Quote of the Month:
“Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own." - Charles Dickens
Population: 30,076
Area: 2,183 square miles
County Seat: Port Townsend
OVERVIEW
Jefferson County is located on the Olympic Peninsula in the northwestern part of Washington State. The county is located between Clallam, Mason, Kitsap, Grays Harbor counties and the Admiralty Inlet. Jefferson County was named in honor of President Thomas Jefferson. The population of the county is around 30,000 people. The county seat is Port Townsend. Jefferson County is connected to Kitsap County by the Hood Canal Bridge. The Washington State Ferries take visitors from the Keystone-Port Townsend to Whidbey Island.
HISTORY
First white people came here in 1775; later Captain George Vancouver led the exploration of the inland waters of the Strait of Juan De Fuca and Puget Sound. After the exploration of this land, first settlements began to grow here. It should be said that early settlers came here not only by land, but also by sea. Farming, logging, canneries, sawmills and shipbuilding became main industries in the economy of the region.
Jefferson County was created out of Thurston County in 1852.
COUNTY SEAT
Port Townsend is the county seat of Jefferson County and the only incorporated city in it. The city was founded in 1851 and is located about 40 miles northwest from the city of Seattle. The population of the city is about 10,000.
Port Townsend is known not only for its’ beautiful nature and scenery, but also for its’ history. There are many Victorian buildings from the 19-th century that still can be found here. The city holds numerous cultural events and offers great and different opportunities for recreation.
ATTRACTIONS
Olympic National Park
The Olympic Peninsula is the land of diversity. On the west it borders with the Pacific Ocean, on the east with the Hood canal and on the north with the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and at the same time it is home for majestic Olympic Mountains.
The main attraction on the peninsula is the Olympic National Park, but there are so many other destinations and places to visit around the area.
The Olympic National Park is a great place to visit with its sunny beaches, green rain forests, snow-capped mountains and a great variety of flora and fauna. The main characteristic of the park is wilderness, though many roads and trails will provide access to the most visited places.
The must see of the Olympic National Park is Hurricane Ridge. It is an easy trip that will take visitors to 5, 200 feet elevation. Numerous trails open great views on spectacular Olympic Mountains and their white glaciers, breathtaking view on the Strait of Juan de Fuca and stunning alpine meadows. Some of these trails are very easy and others are very difficult, but all of them give the opportunity to feel the real beauty of this region.
The Hoh Rainforest
The Olympic Peninsula is home for gorgeous rainforests. Bigger part of the forests is situated in the western part of the region. Usually Pacific Ocean air brings a lot of rainfall to this part of the peninsula that result in the great conditions for temperate rain forests.
The Hoh Rainforest is one of the largest temperate rainforests in the U.S. which stretches from the mountains to the shore. The park was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938. After visiting this area, the president was so impressed with the beauty of nature of the old trees and the magnificent wildlife within the forest that he decided to declare this area a national park.
The Hoh Rainforest is located beside the Hoh River, which was formed by glaciers many years ago. The Hoh Rainforest as every rainforest receives quite a lot of rain each year. Rainfall accumulates in the region between 140 to 170 inches per year.
What is special about the Hoh rainforest is that trees there may be more than 1000 years old, and every tree is covered with its own plant life. This fact makes it an individual small microcosm. The most predominant species of the Hoh Rainforest are: Sitka Spruce, Coast Douglas-fir, Western Redcedar, Vine Maple, Red Alder and Black Cottonwood. As for the species of the fauna, the most dominant are: Olympic Black Bears, Raccoons, Northern Spotted Owls, Cougars, Bobcats and Black-tailed Deer.
Ruby Beach
Ruby Beach is located in Jefferson County about 27 miles from the town of Forks. It should be said that the beach got its’ name thanks to the pink sand, which got its color from the small particles of garnet it is made of. Ruby Beach is also famous for a great amount of driftwood and a great number of sea stacks.
Information: Marina Petrova
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