read his most recent article update see link

http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/blog/vancouver-notch-dnr-approves-proposal-to-name-mount-rainier-foothills-feature/2429999/

Vancouver Notch Naming Approved

Todd Matthews, an enthusiastic Editor of the Tacoma Daily Index and Barbara Reid have been busy lately pulling together the final pieces to present to the The Washington State Committee on Geographic Names that met in Olympia on October 23, 2015. The Committee approved the Proposal to Officially name Vancouver Notch.

Read the recent articles that he wrote on our on site adventure into the Notch with Hancock Forest Manager, Heather Watson on October 21,2015.

To read the Tacoma Daily Index‘s complete and comprehensive coverage of the proposed Vancouver Notch, click on the following links:

§  Vancouver Notch: In Mount Rainier’s foothills, Barbara Reid completes one famous explorer’s journey(Tacoma Daily Index, October 21, 2015)

§  Vancouver Notch: Committee to consider proposal to name Mount Rainier foothills feature (Tacoma Daily Index, Oct. 19, 2015)

§  Tacoma Daily Index Top Stories — August 2015 (Tacoma Daily Index, Sept. 1, 2015)

§  Vancouver Notch: Mount Rainier foothills could soon honor the late explorer (Tacoma Daily Index, July 31, 2015)

Todd Mathews -- Vancouver Notch: Committee approves proposal to name Mount Rainier foothills feature (Tacoma Daily Index, Oct. 26, 2015)

http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/blog/vancouver-notch-committee-approves-proposal-to-name-mount-rainier-foothills-feature/2429702/

Craig Hill of the Tacoma News Tribune presented his articles online but also in the Sunday Section Sound Life.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/outdoors/article39241458.html

Steilacoom and Saltars Point Park

The Town of Steilacoom and their Parks Department is finalizing the rebuilding of the Saltars Point Park which has been a lengthy project. There is a new Train Trestle over the BNSF Railroad tracks, which will give access to the lower section of the park, an upper level parking lot, lighting, and an upper park with a bench for viewing Ketron, Anderson, Eagle and McNeil Islands. They are creating space for the Lt. Peter Puget Memorial Reader Board which will discuss the exploration routes of Lt Peter Puget and Captain George Vancouver who surveyed these waters in May, 1792 as part of the 4 year Voyage of Discovery.

Our design team had just finished another meeting, so we were excited to see their progress and test drive our template with the newly installed platform. The Eagle Boy Scouts had planted new plants, people were enjoying the view and walking their dogs. Hira Barbara Reid, Director of the Puget Memorial Project was very happy to see all this progress.

We ventured over the new trestle just in time for an Amtrak train to wiz past us, and then down to the beach and pavilion. We enjoyed a nice bite to eat. What a wonderful day.

Up Date on Steilacoom Projects

The Steilacoom Historical Museum Association prepared a grant for funding for their Informative Signage Project. This included The Peter Puget Memorial Project signage and other projects they are involved in.

The City signage at Pioneer Park and Saltars Point Park is moving along with the design team. Recently we went to Winsor Fireform in Tumwater and met with the owner Brian Stockdale. They design and fabricate porcelain enamel metal signage. He was very helpful with design and editing tips and showed us numerous styles and options we can choose.

Winsor Fireform Click on this link to view.

Tacoma Daily Index Article

Todd Mathews, Editor of the Tacoma Daily Index interviewed me the other day regarding my proposal to officially name Vancouver Notch. He had received a press release from the Naming Commission of the DNR. He came to my home and we had the best time discussing this project. He also interviewed Richard Blumenthal, local historian and Caleb Maki, Secretary to the Naming Commission. Both of these men have been so helpful to me in learning about and understanding this lengthy process.

Vancouver Notch could soon honor the late explorer Vancouver

Todd has numerous links within his article to view the Proposal, The Press Release, Richard Blumenthal's Publishing of his many Historical Books, Todd's Awards. Again, I thank Linda Van Nest and Terry Rishel for their photos of Vancouver Notch.

Washington State Commission on Geographic Naming

                                                                 

The Washington State Committee on Geographic Names--DNR accepted my proposal for consideration to officially name Vancouver Notch. Between now and the next meeting in October 2015 the merits of my proposal will be researched and comments will be solicited from local historical societies/museums, county governments, state and federal land management and interested individuals and groups. At that time the proposal will be approved, denied or deferred. The approved proposal then will go forward to the WA State Board. All approved names will go to United States Board for Federal Consideration. The name will appear on all WA and US Maps. This process may take a year or more, but who is in a hurry. It has been 223 years since Captain Vancouver noted this Gap or Pass in his journal. It is such an integral part of our waterfront landscape it needs to have an official name. He named over 30 sites in WA and this formation should be named for him, as he was the first to describe it. This is really exciting historically as it opens a new chapter in The Voyage of Discovery and shines a new light on the ever changing Tacoma Waterfront.

photo by b.reid

If you would like to support my proposal, you may send an email noting subject as: Vancouver Notch to caleb.maki@dnr.wa.gov Caleb is Executive Secretary, Washington Committee on Geographic Names, WA State Department of Natural Resources(DNR)
One or 2 sentences is fine. Please use Barbara Reid as my name. Place your name, title, phone number at the end of the comment. These will be placed in my proposal and will be available online and will be a part of the public record.

The Proposed Name of Vancouver Notch

Today, April 13, 2015, marks my Application to submit The Proposed Name of Vancouver Notch to the WA State Commission on Geographic Names. They meet twice a year in May and October. Linda Van Nest, resident of Tacoma's North East Brown's Point area took several wonderful photos  of this unique geological formation which was described by Captain George Vancouver in his journal/log as the HMS Discovery was anchored near Restoration Point from 19-30 May 1792.

The meeting will be May 15, 2015 at 10 AM in Olympia, 223 years after Captain described the formation as a, "conspicuous, abrupt division" in the southern slope of Mt Rainier.

photos by linda van nest

Steilacoom's Lt Peter Puget Memorial Project

Steilacoom is building a a large community support team to create possibly three historical reader boards along significant sites overlooking Balch Passage, Ketron Island and Carr Inlet. Mayor Ron Lucas, Nancy Henderson, City counsel and French Wetmore, President of the Steilacoom History Museum are the front runners on the project with Barbara Reid as a historical consultant. Steilacoom has four possible sites to choose from:
1, The Museum Patio over looking Carr Inlet
2. Pioneer Park overlooking Balch Passage
3. Saltars Point overlooking Ketron Island and Balch Passage
4. Sunnyside Park on the water overlooking Ketron to Fox Island.

Site locations will be decided, artistic design team and writing teams have been decided and many future meetings await us. This is very exciting. Nancy Covert has posted an article about the project in the Suburban Times Paper for Pierce County. Thank you Nancy Covert for your interest and support. The Suburban Times

For me, Barbara Reid, it is extremely exciting to have the towns of Steilacoom and Allyn wanting to create Memorials to Honor Lt Peter Puget's Exploration Party and interestingly, both locations had the rare exchange with not only the Puget Party plying their waters but Captain Vancouver also surveyed both areas and camped. Thank you all for helping bring my vision into reality. Most important is to Honor, Memorialize and to Celebrate these historic explorers and their accomplishments in May 1792.

Case Inlet and Allyn, WA.

On March 2, 2015 I presented the historical facts of Captain Vancouver and Lt Puget's separate explorations of Case Inlet to the Port of Allyn Commissioners and some local residents. Everyone was excited and found their newly discovered history was important and impressive. Allyn, like Steilacoom, are small communities filled with Pioneer history, but not aware of their British history which took place in May 1792 with the Voyage of Discovery when Lt Peter Puget, Joseph Whidbey, Archibald Menzies and Lt. Thomas Manby and 16 oarsmen, rowed throughout the southern waters in search of the NW Passage. Puget and his party explored Case Inlet and camped at Sherwood Creek for breakfast on May 24,1792. On a separate exploration by Captain Vancouver and Lt. Joseph Baker in the Captain's yawl, they explored Case Inlet on May 28, 1792 and dined for their main meal at 4 PM in the area of Allyn. They retraced their route down Case Inlet and later that evening joined the second vessel of their party, headed by Lt. James Johnstone. On May 29, 1792 the two vessels returned to the HMS Discovery which was anchored near Restoration Point, Bainbridge Island. Late that night Captain Vancouver de-briefed Lt Puget and Mr. Menzies. It was at this time Captain Vancouver officially named the southern waters, Puget's Sound in honor of his dedicated Lieutenant.

I found the Port of Allyn to be an ideal location for a memorial, with its dock, covered pavilion, toilets, ample parking and picnic tables.

As I ventured down the road, to view Sherwood Creek, I serendipitously discovered a small park
near the mouth of the creek. This is where Lt Puget reports they camped for breakfast and seined for salmon. This site already has historical reader boards and a new Puget Memorial would enhance the park's role in the Cascadia Marine Trail. The signs are made of powder coated metal. The site while small has parking, picnic tables, toilet and beach access.

The possibility of creating Memorials in Allyn is delightful. The setting could not be more perfect, the community is excited and I am jumping up and down with enthusiasm. To think that it took me 2 years to connect the dots on this site. I almost missed it. We can't let this opportunity slip through any more lost time. We can make this happen. What do you think, Allyn? Joyce Bosley writes for the North Bay Review and is posting an article this month.North Bay Review.

2015: Phase 2 of the Lt Peter Puget Memorial Project

Phase 1: The projects at Blake Island and Olympia Port Plaza are considered long term projects.
Phase 2: Beginning January 2015, we will be helping the town of Steilacoom create 3 Memorial reader boards  to document their rich history in the Balch Passage area.
Anderson Island has dedicated their Jacob's Point Park which overlooks Oro Bay. They will have a marker to dedicate Puget's party camping in the area.
I realized the community of Allyn in Case Inlet is also a very important historical site that can perhaps create a memorial of their own. I am in communication with them and informing them Puget explored Case Inlet but Vancouver did too and dined one afternoon.There is a dock and Pavilion that could be the site for a small memorial.
We were delighted to learn that the Thurston County Historical Commission had placed a historical reader board at Mud Bay, Eld Inlet. Having communities identify possible sites and creating their own memorials is the future focus of our Project.
At the end of May 2015 we are closing the fund raising for the project, so get your donation in as soon as you can.