Category Archives: Museums

Cape Disappointment Lighthouse

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We continued exploring the Long Beach Peninsula with a visit to Cape Disappointment Lighthouse. To be fair, the ranger guy did say that it was a 1.2 mile hike each way and the terrain was steep in places and slippery with rain. Both of those facts proved to be true and it didn’t help that just as we reached the lighthouse, it began to rain in earnest.

This lighthouse was the first to be built in the Pacific Northwest. The ship that carried the original pieces of the lighthouse sank in view of where the lighthouse was eventually built in 1856!  The first time they built it the tower was too small to hold the lantern, so they disassembled it and rebuilt it. That process took two years.

There is a Coast Guard observation station in use next to the lighthouse and it was staffed with two men that got there in their truck by using the special Coast Guard road.

Despite the dampness, it really was a lovely hike with amazing views along the way. I believe that on the weekends in the summer it is possible to go into the lighthouse. The photo below is taken of the lighthouse from Waikiki Beach, which is another lovely spot in Cape Disappointment State Park. The last photo shows a view from the top of the trail by the lighthouse.

http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=115

http://www.parks.wa.gov/parks/?selectedpark=cape%20disappointment

 

Buffalo Soldiers Museum

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The Buffalo Soldiers Museum at 1940 S. Wilkeson, Tacoma was in the news today http://www.thenewstribune.com//2012/02/18/2031079/buffalo-soldier-gone-but-story.html?storylink=fb  My AAUW group was honored to have Jackie Jones-Hook, (one of our own!), tells us about the museum and the Buffalo Soldiers. Her father, William Jones, was a Buffalo Soldier and started the museum. Beginning next month, the museum will be open to the public and school groups by appointment. The buffalo head and buffalo skull are sure to be hits with the children!

Per wikipedia “the term Buffalo Soldiers became a generic term for all African-American soldiers” and indeed the museum covers a range of wars. We got to see most of a video about the soldiers, their bravery and the prejudice they experienced. Some of it was heart retching to see.

More information about the Buffalo Soldiers can be found here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Soldier

 

 

Franciscan Polar Plaza

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The Franciscan Polar Plaza at Tollesfon Plaza in Downtown Tacoma is pretty cool It is the joint effort of Franciscan Health Care, The City of Tacoma, the Tacoma Art Museum and many other contributors. Mostly what I noticed while there is just how much fun everyone was having! There were young couples, kids with their parents and adults acting like kids. Plenty of folks fell, but they got back up laughing (ok, the kids laughed a little more than the adults). A couple of the skaters were pretty good, but most were obviously new to this, Some got around the rink by hanging on to the railing!

http://www.polarplaza.org/

The airfield at Boeing in Everett

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On Friday we found ourselves in Everett with a little time on our hands. Not enough time to take the Boeing Tour, but enough to go check out the airfield near the Future of Flight Museum.  There were several wonderful things about the experience. The day was lovely, warm and sunny. Mt. Baker was hoovering in the background. There were a bunch (30+) planes on the field. But best of all, I think, was the fact that the Boeing Co. was thoughtful enough to create berms that provide a view of the field. There were a bunch of people out checking out the planes, and many of them appeared to be fathers and their children. This is the kind of thing that memories are made out of!

The really huge aircraft in the photo below is a Dreamlifter and it is used to move airplane parts. The back part of the plane is hinged and can swing open! I thought that was pretty cool! To read more about it, go here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_747_Large_Cargo_Freighter

Big Lemon

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Wednesday’s new place is the City of Fife’s bright yellow ALCO C-415 Engine, which is housed adjacent to the Fife History Museum in the Dacca Park.  The engine is one of 26 sold and 4 still remaining.  Apparently they were considered “lemons” because of a design flaw. To read more, go to:

http://www.cityoffife.org/?p=online_guide&a=visitors&b=things_to_do&c=fife_engine_and_caboose


Monorail & EMP

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Monorail & EMP by Gexydaf

On Tuesday we did another Seattle day and visited the EMP Museum, which has two main components, the EMP (Electronic Music Project and the SFM (Science Fiction Museum). The museum is located in the Seattle Center near the Space Needle. Because of time restraints, we only did justice to the SFM. I loved the Battlestar Galactica exhibit. It reminded me how much I had enjoyed the series, And the Avatar exhibit was pretty cool too!

http://www.empmuseum.org/index.asp

 

Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour

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The joys of out of town company include visiting places usually reserved for tourist. On Monday we went on Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour in Downtown Seattle. The 90 minute tour began in Doc Maynard’s Public House (608 First Ave, in Seattle’s Pioneer Square, between Cherry Street and Yesler Way.)   After opening remarks, the rather large group follows the excellent tour guide underground to explore the long deserted original sidewalks of the city.  For those that don’t know, Seattle’s downtown burnt down in 1889.  When it was rebuilt, the city founders determined that it should be elevated to help with the sewerage problem (the toilets were geysering during high tide) .  Some of the property owners could not wait for the slow process of the government’s installation of fill, then roads and sidewalks. The property owners went ahead and built their stone and brick building and when the infrastructure was later installed, the main floor of the buildings became the basements. They were later condemned. The tour took us through a three block area and was very interesting and engaging.

 


  

http://www.undergroundtour.com/

Dead End, No Turn Around

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Dead End, No Turn Around by Gexydaf

The Prairie House Museum at 812 E. 176th Street in Spanaway was today’s new place, so it saddened me that it wasn’t open. Their webpage said they are open on Wednesdays from 10 to 2 and every third Sunday of the month from 2 – 4. But the gate was locked, so I called them on the phone and a recording said they were usually open on Wednesdays from 10-2, but one should always call first. Good to know. I snapped a few photos through their really tall fence. The museum is a restored farmhouse from the 1890s, as well as some farm outbuildings and a log cabin.

celebratespanaway.com/PrairieHouse.htm

While turning around, we discovered this delightful sign!

  

Vintage Wheels at LeMay Family Collection

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There are over 500 vintage vehicles at the LeMay Family Collection at 325 152nd Street East, Tacoma, WA 98445. Our family signed up for the 1:00 tour and I figured it would be over by 2:00 so the next group could begin. But they must stagger tours because ours went until 3:30! The tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for students and kids under 5 are free. A tour guide takes the groups through, which is great because he was happy to talk about the cars, tell stories about how they came to be at LeMay and answer questions!.

Their literature says that they have the largest privately owned vehicle and memorabilia collection in the world. I believe it! Instead of writing more, I’m just going to post a bunch of photos 🙂

The LeMay website can be found here: http://www.lemaymuseum.org/

Thorp Mill

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Thorp Mill by Gexydaf
Thorp Mill, a photo by Gexydaf on Flickr.

On Sunday (I’m running a tad behind in my write ups!) we went to visit the Historic Thorp Mill in Thorp, WA, about 14 miles west of Ellensburg. I’ve always loved this historic mill but it is usually closed when I visit. This time, not only was it open, but there was a guide to take us through and explain everything. I wish I had gotten her name, because she was great! We learned that the mill was constructed in 1885. The farmers would bring their grain into the mill and the grain would go to the upper levels to be ground into various degrees of coarseness. Little scoops on a vertical conveyer belt took the grains up and gravity brought them back down. We also learned that the little town of Thorp was one of the first small towns to have electrical power because of the mill. Most importantly I was pleased that the two teens found it all so interesting!

Guided tours are available June through August. If you visit during the cooler months, there is a self guided tour around the building. There is no cost, but donations are gladly accepted.

http://www.thorp.org/