Weekend Wanderings! Part 1

Every September for the last 15 years, or so, I, along with another member of my family,have been attending the Victorian Homes Tour in Pt. Townsend.

This has become a yearly tradition.

My eldest daughter and I have been going together for several years,

and before that, my youngest and I would go with her girl scout troop.

And a couple of years I have even persuaded Gentleman Farmer to tag along.

My usual partner was ill this last weekend, youngest daughter lives in New York

so guess who was given the pleasure of my company? ;~D

We did have a merry Saturday, just the two of us.

But we would like to invite you to tag along, if you please.

(Sadly, they don't allow pictures of the inside of the homes, but I hope

you enjoy the photos of the outside and even the inside of a church

and antique auto museum ~ which saved the day for poor Gentleman Farmer!)

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This is the order we visited.

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Captain Thomas & Lizzie Grant House

circa 1887

"Built in the Italian Villa style, this multi-story house is typical of the

local fashion for low-pitched, simple hipped roofs with elaborate brackets.

In the front, the large bay windows flood the house with sunlight. The original wallpaper in the parlor was from Paris. The cast iron surrounds on all three fireplaces in the house have been painted to resemble Tennessee Rose marble. There are five bedrooms, nine bathrooms, a parlor, library, kitchen and dining room."

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Horton-Bendixen House

circa 1889

"This lovely multi-story house is identified as a recently renovated Folk Victorian. It has moderate carpenter Gothic trim, spindle work gable tresses, ornate bargeboards, and a hood over the upper fish-scale shingles on the gables."

Notice the unusual chimney piece!


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Clark Aldrich House
circa 1891
"Although sometimes lost in the shadow of the big glorified Victorian homes, dozens of smaller homes like this one still shelter families and 'are Port Townsend's hidden gems.' This house is significant as an example of a home built during the town's brief 'boom period' of the late 1880's. It has elements of Queen Anne style without the full set of decorative elements typical of the style. The house is generally intact, with only minor changes to its historic appearance."
We were informed that this house was built as a rental of the time.


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First Presbyterian Church
cornerstone laid 1875
"This beautiful church displays an ornate pipe organ built in Oakland, California, by Whalley and Genung. The sanctuary has three vaulted stained glass windows on two side walls. Other features of the sanctuary are the ornate wainscoting, oak pews, and the wood paneling in a vaulted design that outlines the back of the altar."

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Daniel Haddock Hill House

1862

This spacious, wonderful home was once a much simpler and smaller building similar to a New England farmhouse. The current residents have lovingly turned the house into one of the jewels of this historic neighborhood, adding and restoring period details and appropriate landscaping. They began reconstruction in 1990 and, although much of the exterior and nearly all of the interior is new, the original character of the house has been maintained."

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Lucinda Hastings House

circa 1891

"This large two-story house provides a commanding view of the bay and is admirable arranged throughout. The stairway of solid oak displays some of the very excellent work done by the Hastings Lumber & Mfg. Co.'s Mill, with newels carved to represent the most perfect oak leaves, acorns, etc. The stairway is lighted by the three windows of jewel glass at the first landing. The builder assembled a wealth of rich interior details in oak and applied to the exterior the customary brackets and spindles associated with Victorian well-being."

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Now for the guy stuff!

Ladies, if you don't want to stick around for the rest of this, I understand.

But this was the only reason I had a travel companion on this day!
I was compelled to take photos, and I have to admit,

some of this was rather interesting.

Just don't look too closely ~ it was run by a very interesting fellow!

(I did try not to take photos of the minimally clad pin-up girls ,etc. but I may have missed something!)

Gentleman Farmer never sees this stuff ~ he is busily investigating boxes of auto gadgets and talking cars with the guys!

(Sorry about that photo above ~ Would someone tell me why blogger does this!?)

This was a long, pleasant day, but we were glad to head back because

"be it ever so humble, there is no place like home"

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" As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man that wanders from his home."

Proverbs 27:8

(Tomorrow ~ pictures of the next day's wanderings, back to Pt. Townsend and the Jefferson County's WSU Farm Tour and Fiber Farm Tour. This one is mostly girl stuff, but again, a little something at the end for the guys. Hope to see you then!)