Travels in the 2nd half

After spending a few days in Aberdeen, Washington, it is time to head south, towards Astoria Oregon. Following U.S.-101 I take a drive down the coast past some beautiful sights. But before I see the Pacific, I stop in the town of Raymond, Washington, to take a trip back in time. Willapa Bay Raymond was originally a lumber mill town. It was built along the banks of the Willapa River. Today, its growth industry seems to be marijuana farming to supply the newly legal sales in the state. What brings me to Raymond is the Northwest Carriage Museum . Opened in 2002, this museum is home to over four dozen horse-drawn vehicles. Its collection includes work wagons, every-day buggies and high-end carriages. The carriages have been restored to mint condition and are displayed in a building that was built to house them, so they are shown to full advantage. Dress Landau Walking through the museum the first piece that really catches my eye is the C-spring Dress Landau...

Having spent a week in and around the Olympic National Park, it was now time to head south, and explore the Washington Coast. My travels were now taking me to Aberdeen Washington.   Lumberjack Statue Aberdeen is a small city of around sixteen thousand residents, sitting on the shore of Grays Harbor. Grays Harbor is a natural bay and protected bay that is 17 miles long and up to 12 miles wide. The first European exploration of the inlet was in 1792, led by Captain Robert Gray. Permanent European settlements were established in the 1870’s as the logging industry moved from east to west and began to grow in the area. Aberdeen and the neighboring towns of Hoquiam and Cosmopolis became the center of the logging industry during the early 1900’s with 37 sawmills at its peak in 1930. Unfortunately, the Depression took a toll on the lumber business, one from which it never fully recovered. Today, while timber is still important, the area also depends on commercial fish...