Our previous Gig Harbor Now and Then column featured two questions of local history, both concerning Gig Harbor’s commercial fishing fleet. They are: Of all the men and women who worked on Gig Harbor commercial fishing boats, from 1868 to the present day, who was the best known during their time on a boat? Of all
He or she played the part of The Wind in their elementary school’s production of the play Rumpelstiltskin, which should make the answer obvious.
John and Leta Wolford were bound for the west coast, chasing the promise of steady work with the Northern Pacific Railroad in Tacoma when they moved into 5611 S. Oakes Street in Tacoma. See the changes to the house over the years.
Chuck Sharman and Bob Mitchell graduated from high school together, joined the Navy together and were reported dead together in Pearl Harbor. They lived remarkable lives after that.
Benjamin Pardee, whose many swindles included selliong fish oil on Fox Island, was a real snake-oil salesman.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Frank C. Ross had several grandiose plans to build a freight railroad through Gig Harbor. None of them came especially close to fruition.
Last week, we told you about Jean Wolford, the little girl who bears a striking resemblance to the author’s niece. Here’s how Jean — whose photo was found in a secondhand store in Port Orchard — came to be a Wolford, instead of a Hauswirth (or a Houseworth).
Even if it’s literally carved in stone, sometimes a homestead is not a homestead.
The previous Gig Harbor Now and Then column gave the answers to four questions concerning early local telephones. One question that was not asked or answered last time concerns how to cope with one of today’s internet providers on the Gig Harbor and Key peninsulas, CenturyLink. Having had multiple extensive, unwanted, unsatisfying, and unfathomably bad experiences
Cross-Narrows phone service has been available since 1907. To call a car dealer, people in those times needed only to dial ‘1’.
P.O. Box 546
Gig Harbor, WA 98335
