Walking Tours

In addition to our summer season of downtown tours, JCHS offers a variety of immersive ways to walk or wheel your way through local history year-round. Learn more about a variety of guided and self-guided tour options below.

Historic Downtown Walking Tours

Legends and Lore of Port Townsend

Located on the ancestral lands of the S’Klallam peoples, Port Townsend rose to prominence in the late 19th century as one of the busiest seaports on the West Coast—teeming with sailors and immigrants and dotted with mercantiles, saloons, factories, hotels, and brothels. Drawing from some of the more infamous, mysterious, and salacious stories in Port Townsend’s history, this tour through the picturesque downtown district will offer participants a glimpse into how documents, photos, physical evidence, and stories passed down all play into how we discern fact from fiction.

Vanishing Murals of Port Townsend

Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, advertising murals were ubiquitous throughout the country. Large, vibrant signs were painted on structures throughout the country, many of them advertising everything from cars to shaving cream to beer. Port Townsend was no different, and these colorful murals contributed to the distinctive character of this bustling community. This tour will introduce you to some of the faded ghost murals hiding in plain sight throughout our downtown district.

Public Tours

Offered Saturdays in July & August

Group size: Up to 12

Rates (per person)
Members – $15
Nonmembers – $20

Private Tours

Available Wednesday – Sunday between March and December

Group size: 2-12

Rates
$240 per tour or $180 for JCHS members (plus taxes and fees)

Know Before You Go

All tours are outdoors and ADA accessible

Distance/terrain
~1 mile, mostly flat

Duration
~90 minutes

Self-Guided Historic Tours

Looking for a new route for your daily walks? Are you visiting and curious about the architecture, landscape, or cultural history of Port Townsend? Check out these self-guided tour options! We carry print booklets for these self-guided tours in our Museum Shop at the Jefferson Museum of Art & History and digital resources can be purchased or accessed below.

Historic Architecture

This downtown tour highlights 24 notable sites, including the Hastings Building, the Rose Theatre, and the Haller Fountain

Point Hudson

This tour of the waterfront park and marina area has 10 stops with many places to sit and take in the beauty of the surrounding landscape.

čičməhán Trail

Developed by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe and QUUF’s Native Connections Action Group, this trail comprised of 18 sites is dedicated to S’Klallam history in Port Townsend.

History Hikes

We’re so excited to announce the dates and locations for the 2024 History Hike season, as follows:

  • Sat, May 25 – Olympic Discovery Trail in Blyn
  • Sat, June 15 – Port Williams/Marlyn Nelson County Park
  • Sun, September 15 – Dungeness River Levee Trail

History Hikes will be offered twice per each date, with morning hikes departing at 10:00 AM and afternoon hikes departing at 12:30 PM. Hikes last about 90 minutes and are limited to groups of 12. Hike participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from the hike site. Distance and terrain varies for each hike.

Check back soon for registration information!

History Hikes are presented in partnership with North Olympic History Center