Anderson Island and the Puget Memorial Project

I received an exciting email from Dave Jacobson on Anderson Island. He is a Park Commissioner on the island and he ran across our Memorial blog. The Park Commissioners invited me over yesterday to see their new project, Jacobs Point Park, and  to talk about their newly discovered information of Peter Puget's encampment on Anderson Island - 22 May 1792 and how that might impact their project.

Arriving Anderson Island on the
MV Christine Anderson, a Pierce County Ferry
17 May 2013

Anderson Island has always been known for their well documented history through several authors over the centuries of in-habitation since the mid 1800's. Dave is also the President of the Historical Society and his parents owned property on the island long ago. As he mentioned to a friend, we are just now discovering our island people date back to 1792 with the Puget Exploration Party. The 5 Commissioners are very excited to have discovered this information at this particular time. TheCommissioners are Dave Jacobson, Bill Spears, Rick Anderson, Chuck Hinds and Carol Pascal. They are well into developing an 85 acre park with 2.5 miles of trails and picnic/viewing sites(5) on the Jacobs Peninsula which extends into Oro Bay. Oro Bay is where the Puget party took refuge from a SE storm and were forced to spend the night. Indians came in 3 canoes and brought them salmon, berries and traded bear skins with the explorers.

click to enlarge

We hiked the newly created trail to Jacobs Point and looked out over Oro Bay to the bay's southern shoreline and land spit where we believe the explorers camped based on the Journals of Peter Puget and Archibald Menzies which were edited by Richard Blumenthal.(With Vancouver in Inland Washington Waters) Afterwards Dave and his wife, Lynn took me to their home and we had a wonderful lunch.

An Amazing Group of Commissioners
& Supporters.

Oro Bay from Jacobs Point

I am really excited about Jacobs Point Park and the Commissioner's plan to add the "Puget" component to their signage as well as, to their island history. This is a perfect example of my dream. Share the information of the Puget Exploration of the Sound and let each Puget Sounder bring him to life in their own life and the life of their community/organization/or project. Let us all Honor, Memorialize, and Celebrate Peter Puget and his Exploration Party. Thank you Anderson Island for stepping up to the plate, becoming a friend of ours so, we all can make our projects memorable and project them into the lives of the next generation. We don't want to loose Peter Puget again, now that we have re-discovered him. It is interesting that King George III named the 1791-1795 voyage, the Voyage of Discovery. 221 years later, we are still discovering these explorers again and finding new and wonderful  places and ways to honor them.  Anderson Island could have an annual party/ picnic to honor the Puget Party on 22 May of each year. What a magical process!

Coins and Coining

Skip Dreps took me to the Burien Office of the NW PVA to meet his long time friend, Ernie Butler, Executive Director and to pick up a coin so that I could take it and "coin" Robin Twyman, the British Consul who is supporting our Puget Memorial Project.

The NW Chapter of the PVA is a Puget Memorial Project Endorser. It was an honor to finally meet Ernie. He is a fantastic man, a paraylyzed veteran and a fellow Viet Nam Veteran who changes lives every day.

Front View

Rear View

"Coining" has become quite the tradition in the military. It was an honor to "coin" Robin and introduce him to this long time tradition. This was Robin's first coin and my first time in coining someone. A great day for both of us.

To read more about the PVA click here
NWPVA

New Friends of the Project

May is a busy month for the Puget Memorial Project as numerous connections, meetings are taking place and  new friendships are being formed.
















On 6 May 2013 I had the Great Opportunity to meet with Robin Twyman, Consul (Business and Government Affairs) UK Government Office, Seattle, WA. The meeting took place on the 41st floor overlooking the western views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountain range. If that wasn't enough it was the sunniest and warmest day of the year. I briefed Consul Twyman on our Memorial Project, its importance in our joint histories, its way to honor our shared heroes and its path to secure remembrance for future generations.  He stated, "I am very interested in this project which celebrates Britain's long and prosperous relationship with Puget Sound and I want to be kept informed of its progress." Consul Twyman accepted my invitation to join us at the Dedication Day.

On 8 May 2013 I spoke at the Monthly Meeting of the Tacoma Waterfront Assn. The venue was at the prestigious Tacoma Museum of Glass.

The talk was well received by many and I ran into an old friend who I knew and worked with in the 70-80's.
The Tacoma Waterfront Assn is made up of many businesses who promote activities along the Tacoma shoreline. They have recently obtained permission to have a seaplane dock on the Foss Waterway which will allow commercial and private sea planes to land. The TWA has become a great friend of the Puget Memorial Project.

On 11 May 2013 another friend of the Project re-opened their doors to the public after a year and a half renovation: The Foss Waterway Seaport Museum. I visited it and the new Glass Frontage is spectacular. I'm told at night it is spectacular.

Seaport Museum

Welcome

Nice canoe

Woody with Chris Craft in Tow

Wow rear view of Chris Craft.

Gas inboard

I spent an hour poking my nose around and ran into some TWA folks I knew. Joseph Govednik who is in charge of Exhibitions has done a beautiful job with the set-up. The old warehouse is huge and capable of expansion. I visualized Peter Puget Exploration as being next year's new exhibit. This Museum is accessible by boat and within walking distance to the Museum of Glass. You should make it a destination.