ZIP Code 98368

Port Townsend is a city on the Quimper Peninsula in Jefferson County, Washington, United States. It is the county seat and only incorporated city of Jefferson County. The city is known for the many Victorian buildings remaining from its late 19th-century heyday. The Port Townsend Historic District is a U.S. National Historic Landmark District. The bay is now home to Naval Magazine Indian Island, the US Navy's primary munitions-handling dock on the Pacific coast. The town has two independent movie theaters, both upgraded to handle digital film by 2014. The population was 10,148 at the 2020 United States Census, and it is significantly drier than the surrounding region due to being in the rainshadow of the Olympic Mountains, receiving only 19 inches or 480 millimeters of rain per year. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, and was designated a National historic landmark district in 1977. It has numerous annual cultural events, including a Wooden Boat Festival, writers' conference, playwrighting festival, and blues and jazz festivals, in addition to music, dance, and live theater performances. It also has an annual international film festival in September, which is held at Fort Worden, now a state park, in the town's eastern section. The area is known as the "City of Dreams" because of the early speculation that the city would be the largest harbor on the west coast of the United States, Guarding the gate of Puget Sound, it would become known by its other nickname.

History

Port Townsend is called the "City of Dreams" because of the early speculation that the city would be the largest harbor on the west coast of the United States. Since 1999, the city has had an annual international film festival in September. Many of the buildings were built on the speculation that Port Townsend would become a booming shipping port and major city. The town has two independent movie theaters, both upgraded by 2014 to handle digital film. Since the 1970s new residents, including many retirees, have moved to town. With the other Puget Sound growing in size, Port Townsend saw a rapid decline in population when the Northern Pacific failed to connect the city to the eastern Puget city of Tacoma. By the late 1890s, the the town shrank and investors looked elsewhere to make a good return. (The Milwaukee Road built a short spur, and the US Navy's main port is on the U.S. side of the town) Since the late 19th century, the well-known seaport, very active and banking on the future was called "Port Townshend" It was immediately recognized as a good safe harbor, although strong south winds and poor holding often make small-craft anchorage problematic off the town's waterfront. The official European-American settlement of the city of the same name took place on April 24, 1851. It is now known by its other nickname, the "Key City," a title that remains to this day. Since 1997, the town of Seattle has been known as "Seattle" and the city is known as the "city" of Seattle.

Architecture

Port Townsend is noted for its Victorian houses and significant historical buildings. The city has more than a dozen large, well-preserved buildings, including the Port Townsend Public Library. The Jefferson County Courthouse is in a Romanesque architectural style, as popularized by Henry Hobson Richardson. The Bell Tower on the bluff above downtown is one of two known towers of this type in the United States. It was used from 1890 to the 1940s to call volunteer firefighters. The second bell tower is located in Helena, Montana, and was also used for fire alarms during the late 19th century. The Downtown waterfront and parts of Uptown were designated a Registered Historic District in 1976. Later, Fort Worden and the City of Port Townsend were designated National Historic Landmarks. The Olympic Youth Hostel, which closed in 2011, is located on the city's waterfront. It is now commonly known as the City's post office. The Rose Theatre, which now houses Silverwater Cafe, was once the Elks Lodge, which is now the Silverwater cafe. The Federal Building, which was built in 1913, was the site of the first public library in the U.S. in Port Townsend. It has since been adapted for other uses, including as a hotel. The Port Townsend Post Office, which opened in 1934, is still in use today. The City's Public Library, which dates back to 1913, is a 1913 Carnegie Library, and is a well-known tourist attraction.

Culture

Port Townsend is home to several annual events such as the Port Townsend Wooden Boat festival, Kinetic Skulpture Race, and the Rhododendron Festival. Boating and maritime life are central elements in this port town, with regattas, weekly races, and a multitude of recreational opportunities. The marine trades industry is an anchor economic driver for the community, with highly skilled, world-renowned tradespeople. In late October and November 1981, Fort Worden was the central filming location for the 1982 movie An Officer And A Gentleman starring Richard Gere. Port Townsend has two dance schools for children and adults. The city is also home to Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra. The Rose Theatre downtown shows contemporary American and foreign films. The Uptown Theater shows family-oriented films. Key City Public Theatre is the local playhouse presenting many award-winning productions and Shakespeare in the Park in the summer. The Northwest Maritime Center is located in on the waterfront, and features a wooden boat shop. The Port Townsend Marine Science Center has facilities on a pier on theFort Worden State Park beach. Starting August 24, 2019, FortWorden will also host a new music festival called "Thing", created by Adam Zacks.The Port Townsend Aero Museum is located at the local airport. Centrum is a culture and arts organization that hosts concerts, festivals, and workshops. These include "Fiddle Tunes", blues, jazz, voice, chamber music, and more. Copper Canyon Press, the poetry press, is located here.

Geography

Port Townsend is located at 48°659N 122°4631W (48.116514, -122.775254), on the Quimper Peninsula which extends out of the extreme northeastern end of the Olympic Peninsula. The city and its surroundings are well-treed, with large Douglas fir dominant over many other tree species in the remaining wooded areas. Port Townsend has a moderate Mediterranean climate with damp, chilly (though not severe) winters and warm, dry summers. It lies in the Olympic rain shadow and receives an average of only 19.04 inches (483.6 mm) annual precipitation. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.46 square miles (24.50 km²), of which 6.98square miles (18.08 km²) are land and 2.48 square miles [6.42 km²], or 26.22% are water. The town is located on the north end of a large, semi-protected bay, adjacent to the Admiralty Inlet and a trio of state parks built on retired artillery installations (Fort Worden, Fort Casey, and Fort Flagler) The city is located in the Pacific Northwest and has a population of 2.2 million (2.3 million in 2010). It is the only city in the state of Washington to have a population over 100,000 (1.4 million in 2000). The city has an average annual rainfall of 19.4 inches (481.6mm).

Economy

The largest private employer is the Port Townsend Paper Mill. The largest employer overall (private and public) is Jefferson Healthcare, which operates Jefferson Healthcare Hospital. Major industries include maritime trades, manufacturing, tourism, and timber. The city's unemployment rate is 3.7 percent. The unemployment rate for the state is 2.9%. The unemployment rates for the city are 1.9 percent.

Education

Public education in the city is administered by Port Townsend School District. Private schools include Olympic Range Carden Academy, and Swan School. Adult education opportunities are available at Fort Worden through Goddard College, Peninsula College, Centrum Foundation, and the Port Townsend school of Woodworking. The city is home to the U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet, which has been based in Port Townsend since the mid-19th century. It is also the home of the Naval Air Weapons School, which was founded in the early 1900s. The Port Townsend Airport is located on the city's north shore. It was the first airport in the United States, and is the only one in the state of Washington. The airport was the site of World War II and the Battle of the Bulge, which took place in the late 1800s and early 1800s. It has been home to a number of military bases, including Fort Wordens, Fort Townsend, and Port Townsend Air Force Base, which is located in the middle of the city. It also has its own airport, which opened in the 1950s and has been there ever since. Port Townsend has a population of about 2,000. The town is home of several colleges, including Peninsula College and the University of Washington, which offers a variety of programs. The U.N. has a consulate in PortTownsend, which provides support for the city and its surrounding area. The port is also home to several museums, including the National Museum of American History and the Museum of Natural History.

Transportation

State Route 20 runs southwest from Port Townsend 13 miles (21 km) to U.S. Route 101 at Discovery Bay. Electric vehicle charging stations are located at the Food Coop (414 Kearney Street), the Northwest Maritime Center (431 Water Street) and at Safeway (442 W Sims Way) Port Angeles is 47 miles (76 km) west of Port Townsend by highway, and Bremerton is 48 miles (77km) to the south. In addition to road links, the city is accessible via the Washington State Ferries system, which has a route from PortTownsend to Coupeville on Whidbey Island. The city is located on the eastern edge of the Puget Sound region of Washington state, which is home to the Olympic Peninsula and the Alaskan Shield. The Olympic Peninsula is the largest body of water in the state, covering an area of more than 7,000 square miles (18,000 km) with a population of 1,800,000. The Seattle metropolitan area is the second-largest in the United States, after Los Angeles, with 1,900,000 people (1,200,000 in 2010). The city's population is also the highest in the Pacific Northwest, with more than 2,000,000 residents (2,200 in 2010) and 1,300,000 (2010) people (2011) in Washington state. The U.N. World Heritage Site is located in the city, which was declared a world heritage site in 1998.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 9,113 people, 4,544 households, and 2,322 families residing in the city. There were 5,193 housing units at an average density of 744.0 per square mile (287.3/km²) The racial makeup of the city was 92.4% White, 0.5% African American, 1.1% Native American,1.7% Asian and 0.3% Pacific Islander. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.30% of the population. The median household income was $34,536, and the median family incomes was $47,027. 205 of these households were on the waiting list of the Housing Choice Voucher Program as of 2003. The average household size was 1.98 and the average family size was 2.60. The age distribution was 19.6% under the age of 18, 5.5%, 21.8% from 18 to 24, 32.3%. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there are 85.5 males. The per capita income for the city is $22,395. About 8.9% of families and 14.0% of those age 18 and over were below the poverty line, including 19.0 % of those under 18 and 10.2% ofThose age 65 or over. The city is located on the U.S.-Mexico border. It is located near the border with Mexico.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Port Townsend, Jefferson County, Washington = 97. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 53. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 99. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Port Townsend = 2.6 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 28,120 individuals with a median age of 48.4 age the population grows by 12.19% in Port Townsend, Jefferson County, Washington population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 1,416.16 residents per square mile of area (546.75/km²). There are average 2.05 people per household in the 4,391 households with an average household income of $42,715 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 7.60% of the available work force and has dropped -4.92% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 22.56%. The number of physicians in Port Townsend per 100,000 population = 174.4.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Port Townsend = 19.2 inches and the annual snowfall = 4.1 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 146. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 156. 72 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 36.3 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 79, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Port Townsend, Jefferson County, Washington which are owned by the occupant = 60.44%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 31 years with median home cost = $259,480 and home appreciation of -6.69%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $9.91 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,601 per student. There are 21 students for each teacher in the school, 599 students for each Librarian and 354 students for each Counselor. 8.47% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 20.22% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 12.24% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).