The Cozy Victorian Seaport
of Port Townsend, Washington Boasts a Rich Maritime Heritage,
Grand Architecture and Abundant Outdoor Recreation in a
Breathtaking Setting
Cost of Living: Above the National Average
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On Washington's Quimper Peninsula, the most northeastern tip of the Olympic Peninsula and
45 miles
north west of Seattle, the picturesque Victorian seaport of Port Townsend
(population 9,200) enchants nearly everyone. In
the mid-1800s, it was prosperous and raucous,
earning the nickname "City of Dreams."
Unfortunately, the dreams faded in the 1890s when the
U.S. economy declined and the railroad stopped short of
town. As a result, Port Townsend lost much of its
population and was nearly forgotten as the new century
began. In the 1920s, it became a mill town, and
then in the 1970s, a renaissance began when Seattle
urbanites rediscovered the picturesque village. Today, history lingers in
the air as Port Townsend finds itself an artsy time
capsule with much of its 19th-century character intact.
Retirees in particular are drawn here (52% of residents
are age 45 or better), seeking a cooler climate and a
safe waterfront town in a striking location. The
cost of living is 15% above the national average.
Often described as funky and touristy, Port Townsend is known for its array of elegant, lovingly-preserved Victorian homes
on the bluffs high above the town harbor. The median home price is
$275,000, but with breathtaking water views and mountain vistas, homes on the hills,
an area known as Uptown, can cost much more. Smaller,
more modest single family homes, many built in the 1930s and 1940s, start in the low-$200,000s,
although Kala Point, a private, gated waterfront community, has single-family dwellings and condominiums
starting in the high-$100,000s. There are five mobile home parks (including Sea Breeze Mobile Home Park, Hawkeye Park and Four Corners Olympic Home Park), but apartments are not plentiful.
When it comes to taxes, Washington is a friendly place for
retirees. There is no income tax so retirement income
is not taxed. Real estate is assessed at 100%, but
there are homestead exemptions for people age 61 or better who
cannot work and for people with an annual income of $35,000 or
less. Seniors, depending on age, occupancy and other
factors, may also be able to defer property taxes. Excluding
exemptions, the annual taxes on a $275,000 house are approximately
$2,500. The state sales tax is 6.5% (food and prescriptions
are exempt).
Maritime history permeates Port Townsend, and a stroll through
downtown conjures up images of an earlier time when boisterous saloons and busy brothels catered to customers just in from months at sea. Today, though,
the old taverns are trendy shops, and historic red brick
commercial buildings house art galleries, coffeehouses, restaurants and
cozy pubs. The entire downtown, lively, along the water and
full of nooks and crannies, is a designated national historic
district. At the heart of it, Water Street is a great place
to spend an afternoon browsing in a bookstore or enjoying a cup of coffee.
Boats bob in the Port Townsend Bay, and on clear days, the views
are invigorating. Restaurants are plentiful but tend
to be expensive. For those needing occasional big city
amenities and more selections (car repair shops, accountants,
etc.), Seattle is reachable by car and by ferry (both are needed).
Port Townsend residents are generally liberal,
welcoming and involved in community life. Volunteer
opportunities range from acting as a docent at the Jefferson
County Historical Society and Museum to working with the Port Townsend Marine Science Center's
educational outreach programs. And there always seems to be
something happening, with festivals and planned events taking
place every month of the year. The Port Townsend Film
Festival brings residents together for communal showings of
classic films and documentaries. From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. every
first Saturday of the month, downtown galleries entice visitors
with food and local art. Victorian
Heritage Days plays up the town's colorful Victorian past.
The Wooden Boat Festival celebrates a classic mode of travel.
The Key City Public Theater presents a year-round schedule.
The Northwind Arts Center brings art to people residing in senior
residences. Eleven museums, including military museums and historic homes,
add to the cultural scene.
Port Townsend's Wooden Boat Festival
(2008)
For outdoor lovers, few areas of the country are more inviting. To the
west are the mountains, beaches and primeval rain forests of Olympic National
Park and to the east and north are the waters of Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de
Fuca.
Nearby Fort Worden State Park, once an army base, boasts beaches and sweeping
views of the Cascade and Olympic Mountain ranges. Even the most
entrenched homebody will be tempted outside to try a bit of beachcombing, hiking, camping, fishing,
sailing or sea kayaking. Deer, sea otters and whales may even come out
to say hello. Port Townsend also has two public golf courses, Discovery Bay Golf Club (18 holes) and Port Townsend Golf Course (9
holes), and both are open year-round.
A terrific food co-op and a very active farmers'
market make shopping fun (there no Wal-Mart in town).
The Port Townsend Public Library, a Carnegie library with plans to
expand its facilities, has free wifi, public access computers,
home book delivery, book clubs and more. Joining
one of nearly two dozen churches and synagogues is always a good
way to meet people. And a Port Townsend Christmas,
when the downtown is all aglow, is magical enough to make one
believe in Santa himself.
This is an interactive map.
Click on the arrows in the upper left hand
corner to move the map to the East, West, North or South, and
click on the +/- signs (more than once if necessary) to zoom
in and out.
It is true, too, that tourists have discovered Port Townsend, and crowds and
traffic swell in the summer. Since the town predates the automobile, walking is the encouraged mode of transportation. This is a remote area,
but it has a good public transit system of buses and ferries (people age 60+
ride the bus for $1), reaching points as far as Seattle, Victoria, British
Columbia and Whidbey Island. A door to door, dial-a-ride program
is also in place. Port Angeles, 30 miles to the west,
has a commuter airport, but the nearest international airport is in either
Bellingham (45 miles north east) or Seattle (45 miles south east).
It can take some time to reach either one.
Jefferson Healthcare Hospital has 42 beds and is a Level IV trauma
center. It is not accredited by the Joint Commission, but 72% of
patients would recommend it to a friend, which is above the national
average. It accepts Medicare but not Medicaid
patients. Whidbey General Hospital is just 10 miles away and
is a Level III trauma center. It is not accredited, either, but it
accepts both Medicare and Medicaid patients. For military retirees,
Seattle has a VA hospital.
The Olympic Area Agency on Aging has an office in Port
Townsend and offers legal advice clinics, help with filling out Veteran
Administration paperwork and other services. Noon congregate meals are
served at the recently re-opened Port Townsend Community Recreation Center.
While this is a cool region, with summer temperatures in the 60s and 70s and winter temperatures in the 30s and 40s, it is not as rainy as
might be expected.
Protected by the "rain shadow" of the Olympic Mountains, it receives on
average just 19 inches of rain per year. Still, winter days
are short, drizzly and often gray, although the sun peeks out occasionally (it
shines 152 days of the year). On the comfort index, a combination
of temperature and humidity, Port Townsend comes in well above the national
average. The air quality is also well above the national
average. The water quality meets the national average, but some
residents think it has a funny taste.
There are drawbacks to a Port Townsend retirement. The biggest may be
that the Port Townsend Paper mill is located on Glen Cove on the southern edge
of town and has been a local fixture since the late 1920s. It
emits white water vapor and sometimes an unpleasant odor (once called the
"smell of prosperity"). Recent battles have been fought over
whether emissions from the mill are harmful and adequately monitored. In
April, 2010, after the Environmental Protection Agency weighed in, the mill
was issued another three year operating permit. The bottom line is
that while tourism plays a big part in Port Townsend's economy, this is still
a mill town (Port Townsend Paper provides more than 300 well-paying
jobs). People sensitive to odors, which are less noticeable than they
were few years ago thanks to plant equipment upgrades, should consider living
toward the northern end of town. On top of that, Port Townsend's earthquake risk is 150% higher than the national average.
And yet, paper mill and all, the people continue to come, helping this
charming seaside village grow by 12% in just the last decade alone. The
residents here, whether long established or brand new, love their town, and most
agree that they have chosen a great spot in which to spend their retirement.
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