Oysterville, Washington

Our next stop today, August 25, 2015, was to Oysterville. Oysterville was once a city with a college, two hotels and a weekly newspaper.  It became prosperous because native oysters grew in the shallow bay bottoms.  Oysters were transported to San Francisco and the town thrived.

Capt. A. T. Stream House

A stack of oyster shells piles up across from the old Cannery.   Previous to being Oysterville Sea Farms, this was the Cannery. The Northern Oyster Company started in the 1940's.  It operated as a cannery until 1967.  Now it is the home of Oysterville Sea Farms. Oysterville Sea Farms sells fresh oysters and other products.  This building is the only structure which gives testimony to the settlement's original reason for being.

A stack of oyster shells piles up across from the old Cannery.

Views from the Cannery

We obtained a brochure from the Visitor Center that gave us a map and history of each of the older homes in Oysterville.  We used it to navigate our way around.  Riding around Oysterville with its quaint homes and picket fences makes you feel that time has stood still for the past 100 years here.

  

The R. H. Espy House  -  1871

Robert Espey was the co-founder of Oysterville.  He built this house in 1971 shortly after he married. The "Red House" has remained in the Espy Family for six generations,

The John Crellin House  - 1867

This house and another one in town were built by John's brother.  From 1920 until World War II this home was The Heckles Inn.

The Hampson House - 1987 

The Baptist Church - 1892

This church was built on land donated by R. H. Espy who also provided $1500 for its construction.  Regular services ceased in the 1930's and the church eventually reverted back to the Espy family. In 1981 they arranged for its re-dedication as an ecumenical church and gifted the building and property to the Oysterville Restoration Foundation,  It is now used by the community for weddings, funerals and an occasional Christmas or Easter service.

The W. D. Taylor House - 1870

This house was constructed by early Loomis Stage Line driver, W. D. Taylor who later built the Taylor Hotel in Ocean Park.  

The Red Cottage - 1863

This is the oldest surviving structure in the village.  It was built by Captain J. W. Munson and until 1875 was the site of Oysterville's first Pacific County Courthouse.  It was once owned by local author Willard R. Espy.

The pink rose on the fence is an 1870 variety 

called "Dorothy Perkins"

This is a new property in town

The Ned Osborne House - 1874

The Charles Nelson Sr. House - 1873

The Oysterville Schoolhouse - 1907

This is the third  and last school in Oysterville and was used by Pacific School County District No. 1 until consolidation in 1957. The first school was a prefab building of red wood made in California and shipped aboard one of the Oyster Schooners in 1863. The booming community soon outgrew the Little Red Schoolhouse and in 1874 a two story building was built on this site serving the community until it burned down in 1905.  

The Oysterville Store and Post Office - 1919

The Oysterville Post Office has operated since 1858 and is the oldest continuously operated  Post Office under the same name  in Washington.  It has been at this location since 1919.

This home is one in a large development that is new to Oysterville and not far from the beach.  This area looks like it may be vacation homes but we aren't sure,  Notice no drive way coming from the garage on this one!