My husband and I are in the process of designing a home. We want a bungalow style, and spent a month walking and driving around the neighborhood where I grew up, studying the beautiful architectural details of those old homes. Certainly some of them were no great gems, but the majority had distinct, appealing characteristics rarely seen now-a-days. These embellishments give a home its architectural personality and have been lost over the years. They are expensive, take a specialized craftsmanship to design and fabricate, and do not necessarily add practical functionality. But they do add a huge aesthetic value to a home. Unfortunately when homeowners weigh the myriad factors in their new home’s design, oftentimes, these elements are priced out.
That’s why it’s so important to preserve the old buildings that we have. Though only one square mile in size, Friday Harbor boasts nearly 150 historic buildings reflecting the community’s civic, commercial and residential history. In 2008, it was selected as a Distinctive Destination by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Being one of Washington’s few seaport villages to survive the turn-of-the-century fires that engulfed early Seattle and other cities, its authentic downtown streetscape and postage-size Memorial Park are the gateway to discovering the rich history, rural character and pristine marine environment of the San Juan archipelago.
Looking at old black and white photos of the town leaves the impression that all the buildings were drab and lifeless, though I doubt that is true.
Beautiful Historic Home Now Houses a Cafe
Harrison House Suites, Tucker House Inn, and Coho Restaurant, just a block and a half off the main street, are all century-old historic wooden buildings, lovingly restored and surrounded with beautiful gardens. They look so pretty with the multiple trim colors and the vivid ornamentation of the gardens, I can’t help but wonder if they ever looked this good even when they were new.
This month, in honor of National Preservation Month, there will be plenty of activities to highlight the town’s history. Five museums – American Legion’s War & History museum, the Museum of Flight (near Ernie’s Café at the Port’s aviation site), the Whale Museum, the San Juan Historical Museum, and the Islands Museum of Art – are collaborating on special events for visitors, and free guided walking tours are available throughout the month. For more information, contact Sandy Strehlou, sstrehlou@fridayharbor.org, or call (360) 378-2810. You can also check out www.historicfridayharbor.org
