Welcome to Our Historic Fishing Village

Hello everyone,

I thought I would share this template link with you. If anyone wishes to be in the true Loyalty spirit this weekend, or has some young ones this might be just for you.

I found a template called “Free Fourth of July Flags” that you can open and print out (Adobe pdf file) and attach to a skewer (minus the sharp end). And walk around with your very own USA flag!

I most likely won’t be at the celebration, although as a veteran of the Navy and the Army National Guard, I do fully appreciate the sacrifice our fellow country men/women make on a daily basis. I will be seeing a fellow friend off as he prepares for another tour (this would be his 5th) in Iraq. Keep him, and all of our soldiers, sailors and marines in your prayers.

And fly your flag high!

Brandy Ferguson

Since we have been Innkeepers here at the beautiful Inn at Harbour Village we have heard several stories about ghosts being heard or seen!   Fortunately they are always friendly and amiable.

The West Coast Ghost Hunters investigated the Inn in 2005 and reported several “readings” with the name “Elizabeth” being repeatedly put into one investigators’s head.   The end result was that they felt the residual energies were peaceful and benign.

We met a man this week who said he witnessed a previous innkeeper looking shaken as she had just seen a “sea captain” dressed in full yellow slicks, but he had walked away across the snow without leaving any footprints!

If you know of any ghostly experiences based around the Inn we would love to hear them.

Asta la vista

Hi everybody!

My name is Peter Bale, and my beautiful wife, Janis, and I have been given the honor of being the new Innkeepers of the Inn at Harbour Village.

We feel blessed to be custodians of one of the most gorgeous buildings for many a mile.

If you haven’t seen this wonderful old Presbyterian chapel yet then come and visit us.   We’ll be delighted to show you around.   You will soon see why this is becoming, not just a great place to stay, but also a premier venue for weddings, and will soon be a popular locations for retreats, reunions and residential training courses.   Check out the web site www.innatharbourvillage.com

So why the headline “A long way from Bath, England.”?   Well that’s where I’m from.   Janis came to Bath in 1999 and kidnapped me and brought me to the States.   I love it here, and can’t believe our luck to be living and working in beautiful Ilwaco.

We’ll be having an “Open House” pretty soon, so keep your eyes open for that.

I’d love to hear from anyone who has stories about the Inn.   Please blog them here.

I’ll be writing pretty regularly, so drop a comment, or ask a question about Britain.   Just a minute ago a guest asked me the origin of the word “Bairn” and what it meant.   It’s from Scotland and means small child or baby.

I’ll be back.

Peter Bale

Welcome the professional ‘Gallery Greeters’ of Ilwaco, these two, very special, 4 legged, much loved dogs, meet and greet all the customers who venture through our doors.

Emma, a Welsh Springer Spaniel from the Wade Gallery on the Port of Ilwaco is diligent in her greeting of each and every person who comes into the gallery and if you have pets of your own, she will ’sniff’ that out and love you all the more and heavens to Betsy if you have a treat she is in heaven. She feels that it is her job to make sure you are welcome.

Bailey of the Baker Bay Gallery in Ilwaco, is a big friendly, Border Collie and Lab mix. With a definite eye for good art, still a youngster he likes to be part of the action and will follow you around as you browse the Fine Art. CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

Come and visit us anytime!

Bailey & Emma

As many of you have probably noticed while driving around the peninsula, the Ilwaco Community Building has begun its long awaited renovation. Those of us in Ilwaco are hugely excited to see this project underway. The building itself has been a vital part of the community since 1938 when the town purchased the property from Earl Floyd and built the peninsula’s first hospital. In the 1950s Public Hospital District #1 took charge of the facility and eventually sold bonds to create additions and wings for the existing structure. By 1976 the hospital had outgrown the building and again sold bonds to construct a new hospital. This allowed the City of Ilwaco to turn the structure into our very first Community Building.

The Library Board and PACE immediately began fund raising for the initial planning and remodel work to create a home for both the Timberland Library and the Pacific Aging Council Endeavors (PACE).)

From that time, the Ilwaco Library Board acted as the main agent of change, constantly working to improve and expand the facilities used by the Library. The current Community Building Renovation Project began as smaller projects promoted by the Ilwaco Library Board and the Board of PACE.

At the suggestion of pro-bono architects, Michael Kabush and Anthony Stoppiello, PACE and the Library Board began working together to renovate the entire building, raising nearly $50,000 from the community to pay for initial planning with an architect, Jack Williams of Hoside Williams in Seattle. Since then a board consisting of Library and PACE Board members and City leaders has made great strides with the Community Building Renovation Project. By mid March the planning phase was complete, start up funds were raised and construction work began in earnest.

The project will provide the City of Ilwaco and the broader community with vitally needed new, improved and expanded facilities for both Timberland Library and PACE, as well as giving the City a new community room. All this while being able to maintain the original historical look and feel of the building. The year long reconstruction project is slated for completion by spring 2009.

Keep Watching

ICBRC

We’ve had Elvis. We’ve had No Principals. We’ve had a String of Pearls. Now we’re gonna get the Blues. Lots of Blues. Aug 16 2008, Ilwaco will again be front and center with some hot blues, cold brews and fresh seafood, prepared by Ilwaco’s restaurants, canneries and processors. This year, the very popular Waterfront Dance has joined forces with Oysterville’s Jazz and Oysters event to create a two day music and seafood festival. In Ilwaco, music will flow starting early afternoon with several local blues acts, adding to the excitement of the Saturday Market. Preceding our headliner, Portland’s Boogie Bone Band will get you tapping your feet and moving your booty. I had the privilege of seeing these gentlemen perform, and as a man who knows blues, let me say, you won’t soon forget the Bone. Hang on, the night’s still young as our headliners for the event, The Insomniacs take the stage at the Pavilion, and with these guys performing you won’t be sleepy either. Good thing, because after the Insomniacs, you can shuffle a few blocks downtown to the Sea Hag, where Hindsight 20/20 is cookin’ up a set of blues just for this event.  Come early, explore downtown’s galleries and shops, enjoy the Saturday market at the Port of Ilwaco, then enjoy Blues and Seafood, presented by the Ilwaco Merchants Association and hosted by the Port of Ilwaco.  I’ll have some of those Blues, please.

Clint Carter

You may have heard that the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum is now free on Thursdays!  A big thank you to the sponsors of Free Thursdays - Sid’s Market, The Dennis Company and the Wahkikum Community Foundation.  We at the Museum are looking forward to seeing more frequent visitors and to help things along we will be trying out a new program. Join us this Thursday April 10 for a Brown Bag Lunch Tour of the exhibition “Celebrating the Artists of the Garden: William Clearman, Patricia Fagerland and Renee O’Connor.”  Executive Director Betsy Millard will give a short gallery talk in the show at noon.  We may even be joined by some of the artists and it is a great opportunity to see the show and ask questions of the curator. It’s also a great opportunity to pick up a to-go lunch from one of our wonderful Ilwaco restaurants and eat with friends in the Museum’s newly refurbished “cafe” room.  Or. just stay for the gallery talk then go out to lunch at the Port!   I hope to see you all this Thursday or any Thursday at the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum.

Congratulations to all of our wonderfully talented young artists. Our judges did a fine job, as it was not an easy decision to make.

Thank you to the entrants:

McKenzie Mulinix, Long Beach Elementary - 1st Grade
Morgan Felt, Long Beach Elementary - 1st Grade
Gabby Edwards, Long Beach Elementary - 3rd Grade
Ana George, Home School - 8th Grade
Amanda Bell, Ilwaco High School - 7th Grade
Dylan Turner, Ilwaco High School - 7th Grade

We requested that our judges choose their 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice. Here are the results.

1st Place - Dylan Turner, Ilwaco High School - 7th Grade
2nd Place - Morgan Felt, Long Beach Elementary - 1st Grade
3rd Place - Amanda Bell, Ilwaco High School - 7th Grade

Thank you to Nautical Brass for the wonderful prizes donated for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. We would also like to thank our judges:

JT’s Cafe
Pacific Art & Office Supply
The Wade Gallery
Ilwaco Library Board
Hoshide Architects

Dylan Turner’s design will be used on the 2008 Black Lake Fishing Derby T-Shirt. I have seen the proofs and they look great! Way to go kids!

We’re just about finished with our storm damage repair, and I have to say Steve Rew has done an outstanding job. He has truly made a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. We’ll be painting and odds and ends for awhile, but the transformation of this old building is incredible.

Thanks for all your support during our construction.

Clint and Laurie Carter

This is the content of a poster that Noreen left on the wall here at our building. We found it inspirational and hope you will also.  Paul & Laura

How to Build Community

Turn off your TV - Leave your house
Know your neighbors
Look up when you are walking
Greet people - Sit on your stoop
Plant flowers
Use your library - Play together
Buy from local merchants
Share what you have
Help a lost dog
Take children to the park
Garden together
Support neighborhood schools
Fix it even if you didn’t break it
Have pot lucks - Honor elders
Pick up litter - Read stories aloud
Dance in the street
Talk to the mail carrier
Listen to the birds - Put up a swing
Help carry something heavy
Barter for your goods
Start a tradition - Ask a question
Hire young people for odd jobs
Organize a block party
Bake extra and share
Ask for help when you need it
Open your shades - Sing together
Share your skills
Take back the night
Turn up the music
Turn down the music
Listen before you react to anger
Mediate a conflict
Seek to understand
Learn from new and uncomfortable angles
Know that no one is silent though many are not heard
Work to change this