Hello Everyone! If you’re reading this post in my weekly newsletter, I apologize for not getting it out on Thursday this week, but I’ve been busy catching up with old friends in the greater Seattle area. Spending time with some familiar faces has definitely lifted my spirits and recharged my batteries a bit and I’m grateful to them for making time for me in their busy schedules. I have been enjoying their company so much that I went all week without even opening my computer. But it’s Thursday today and I hope to finish this up today and send it out by tomorrow. I doubt anyone out there sets their clock by my newsletter’s arrival, but if you are used to getting it on Thursday - surprise, it is Friday and the weekend is here. This last week brought me from Centralia through Tacoma and on up into the Kitsap Peninsula where I saw some cool navy boats and spent some time with the Suquamish people. Then I headed down to Bainbridge Island and hopped the ferry to Seattle, where I have been since. I’ve spent a fair bit of time in Seattle in my life, so most of my time here has just been catching up with people, but it has still been an excellent stay. Let me go ahead and jump into what I’ve been up to this week.
When I left you last week, I was on my way towards Tacoma from the old logging community of Centralia, WA. On the way I stopped off in tiny Tumwater for a quick visit to the Historical Park there. I’ve driven by this park for years and was glad I finally stopped in to check it out. The huge brick building visible from the highway is the old Olympia Brewery, now sadly in ruins and falling apart. This brewery was actually shut down by prohibition and the building was sold, so when Olympia restarted brewing beer in 1933 it was in a different building just up the road. The old brewmaster’s house is right up the hill from the old brewery and has been lovingly restored by the community. Just across the street is the old Crosby House which was once lived in by early Tumwater settler Nathaniel Crosby III who also happened to be the grandfather of performer Bing Crosby. Also in the park is the old Tumwater Falls and a very cool salmon ladder which helps the salmon on their upriver journey. It was absolutely packed with salmon during my visit which was cool to see.
From there I headed on into Tacoma and found a spot to park in the Theatre District…
