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.

Peter Puget Haiku

In my recent cruise with Too Tall Tom, he began instructing me in the art of writing Japanese Haiku Poetry with particular references to cruising. From modern day cruising we slipped easily into the Exploration of Peter Puget and the Southern Waters and the Voyage of Discovery. Too Tall Tom was crew for me when we replicated Puget's Route.

The first line is 5 syllables.
The second line is 7.
The third line is 5.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Four years to explore
Voyage of Discovery
Peter Puget's Sound
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Row, Row, Row your boat.
Hungry, Thirsty, Hot and Cold
The Men of the Oar.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Master Whidbey sees
Deception Pass is the Key
To Whidbey's Island.

Artwork by Steve Mayo

My Puget Memorial Dream Grows

Shatoosh, Pashmina and I cruised to Gig Harbor this weekend.. I met Hans Schumacher and his wonderful family cruising on a Mac Greggor 25 named Trapiche.  They introduced themselves and stated they had seen The Lt Peter Puget Memorial Project write-up in April 48 North and had also read Carol MacKinnon's Article in May.

They had 3 days off in May so took our suggestions to heart and headed out to do Puget's Route for 3 days. Congratulations to you. They had the history books on board and read them along the way. This is part of my dream coming true. Replication and learning history along the route. Hans please share this with your MacGreggor groups.

This brings up a new question: What do we call ourselves when we follow in Puget's Wake?
Puget Wakers
Puget Routers
Puget Explorers
Puget Followers
What are your thoughts?

June 4, 1792; June 4, 1915; and June 4, 2014

What Do These Dates Have In Common?

June 4, 1792: It was King George's 54th birthday and Captain George Vancouver rowed ashore to celebrate it by taking Possession of all waters and land they had mapped and surveyed since April. He named these waters, Possession Sound. It is the home waters of Everett, WA.

June 4, 1915: The Marcus Whitman Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution paid tribute by installing a bronze and stone Memorial to commemorate his landing. It is 99 years old.

June 4, 2014: I make my way to Everett today to see the memorial and to pay my tribute to Captain Vancouver and his Voyage of Discovery. The Memorial is located high on a bluff overlooking the Port of Everett in a small, but beautiful park, aptly named Grand Avenue Park. The Memorial is located at Grand Avenue and 18th Street. Many people were being walked by their dogs in  the small park, but no one I spoke to knew nothing of this great event, no one had ever stopped to read the plaque. Everyone got a brief history lesson and departed, pleased to know about it. I had a pocket full of Lt Peter Puget Memorial cards to pass out.

The Park has other noted Memorials, A bronze Bust for Senator Scoop Jackson, who lived across the street in a beautiful home. A mosaic Compass Rose and a tribute to Becky Fauver.

I ventured down to the Port and celebrated by having  a lovely lunch at Anthony's Home Port Restaurant.
What a wonderful day and I am so happy I took the time to honor these explorers on this famous day in Washington's History.

Carol MacKinnon Honors Lt. Peter Puget

Carol is an avid sailor and historian who seems to love The Voyage of Discovery 1792, as much as I do. Richard Hazelton, the editor of 48 North has introduced us recently as the May issue of 48 North has Carol's article on Retracing Puget's Route. She does a wonderful job of weaving Puget's history with her own journey and challenges Puget Sound boaters to get out on the Sound this May and rediscover his famous route for themselves. Great work Carol.

Please go to link to read her article:
48 North