An outdated merchant information sign at the corner of Taylor and Water streets in downtown Port Townsend includes a plaque for retailer Sport Townsend, which has been closed since early 2017. (Nicholas Johnson/Peninsula Daily News)

An outdated merchant information sign at the corner of Taylor and Water streets in downtown Port Townsend includes a plaque for retailer Sport Townsend, which has been closed since early 2017. (Nicholas Johnson/Peninsula Daily News)

Council OKs signs highlighting Port Townsend history

New displays will replace city’s outdated business directories

PORT TOWNSEND — Hoping to explore businesses in downtown Port Townsend, Warren and Virginia Ballard of Georgia stared at an informational sign Thursday at the corner of Water and Taylor streets.

Within seconds, the couple turned away and pulled out a smartphone.

“I have seen people stand in front of those signs and say, ‘Well, where is that store? I haven’t seen that store,’” City Council member Pam Adams said.

Warren Ballard, left, and Virginia Ballard of Georgia resort to a smart phone for directions to a downtown Port Townsend business after consulting an outdated merchant information sign Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, at the corner of Water and Taylor streets. (Nicholas Johnson/Peninsula Daily News)

Warren Ballard, left, and Virginia Ballard of Georgia resort to a smart phone for directions to a downtown Port Townsend business after consulting an outdated merchant information sign Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, at the corner of Water and Taylor streets. (Nicholas Johnson/Peninsula Daily News)

The merchant information signs — 10 downtown, two uptown and two at the Haller Fountain stairs, each with a map and space for eight removable metal business placards — were installed in August 2014 but have not been updated since 2015.

“They never really took off,” said City Council member Monica MickHager. “Some of them have been empty the entire time. And I think most people get their directions now from their devices.”

During a special meeting Monday, the City Council unanimously signed off on a plan to retire the signs and replace them with vignettes highlighting the history of the Victorian-era seaport city.

A photo show draft versions of new historical signs that would replace existing merchant information signs in downtown and uptown Port Townsend, including one about the old Union Wharf and another about destructive fires in the city’s history.

A photo show draft versions of new historical signs that would replace existing merchant information signs in downtown and uptown Port Townsend, including one about the old Union Wharf and another about destructive fires in the city’s history.

“There’s a lot of cool history here in town, and we want to make it accessible to both locals and tourists,” said Nathan Barnett, a Port Townsend Main Street board member and director of Olympic Peninsula Steam, both of which have teamed up with the Jefferson County Historical Society to develop vinyl decals featuring historic images and brief written descriptions of historical people, places and events.

“Not only do they have a lot of great images and some fantastic artifacts … they also have great oral history that [Historical Society Director] Shelly Leavens is especially passionate about making visible to our community,” he said.

An accompanying website is under development, which will be linked on each new sign by way of a smartphone-readable QR code.

The new signs — which will include themes such as fires, the old Union Wharf, maritime history, colorful characters, the city’s early days, and back alleys and side streets — are expected to cost less than $200 each to produce and be installed in March or April next year.

“We’re producing the best content we can; we’re not doing this the fastest we can,” Barnett said. “This is nobody’s day job.”

Julie Betts of Santa Rosa, Calif., studies one of 10 outdated downtown merchant information signs Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, at the corner of Water and Taylor streets in Port Townsend. (Nicholas Johnson/Peninsula Daily News)

Julie Betts of Santa Rosa, Calif., studies one of 10 outdated downtown merchant information signs Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, at the corner of Water and Taylor streets in Port Townsend. (Nicholas Johnson/Peninsula Daily News)

In June 2019, the city, the Historical Society and Main Street signed a letter agreeing to collaborate on repurposing the neglected wayfinding signs. The city also budgeted $3,200 from its general fund to pay for the project.

On Monday, Barnett told the City Council that Olympic Peninsula Steam would be happy to pick up the cost.

“We’re passionate about getting it done, and I don’t want to take money out of the city’s coffers at this time,” Barnett said, later clarifying that costs will be split between Olympic Peninsula Steam and Main Street.

The city’s Historic Preservation Committee gave the project its blessing Sept. 1.

“It was unanimous how happy we all were that something else is going to be used,” said MickHager, the City Council’s liaison to the committee.

City Council member Amy Howard, a former Main Street board member, said the outdated merchant signs have been a concern for the downtown nonprofit for years.

A photo show draft versions of new historical signs that would replace existing merchant information signs in downtown and uptown Port Townsend, including one about the old Union Wharf and another about destructive fires in the city’s history.

A photo show draft versions of new historical signs that would replace existing merchant information signs in downtown and uptown Port Townsend, including one about the old Union Wharf and another about destructive fires in the city’s history.

“This is an elegant solution for an annoying problem, and I’m glad that it is being done so cheaply,” she said. “Keeping signs updated with changing business information is also not cost-effective.”

Though the project had been in the works well before the coronavirus pandemic, Barnett said it will do well to promote the city’s history during a time when many are still nervous about visiting indoor museums.

“It’s a really cool thing that groups of children and visitors can do socially distanced outdoors,” he said. “It’s kind of a perfect lecture series.”

________

Jefferson County senior reporter Nicholas Johnson can be reached by phone at 360-417-3509 or by email at njohnson@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Laken Folsom, a Winter Ice Village employee, tries to remove leaves that blew in from this week’s wind storm before they freeze into the surface of the rink on Thursday. The Winter Ice Village, operated by the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce in the 100 block of West Front Street, opens today and runs through Jan. 5. Hours are from noon to 9 p.m. daily. New this year is camera showing the current ice village conditions at www.skatecam.org. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Ice village opens in Port Angeles

Laken Folsom, a Winter Ice Village employee, tries to remove leaves that… Continue reading

Fort PDA receiver protecting assets

Principal: New revenue streams needed

Ella Biss, 4, sits next to her adoptive mother, Alexis Biss, as they wait in Clallam County Family Court on Thursday for the commencement of the ceremony that will formalize the adoption of Ella and her 9-year-old brother John. (Emma Maple/Peninsula Daily News)
Adoption ceremony highlights need for Peninsula foster families

State department says there’s a lack of foster homes for older children, babies

Legislature to decide fate of miscalculation

Peninsula College may have to repay $339K

The Sequim Valley Lions Club donated $5,000 the Sequim Unit of the Boys Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula.
Mary Budke, on left, and Norma Turner, on right, received the donation on behalf of the Boys Girls Clubs.
Lions donation

The Sequim Valley Lions Club donated $5,000 the Sequim Unit of the… Continue reading

Jae McGinley
Jae McGinley selected for fellowship, scholarship

Jae McGinley has been selected for the Next Generation… Continue reading

A street sweeper on I Street in Port Angeles cleans up the street along the curbs of all the debris that blew down during Tuesday evening’s storm. Thousands were without power at the peak of the storm. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Storm causes power outages, road closures

Smaller weather system may hit Friday

Port Angeles funds lodging tax requests

Sixteen applications to undergo review

Port Townsend’s Water Street sewer project gets funds

City council authorizes contracts; construction to start in January

Port of Port Angeles commissioners approve 2025 budget

Board OKs project that would treat seawater to make it less acidic

Two injured after truck collides with tree

Two people were injured when the truck in which… Continue reading

Power out for thousands in Clallam County

More than 11,000 electric meters were without power in… Continue reading