A Long Lost Wooden Chest: Did It Belong to Captain Peter Puget?

Exciting News:

I have recently heard from a lady from Derbyshire England who states about 40 years ago a relative purchased at auction an old wooden chest with the Name Commissioner Puget engraved in brass on the top lid. She has recently inherited it and was interested if perhaps this chest could have belonged to Peter Puget. She found my blog and has sent some pictures. 

The chest is made of mahogany and is dated as 18th Century. The brass lid hinges have been replaced, but all the other hinges appear to be original. The wooden feet are also original.

Historically, Captain Peter Puget was Commissioner of the British Navy in India stationed in Madras and developed the new Naval Base in Trincomalee(Ceylon) from 1810-1817.

If this chest did belong to Captain/Admiral Puget it would be perhaps the only artifact that remains from his life as a Naval Officer and particularly from his service as Naval Commissioner in India.

I am still in conversation with her regarding the family's plans  for this chest. Finding and identifying this rare chest is certainly an exciting new entry into Puget's life.

The photos are not the best quality.

Lid

Side handle

Commissioner Puget Lid Plaque

front view

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.