WAWeekend: The Old West ~ Fort Simcoe

Fort Simcoe in Central Washington State isn’t a place that you happen upon along the way to somewhere else.

It is an out-of-the-way place -- definitely a destination – surrounded by miles of undeveloped range land; so much so, that first-time visitors might wonder if they’d taken a wrong turn along the way.

Fort Simcoe – now a 200-acre day use heritage park on the Yakama Indian Nation Reservation – was established in 1856 at the foot of the Simcoe Mountains on a route that linked the Yakima Valley and the Yakama Tribe’s traditional fishing area on the Columbia River. 

As a child growing up in Yakima, it was always a ‘far away’ adventure to visit this outpost that seemed from another world and as an adult far too many years had slipped past without a return to this sprawling testament to history. So one fine summer’s day we went back in time . . .

 

Fort Simcoe was built on the site of the Indian’s campground, an area they called “Mool Mool” (‘bubbling water’) for the natural spring that existed in the area’s oak grove.

The purpose of this United States Army post was to keep peace between the settlers and the Yakamas, although the Fort’s history includes the hanging of two Yakamas from a beam set in an oak tree because they had been implicated in the killing of an Indian agent. (Source: historylink.org)

The original Commander’s house, as well as the houses of three captains (which were built at the upper end of the parade ground )and one blockhouse still stand; other buildings have been reconstructed. Several of the homes serve as interpretive areas and have been furnished as they might have been when lived in.

The supplies for the Fort were brought in by pack trains from the Columbia and Yakima Rivers because the transportation route, Satus Pass, (now a major cross-state route) hadn’t been completed.

The Blockhouse

Fort Simcoe, as such, lasted only three years. In 1859 the soldiers were dispatched elsewhere in the Territory (statehood didn’t arrive for another 30 years) – some to Colville and others to Walla Walla. The Fort became an Indian agency at that time.

It became a state park in 1956 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. 

The place, we found, hadn’t lost its magic. It is well worth a visit, so pack a picnic lunch, get a Discover Pass and take a trip back into Washington history!

IF YOU GO:

Fort Simcoe
5150 Fort Simcoe Road
White Swan, WA 98952
(509) 874-2372 Call for interpretive center hours of operation

Fort Simcoe is about 40 miles southwest of Yakima, seven miles from the small town of White Swan as noted in the map above.   The drive is through cultivated truck gardens, hop yards, orchards and open range land. (Yakima is about a two-hour drive from Seattle and a less-than 45 minute flight from SeaTac airport).

Driving Directions:

From Yakima: Take the Hwy. 97 exit off of I-82 (south bound), and drive to the first traffic light (Lateral A). Turn right onto Lateral A. Drive to the second stop sign, about 12 miles (Fort Rd.) Turn right on Fort Road. Drive about 15 miles to the city of White Swan. In White Swan, watch for road signs to Fort Simcoe. The park is seven miles west of White Swan.

Note: A Washington State Park’s  Discover Pass  is required – for information on how to obtain a Pass, visit that website by clicking the blue link.

More Information for History Buffs:

Visit HistoryLink.org for more information on Fort Simcoe history.

That autumn day in Dubrovnik. . .

“Those who seek paradise

        should come to Dubrovnik. . .”

said George Bernard Shaw, who is also credited with labeling this city as being “the pearl of the Adriatic”.

 

We would heartily agree with Shaw on both counts and we’ve just scratched the city’s surface! 

But, thanks to the wonders of cruising, we’ve visited this town ---on the other side of the world -- twice in the last decade; our most recent visit a day trip last fall. As with most day-trippers, on each visit we headed directly to the old Walled City:

And much like our first visit, we went straight to the stairway that led to the top of the wall (this time, however, there was a ticket booth and entry fee). The wall at 4 – 6 meters wide and 2 kilometer (1.24 mile) long envelops the old city in a continuing protective embrace that has lasted through the decades.

But the wall wasn’t enough to protect the old town from the destruction caused by a late 20th Century conflict -- a part of the seven-month siege that began in Oct. 1991 after Croatia and Slovenia  (once a part of Yugoslavia) – declared their independence.  One of the worst battles resulted in 19 deaths and 60 injuries.



More than 56% of the buildings were damaged during the conflict and there were some 650 artillery hits within the old walled city. On our first visit here the new roofs were  a striking contrast to the old; this last visit, thanks to weather and time, the new roofs had become less visible.

The views, the history and the beauty from atop  that old wall will forever be stored among our special travel memories:

Have you been to Dubrovnik? What is your special memory of this ‘pearl’?

That’s it for this week’s Travel Photo Thursday. Check out Budget Travelers Sandbox for more armchair travels. We appreciate the time you spend with us and hope to see you again. . .real soon!

WAWeekend: A Northwest Island Getaway

Ever dream about getting away to an island – just you, the sand and sea – perhaps a book, a glass of wine or both? It is one of our favorite travel daydreams. . .

The island would be the kind of place that was accessible only by boat, perhaps a small ferry, on a crossing that takes but a few minutes. . .

We found such a place earlier this year just a stone’s throw from Anacortes.  In fact we could see the island from our small balcony in this once-bustling fishing town to the north of Seattle.



Guemes, (guh-weems) is accessed by private boat or the Guemes Island Ferry (pictured above).

It is a small place with a very rural atmosphere, where ferry schedule changes and community events are posted on a chalk board near the ferry dock.

A place served by two small grocery stores. One in particular, Anderson’s General Store serves such good food in its tiny café that it is worth a trip to the island just to eat there:

There’s a single resort on the island, the Guemes Island Resort, –operating since 1947  -- that offers a selection of water-front cabins (still heated by fireplace) and other more modern accommodations.

Guemes Island Island Resort

Private homes line the island’s perimeter, but there are a couple of good sized parks and plenty of public beaches for strolling as well. 

If you are wondering about the island’s somewhat tongue-twister name. . .it was named after the Viceroy of New Spain, Juan Vicente de Guemes, who commissioned the expedition that discovered the island to Spain in 1791. . . or at least that is how Wikipedia says it got its name.



If You Go:

Anacortes and nearby Guemes Island are less than two hours drive north of Seattle.  Anacortes has many hotel/motels and retail stores.

Guemes Island Resort: www.guemesislandresort.com
Thanks so much for stopping by today. Happy Travels!  Stop in again next week - we'll leave the welcome mat out!

Milan’s Duomo – The Inside Story

Milan, Italy  - “What can you tell us?” asked friends who are planning a trip there next year. 

So many things come to mind – fashion and food among them – but what symbolizes this capital of the Lombardy region in Northern Italy for us is its Duomo (ˈdwōmō); Cathedral.


Each time we’ve visited the city with a 1.35 million population, we’ve been two tourist pilgrims, setting out on foot - just as religious pilgrims must have done before us - making our way to the imposing Gothic Italian structure eagerly seeking the first sight of its towering spires.

We entered Piazza del Duomo at the back of the Cathedral last fall, our mid-morning arrival before buses disgorged the masses of fellow tourists who fill the square, each angling for the best shot of the building that stands 148-feet (45 meters) tall and took six centuries to complete.

At this time of day there were no lines waiting to enter the Duomo dedicated to Santa Maria Nascente.

This seat of the Archbishop of Milan is crowned with 135 spires. On a previous visit we took the rooftop tour and walked among those intricately sculpted towers – it was amazing and we highly recommend it.



It isn’t until you go inside that you grasp just how enormous this place is and you understand why its construction took 600 years.

At 5’10” The Scout shrinks in size when compared to those massive pillars.



And how about that wall of organ pipes?

The stained glass windows which tower over visitors are works of art that tell through their illustrations the stories of the Virgin and Saints and, as such, were once considered  Biblia Pauperum, a pauper’s bible – easy to read and appealing.

The Duomo’s 3,400 statues and 700 figures are decorating elements typical of  all Gothic Cathedrals, used to send the message of Christian salvation (sometimes, rather violently depicted it seems, as illustrated in the photo above!)



And other times quite whimsical as we noted with this fellow – one of many such figures on the Duomo’s exterior.

That’s it for Travel Photo Thursday at Budget Travelers Sandbox and Travel Photo Discovery updated each Monday.

If You Go:

Duomo Milano
Piazza el Duomo, Milano
www.duomomilano.it

As always, thanks for the time you spent with us today. Happy Travels!

Tuesday Travel: Air, Land, Sea and Rail

So, where are you going next? we are often asked; the polite but somewhat pointed inquiry by those who think we are ‘never home’.

“And what is there?” is the question that follows the first.

We’ve learned that sometimes travel isn’t about the ‘there’; sometimes it is the experiences you have in getting ‘there’.  (Remember Gertrude Stein’s famous quote, “There’s no there, there”?)

TravelnWrite was recently invited to join in on one of the blogosphere’s many competitions--- one that by virtue of it’s theme caught our fancy because it isn’t about ‘there’ – it is about getting there via air, land, sea, and rail.

Air – a heavenly view

As much as The Scribe hates flying, The Scout has convinced me that once we are up in the air, I might as well enjoy the view.  Our recent trip to Las Vegas convinced me again that his advice was wise.

From where else would I get this view of Washington State’s Mount St. Helens, the volcano that erupted in 1980 blanketing a good portion of the state (including Yakima, where we lived at the time) in ash?

Or of the amazing contrasting geography of the Western United States – as evidenced here with irrigated crop circles dotting the dry, barren desert lands that surround Las Vegas?

Rail – The Train in Spain

We love European train travel and perhaps the train travel  Spain was among our favorites.



Osuna, Spain’s train station that had served passengers in this small agricultural city was such a contrast to the modern train that slid to a rest on the tracks in front of it; a train that would whisk us at high speeds to Malaga, on Spain’s Gold Coast.






Sea – Sailing the Wine Colored Seas

There is nothing like a sunset from the deck of a cruise ship. . .unless it is sunrise. Both times of day are simply magical.

Road – Where the Winds Blow Us

Our road trips both here and abroad are – for as much as possible – unstructured travel times. We set out in a direction – no schedule, no reservations, and a willingness to follow our whims – going ‘where the winds blow us’.

And sometimes the highways themselves become the most unexpected places. . .like this ‘highway’ in Greece’s Peloponnese!

So what is your favorite way to travel? Tell us in the comment section below or send an email!

This is our entry into the contest, Travel Your Way, being sponsored by RhinoCarHire. (click that link if you’d like to enter the contest yourself!) And to get the ball rolling I am tapping five other travel bloggers to participate in the competition:

Noel Morata – Travel Photo Discovery
Marcia Mayne – Inside Journeys
Cathy Sweeney – Traveling With Sweeney
Leigh McAdam – Hike, Bike, Travel
Dick Jordan – Tales Told From the Road

You'll also see this post on Time Travel Plans Wanderlust Wednedays.

WAWeekend: On the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

If you are a reader, you probably recognize the title of this post as part of the title of  Jamie Ford’s New York Times best-selling historical novel, Hotel On the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.

His story of love and friendship during a dark time in our country’s history is set in Seattle. It was during World War II, when President Roosevelt issued an Executive Order sending Japanese-American citizens (many born here) to internment camps for the duration of the war.




Like elsewhere in the country, it uprooted families in the Seattle/Puget Sound area. Many families  stashed their bags in the basement of the Panama Hotel, before leaving for the camps.  (Some of those belongings were never reclaimed. They can be seen through a section of glass flooring in the present-day Tea House.)

A few weeks ago while researching another article I am writing, I made my first I visit to The Panama Hotel, located in Seattle’s Chinatown/International District – the same hotel as featured in Ford’s book. 

So taken with its ambiance and history, was I, that I’ve since returned to its Tea and Coffee house with another  friend.

Panama Hotel Lobby

Both visits have prompted me to not only read the novel but to also learn a bit more about what was once  Seattle’s Nihonmachi, or Japantown, that grew up in this southeastern corner of Seattle.

Main Street, on which the hotel is located, was once the main spine and economic hub of Nihonmachi, an area which reportedly stretched for many blocks.

History is everywhere in the hotel and tea room pictured here

The walls of the hotel and its Tea/Coffee House are lined with photos of this once-bustling part of town along with hand-drawn maps reconstructing the former area. Names are added by those who still remember.

The vibrancy of that long ago Japantown was described by HistoricSeattle.org:

“This neighborhood became a diverse tapestry of homes, churches, grocery stores, theaters, language schools, hotels, restaurants, bathhouses, and other businesses interweaving with the edges of other Seattle communities nearby.

Seattle's Japanese American population reached its peak in the early 1930s with a population of roughly 8500, but it didn't last.”

Hing Hay Park - Chinatown/International District Seattle

While the pulse of the entire International District seems to be getting stronger in recent years, the renovation of the Panama Hotel -- designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006 -- is contributing to the life of the area. 

My friends and I were among a  steady stream of customers – hotel guests and those, like us, who had come for the refreshments – at the hotel. 

Teas galore are available as well as Italian roasted coffee drinks

We had hoped to see the hotel’s basement where there remains one of the few intact Japanese bathhouses, (Sento) on the West Coast.  We didn’t, though, as we’d missed the regularly scheduled tour, led by the hotel owner  . . .Next time!

If  I’ve encouraged you to visit, keep in mind they have a regular Happy Hour in the Tea/Coffee room. This August and September (2013) at 2 p.m. on Saturdays there’s Panama Hotel Jazz, featuring music inspired by the novel and Oscar Holden, ‘the patriarch of Seattle Jazz’.  Admission is free.


If You Go:

Panama Hotel, 605 1/2 Main St.  is European style with shared bathrooms; published rates are $90 single, $125 double. (TripAdvisor reviews swing wildly on this hotel, and make for entertaining reading). Phone: (206) 223-9242      Fax: (206) 624-4957  E-mail: reservations@panamahotelseattle.com, web: www.panamahotelseattle.com

Panama Tea and Coffee House, adjacent to the hotel lobby, at 607 Main St., Phone: (206) 515-4000
Call for tour dates, times, and prices.

The links above take you to the Amazon.com site to read more about the book.