Visiting Oysterville on Willapa Bay
The next day, we climbed back into the trusty truck and headed for Willapa Bay and Oysterville.
Oysters are king in Oysterville. Oysters were what brought settlement here in the 1850's and they are still the reason for Oysterville's continuing existence today.
Young oysters grow on old oyster shells and are harvested regularly.
Placing the growing oysters in cages, helps keep them safe while they grow.
Consequently, lots and lots......
and lots of old oyster shells are needed.
Truckloads of them, even.
There are many lovely old buildings in Oysterville. Click on the link to take a virtual walking tour of this village. Here is the historic old church there. It was built in 1892 at a cost of 1500 dollars for the Baptist congregation of Rev. R.H. Espy.
Oysterville was site of the first county seat and courthouse of Pacific County, Washington.
Ancient trees and weathered picket fences line the streets.
One of the lovely homes on the bay. You can see Willapa Bay behind the home and the mountains on the eastern side of the bay beyond.
Another beautiful home, rhododendrons and azaleas presenting a beautiful display.
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Another beautiful abode.
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This pretty, rambling home, is at the north end of the village.
Such a pretty spot.
These homes are almost all a century old, at least.
The old oyster cannery, a lasting sentinel.
The R.H. Espy home, built in 1871.
They've done a great job, all around, of preserving their heritage in Oysterville.
The Oysterville School House......open for group activities.
Oysterville Sea Farms.
The Oysterville Post Office. Not the original building, but the site has been a post office since the 1850's.
Lovely homes with sweet details.
We turned south, and headed for Nahcotta, another community on the bay.
Both of us had meals at "The Ark" restaurant in years past. It's closed, now, it's owners having taken up a new restaurant in Ocean Park. It looks so forlorn and lonely.
I think it might have been open as recently as 2007. We'll never forget the great food they served!
Nahcotta is one of the most picturesque harbors on the bay.
Ever seen a "boat wash"?
This fellow was washing the bottom of his boat. How convenient!
A sailboat, waiting it's turn....
Looking south along the bay......
Another view of the little harbor of Nahcotta.
Lovely photo journal. I love the old church and there are some wonderful homes there. We do have older homes in weatherboard but seldom see it used today in Australia....I have rendered bricks which I quite like. But grew up in weatherboard homes and red brick during the week as I stayed with maternal grandparents for school.
ReplyDeleteThey often use cedar shakes (as we call them) for roofs and siding on the coast. Cedar doesn't rot easily and bugs, generally, don't like to eat it, so it's the wood of choice in many coastal areas. The clapboard (as we call it) of the church might have been made nearby or shipped in, in those early days. Don't know if it's original or not. Since it's now in a National Historic District, everything probably has to be restored, no re-modeled to match the standard. You've had the best of both worlds with the weatherboard and the rendered bricks, haven't you?
DeleteBeautiful pictures, Kathie! We actually did have dinner at the Ark in 2007. How sad that they've closed. Did you get to the wonderful "book" store in Oysterville? What a haunt that is!
ReplyDeleteCheers!
We didn't stop at the book store in Oysterville. We're going back, though, I hope, in October, and will get to do more things. The proprietresses from the Ark in '07 have opened a new place in Ocean Shores. You can see it at http://jimellaandnancis.com/ I'd like to try it and hope we can go next time. They seem like truly dedicated chefs.
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