History
26 results total, viewing 1 - 20
The Key Peninsula Historical Society was awarded a $35,000 Pierce County Historic Preservation grant Jan. 31 after being ranked No. 1 on the county project list for its ongoing restoration of the … more
The site of YMCA Camp Seymour and of the Olde Glencove Hotel, the sheltered bay has a long history. more
Historian Michael Kenneth Hemp moved to Wauna from Monterey, California, in 2017 to follow the trail of Ed Ricketts. more
The first bridge over Henderson Bay between Purdy and the Wauna sandspit was built in 1892. Seemingly star-crossed almost from the outset, the structure required frequent repairs and had to be … more
Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz visited Lakebay Marina June 4 in part to celebrate the partnership to save the iconic facility and to see for herself what the Department of … more
It was 1919, and the age of the automobile was in full swing. The nation’s rural roads and bridges, until then built for and used primarily by farmers, were … more
The sleek arc of the Purdy Bridge rises in a graceful sweep over the narrow channel between Henderson Bay and Burley Lagoon. An iconic part of the landscape since it was built in 1936, the concrete … more
If you live on or drive by Tiedman Road, you may have noticed that the spelling on the road signs was recently changed to Tiedeman. Pierce County updated the signs the week of April 18 to reflect the … more
Key Center can be a busy place, and unless one is an old-timer or paying close attention it’s easy to miss the blue house on the west side of the road, on a slope between Sunnycrest Nursery and … more
The Key Peninsula once worked hard every December to deck the halls of America with boughs of holly. For a brief decade in the 1930s, one of the most promising crops in the South Puget Sound area was holly. more
Who among us has not been awestruck by the mystery and majesty of the mountain that seems to disappear and reappear at her discretion? That mountain, called Mount Rainier since 1792, when Captain … more
A new historical plaque in honor of the Native People of Filucy Bay was unveiled at the Longbranch Marina in a dedication ceremony May 26. Well-known archeologist and anthropologist Lynn Larson, a … more
Although cedar shaped one of the world’s great cultures, the mighty and straight-grained Western red cedar that can live hundreds of years, is rarely, if ever, seen on the Key Peninsula in the size that it can reach. more
The summer of 1895 was a busy and exciting time for Edmund G. Edrington of Vaughn. All the parts of an idea he had been working on for a couple of years seemed to be coming together; it was time to form a company, raise the capital and make it happen. more
When George Vancouver explored Washington’s inland waterways in May of 1792, he quickly came under the spell of “the serenity of the climate, the innumerable pleasing landscapes, and the … more
The year 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th amendment, a change to the Constitution of the United States recognizing and proclaiming the right to vote for women. It is … more
McMicken Island, a few hundred feet from Harstine Island to the west of the Key Peninsula, is a favorite destination for area boaters and kayakers. One of about 40 marine state parks in Washington, … more
In the 1880 census Charles Pack, the first settler on Herron Island, was recorded as living on Ketron Island. Ketron is a small island on the opposite side of the Sound, across from Steilacoom. … more
The community of Northwest archivists, historians, genealogists and writers as well as many ordinary citizens were shocked at … more
Fifty years ago, in the early morning hours of Feb. 4, 1970, a fire of unprecedented proportions burned through several businesses in Key Center, leaving only ashes and charred rubble in its wake. more
1 | 2 Next »
Currently viewing stories posted within the past 1826 days.
For all older stories, please use our advanced search.

UNDERWRITTEN BY NEWSMATCH/MIAMI FOUNDATION, THE ANGEL GUILD, ROTARY CLUB OF GIG HARBOR, ADVERTISERS, DONORS AND PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT LOCAL, INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT NEWS