Port Angeles must become famous for something. The following proposal can be that ‘SOMETHING”. It must be attractive to people on a year round basis. The southern terminal for the COHO ferry just doesn't do it, although it helps. Numerous cities around the country have developed ideas into multi-million dollar assets. Let use name just a few:  

Hot Air Balloon Festival and Mt. Top Cable Car
Albuquerque, N.M.

Auto racing
Indianapolis, IN.
Daytona Beach, FL.

The Lawrence Welk Theater and Entertainment
Bronsen, MO.

Old Town and the State Railroad Museum
Sacramento, CA.

Danish Shops and Stores
Solvang, CA.

Also right in our own back yard is Leavenworth, WA. Not too many years ago they were about ready to roll up the side walks, now look at it.

Here are a few ideas that will attract people. Develop most of the site to a complete working Timber Town’. In addition to typical log houses and buildings of the era, include the normal equipment employed to make it function as a logging town.

The equipment would include, bat not limited to, log yard with a working steam donkey, saw mill, shingle mill, etc. Theses will eventually be steam operated. Individual shingles from the mill being offered for sale as souvenirs that are being stamped with the wording:



The main center of attraction would be in an auditorium type building where logging shows are presented to a sit down audience regardless of weather conditions. The format of this show would be patterned after a show I saw in New Zealand, several years ago.

It was held in what they called the “Agridome’ and featured trained farm animals. The show I propose would start in the home of logger with his family. Then proceed through some of his activities of the day. This will include operating various kinds of equipment to show the audience how trees are harvested and made into lumber or shingles during the 1900 era.

The closing part of the show would see a working logging locomotive come in and stop in front of everyone, and for the engineer to answer questions. He would also explain the workings of the locomotive and its use in the timber industry.

The seating would all be removable, so that tables and chairs can be placed for dinner parties. followed by one of our shows. Many other events could be held in this auditorium.

At this point I think it wise to recommend that all displays be placed under cover, either in a building or just a roof overhead. Call this preventative maintenance. Other building could house a machine shop, carpentry shop, plumbing shop, blacksmith shop, and saw shop.

At least one large building to house static displays of antique logging tools and other associated equipment. Then still another building to provide for restoration and repair of antique logging equipment, this last item should be one of the first constructed and it should have a visitor's gallery.

People want to see what is being done and how it is accomplished. These same people will be repeat customers to see these items in operation.

I have visited with a gentleman in the southern part of the state who has four warehouses full of museum quality antique equipment, including a logging locomotive and steam donkey. All of his equipment is in operating condition and he is interested in getting it located where it would be accessible to the general public.

This proposal might be a good location for his artifacts. We need to work on this possibility. All of this would be tied together with a steam powered standard gauge railroad train circulating around the entire area.

Passengers may get off or on at any regular stop, Again emphasizing the importance of having everything possible, working, People want to see action, see how things are made, and what it takes to do a certain job.

Fund raising endeavor in three parts:

1. Hydroponics' and Greenhouse farm
   
   
2. Restaurant and Gift shop
   
   
3. Wood Products Theme Park

First, during the time of planning and construction, a steam generating plant should receive a high priority. It should be centrally located for supplying heat to all buildings.

It should supply heat to certain equipment requiring steam for operation, and steam cleaning of parts and equipment. A series of commercial greenhouses and hydroponics units should be developed to produce fresh vegetables, using part of the steam plant output.

For example, here is always a big demand for good quality fresh tomatoes. The fresh vegetable demand is high during the winter months when the tourist season is low. This operation could be adjoining the above tourist attractions. This would supply year round employment and provide the necessary continued income.

Second part of this Fundraising endeavor of course would be a first class family style restaurant and gift shop combination. The gift shop would feature many items made of wood right on the premises for the tourist trade.

The restaurant would have two parts. One as a normal present day type and a second room decorated and fitted out as an early day loggers, cook shack, serving family style food dishes at one or two long tables. Make this as authentic as possible.

The restaurant and gift shop would be open year round, along with other appropriate facilities. They should both be near the front of the property, to accommodate local residents and drive by traffic.

Third part of the Fundraising endeavor will be a Wood Products Theme Park. This will be adjoining the other property, but still part of the overall complex. This theme park idea is to provide facilities for small manufacturers of wood products, a place to make, finish, and sell their items.

These facilities would be designed so that visitors can watch the items being made and prepared for sale. There are numerous people in this area who have small wood products businesses. Many of these items are popular tourist items.

Most of these people operate out of their home or garage. We could offer them a suitable building for rent. This would help them get their products before the public and provide us with income and an additional tourist attraction, this can develop into a substantial attraction, if properly managed and advertised. In fact I think there is a definite need for something like this.

Vocational training is becoming more and more important as the years go by. In fact I think we should add retraining to this. More people seem to be changing jobs than ever before, whether it is by choice or not.

This proposal is not something to get involved in until Olympic timber Town is up and running. However, it is not too early to be thinking about the possibilities.

With the vast experience of people working at the Park with a great variety of talent, it would be a shame not to provide an opportunity for item to pass on this knowledge to younger generations.

Here are just a few possible areas where training in the future might be provided:

• Gas, diesel, and steam engine overhaul and repair
  
• Blacksmith shop
  
• Carpentry shop
  
• Gas and electric welding
  
• Saw shop
  
• Landscaping and gardening

We could use the work provided and they will gain the experience. I am quite aware that these proposals are all very ambitious, however, they are feasible and would generate jobs and revenue, plus the building of a tourism business with a tickle down effect for many businesses on the North Olympic Peninsula.

These proposals and others I have in mind will help benefit many people and while the benefit will not be tomorrow believe it will be sooner than you may think.

I invite you to express your opinion of the contents of this letter and I will be happy to discuss in more detail with you any of this and new or additional ideas you may have. In the near future I expect to ask you to attend a ‘brain storming’ session, on this whole idea. In them meantime, be thinking about this overall proposal.