October is National Book Month, followed immediately by National Novel Writing Month (fondly known as NaNoWriMo) in November, and there is no better time than this fall to visit Port Townsend, the literary capital of the Olympic Peninsula.
Port Townsend is a creative community of avid readers, home to a Pulitzer Prize winning poetry house, accomplished authors, and a vast state park where every year writers from all over the world convene to learn, write, and read together. If you love books or are a writer, Port Townsend is your mecca.
A few not-to-miss stops in your literary experience in Port Townsend:
Imprint Bookshop
This boutique bookstore recently changed hands to the careful curation of John Blomgren and Garrett Jones, who moved to Port Townsend to live their dream. “It’s a personal mission of ours to visit indie bookstores wherever we go,” say the owners. “Since we’re both book lovers and knowing how vital it is to support their continued existence, despite there always being a better deal online,” the owners added about their decision to take the leap.
December 2024 marked the 50th anniversary of Imprint as an independent bookseller in Port Townsend, and no wonder it has been thriving for so long. The atmosphere of the shop evokes a sanctuary of comfort as you wander among the shelves of books. Many were built by local woodworkers in the 1970s and are still in use today. Among the clean lines of the space and colorful displays, it’s hard not to pick up book after book and wonder how you’ll find time in this lifetime to read them all. A children’s room in the back offers a delightful selection of books for young readers, and is an essential stop for gift giving this season.
Winter Texts
Imagine a book loft that is tucked off the beaten path, full of new and used indie press gems with a slant to chapbooks and zines, where you can meet the City Poet Laureate, and sip miso from the sushi shop below. The fantasy is real at Winter Texts. It’s the creation of Conner Bouchard-Roberts, who grew up in Port Townsend. He provides his space, workshops, press, and poetry as part of a socially engaged practice. This unique spot on the map is about as quintessential Port Townsend as you can get.
Port Townsend Public Library
Port Townsend locals love to read. The public library can boast that it has the highest number of library books circulating per capita in the State of Washington. But public libraries aren’t just for locals. Port Townsend offers a “visitor card” for travelers to access borrowing from the collection. Aside from a full calendar of public readings, youth programs, and art exhibits, the Carnegie Room, in the upper floor of the 1913 original building is an architectural breath of fresh air. With plenty of squashy chairs and periodicals, the whole family can take a break from the hustle and bustle of travel and enjoy the literary life.
Fort Worden Historical State Park
Home to the world-famous Copper Canyon Press, the Centrum Writer’s Conference, and hosted spaces where you can self-direct your next writer’s residency, Fort Worden offers a home away from home. There are beaches and trails for the family to explore, local food and beverages to refuel, and so much more.
When you can stay in an 1879 Lightkeepers cottage on the edge of the world, what better place to write your next novel, or at least catch up on that stack of books that have been waiting for the perfect stormy night? The Point Wilson Lighthouse is a destination all its own. It’s one of the few lighthouses on the Olympic Peninsula that is easy to access, with free tours year-round. It sits at the convergence of the Straight of Juan de Fuca and Admiralty Inlet. This spot was so treacherous for early mariners, shipwrecks were regular occurrences, and native people would portage canoes across land to avoid this crossing. For modern landlubbers, the storm watching at Point Wilson is second-to-none and recalls passages from Moby Dick and Life of Pi.
Take a break from books, or bring one along, as you hike and forest bathe along 12 miles of trails in the park. Along the way, you may come across Memory’s Vault, an art installation that is part of the Washington state art collection and a literary Stonehenge, of sorts. It’s iconic presence is memorialized in a compilation of local writers recently published by Empty Bowl Press.
For refueling, people-watching, and catching the muse, every writer and reader knows the value of a cozy chair in the corner of your favorite café. Especially while traveling, these nooks are important to seek out. There are many to choose from in Port Townsend. Head to Taps at the Guardhouse at Fort Worden, Velocity Coffee and Better Living downtown with waterfront views, and Sunrise Coffee nestled in the boatyard. With local pastries, coffee, and a relaxed atmosphere, you can truly settle into the literary life in Port Townsend.
By guest blogger Shelly Leavens, Director of Communications & Marketing, City of Port Townsend
Header photo (Point Wilson at Fort Worden) courtesy of the Centrum Foundation
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