It's Day 120....It's also September 3, 2019.....and we are in Port Orchard Washington

It's Day 120....It's also September 3, 2019.....and we are in Port Orchard Washington...

Back in Western Washington…and there is plenty to do! Have some work scheduled to be done on the rig…a basement to clear out…and some farm critters to hang out with while my buddy’s away running a marathon in Montana. It was good fun hanging out with Boz, Rocky, and Dylon…took me back to those teenage years in Gilroy California, then North Branch, Minnesota....when each day was greeted with the throaty grumble of a hungry horse. The smells, the sights, the personalities….the nibble on your shirtsleeve and the occasional dash over to the neighbors yard for some mischief if I let my guard down a little and forgot to latch a gate….ahhh….just like it was yesterday.

The boys and I (Boz, Rocky, and Dylon) were fast friends…Dougie even buddied up with the boys......Twiggy (the oh-so-typical-narcissistic-cat) was a bit of a different story. With a bit of effort she did warm up to me a little but in the end I’m fairly confident that she was “putting up with me” until her real human got back home. I guess that’s ok enough…..lets face facts here….Billie and I have been roommates for 4 years now and I am pretty sure that most of the time he is just “putting up” with me too.

Throw in a garden producing enough to stock a farmers market…and tending to the yard…and we found plenty to do.

I'd spend the evenings sitting around the firepit in the backyard....learning more about this place called Port Orchard. I'd learned so much about the Puget Sound...and the Kitsap Peninsula in general before heading out last spring....so I wondered How this part of that Kitsap Peninsula came to be.

This area was first inhabited by the Suquamish People. Archaeological data documents camp sites in the region dating back at least 12,000 years. These folks have a deep history, and connection to the maritime and river valley environments of the Puget Sound. Makes sense given that I first read of the Suquamish People when visiting Bremerton Washington....just 9 miles away from here....across the Sinclaire inlet.

The Suquamish people's first recorded contact with European Explorers would be in 1792 with Captain George Vancouver....of the Vancouver Expedition commissioned by the British Government. In total the expedition would span 4 years. I first read of the Vancouver expedition when learning about the Puget Sound History last spring. What I had apparently missed when I read through it then....was that beyond the primary objective of mapping the pnw coast, and searching for a northwest passage..... there was also a diplomatic element to the expedition....at that was to receive surrender documents from the Spanish fort at Nootka...in present day British Columbia....establishing a British Presence in the area to support, and promote...the fur trade.

Captain Vancouver would name the body of water that separates Bainbridge Island from the Kitsap Peninsula...The Port Orchard Strait...after the ships clerk and surveyor Harry Masterman Orchard.

Prior to Vancouvers documentation the area was believed to be a small cove, with an island....but this 2 month mapping of the area in 1792 would reveal it to be the entrance to a large, natural harbor.

This encounter...would mark the beginning of significant changes for the Suquamish and other Native American tribes in the region as a result of the following influx of European American explorers

Nearly a century would pass before American Settlers....William Renton and Daniel Howard would arrive in the area and establish a sawmill. The town of Sidney would become the first town platted in Kitsap County in 1886....and named for an early homesteader in the area originally from Illinois. The town would play a major role in bringing The Puget Sound Naval Station (later renamed Puget Sound Naval Shipyard), to the county. The shipyard would become a major employer in the area....driving population through military presence. 7 years later the town of Sidney would be named the country seat after the country built the areas first courthouse here.

Later years would bring a competition between Sidney and a neighboring community called Charleston. Both towns were lobbying to be Renamed Port Orchard...in honor of the bay both communities were situation on. Confusion would enter the picture when the post office in Sidney was named Port Orchard by the postal service....things weren't really sorted out until 1903 when the state legislature resolved this by renaming Sidney to Port Orchard....and Charleston would eventually be absorbed into the town of Bremerton.

It was while reading through all this, with no mention of conflict with native americans....I starting digging into this time period a bit more. I was remembering that as I headed east...out of the pnw last spring.....once I had crossed over into Idaho. The more I traveled east...the more I began reading about the conflicts between early American settlers and the fledgling US army with the native Americans. By the time you hit the middle of the country you can go anywhere....or read about any area...without coming across names and conflicts that have become legendary in our country's history....not to mention immortalized by Hollywood in Film. We are all familiar with Blockbuster films like Dancing with Wolves, and the Last of the Mohicans......so why none of that around here> I kept wondering... Was it because there just weren't any conflicts of any real significance? With the introduction of the railway systems across the country.....trains.....or the iron horse....as native Americans referred to them..... I wondered...did the US just have such an upper hand as settlement reached this far west that conflicts were fewer out this way?.... Not at all.... there was indeed conflict....if you look for it.

It was digging into this..that for the first time, I would read of....and learn about the broader history of conflict on the continent that historians have dubbed "The Indian Wars" And these wars, in the US remain the longest running conflict in the countries history....lasting some 60 years. Once I knew what I was looking for....and what terminology to search....a whole new aspect, or better yet, perspective of history opened up. I would also learn how confusing it can all be sometimes......Expressions like "History is written by the winners"....and "There's two sides to every story...and the truth is always somewhere in the middle"....these expressions.....are truly born in reality.....and are particularly relevant...when it comes to trying to sort out for yourself exactly what happened across this piece of history.

First....I learned that conflict on the North American Continent dates back Centuries...well before the arrival of European and American Settlers. From the days when Columbus would document the area, and the Spaniards would begin exploration of it....prior to the Spaniards arrival in 1492....the native American tribes themselves were in conflict all across the area in battles to secure....and call the most desirable areas, their own. Clearly, native Americans some 600 years ago had much different record keeping mechanisms ..... but archeological evidence exists that suggests that some of the deadliest battles on the continent may have occurred those 600 years ago across large portions of what is today Colorado....and likely involved early ancestors of the Pueblo nation.

Spaniards began entering into these conflicts themselves in the pursuit of their own interests across the area....but they brought something to the game that would elevate the conflicts in every way.....the horse. I had no idea that the modern horse, as we know it today, was not indigenous to the north American continent. Instead...they were introduced to the region by the Spaniards during 16th century explorations.

This would be another term I would learn...."The Horse Culture"

Prior to this era the native American tribes across the continent were for the most part.....Hunter gatherers. Tools and weapons were primitive...limited to stones and wood. Violence can go only so far when your armed with a stick of wood and sharp rock....over time they would of course perfect their invention and effectiveness of the bow and arrow. The Spaniards would introduce horses to the fight.....and the native Americans adapted quickly...becoming fierce warriors able to cover a good deal more ground...and attack with level of swiftness many unsuspecting rivals weren't prepared for. In later years.... metals would be introduced into their arsenals taking hand to hand combat to yet another level....and eventually....through trading with explorers and trappers....firearms would be introduced to the fight...escalating things yet again.

I guess my takeaway was that conflict was not new to the continent. As is the case all over the globe....humans have fought wars for centuries....and land was always at the heart of it. I think....in the grand scheme of things.....European American involvement in conflict with native Americans on the North American Continent was relatively short. As I've said... History...is written by the winners.....and in this case....US settlement would arrive on the scene in the late 1700's .....and while conflict with native Americans would span some 250 years...but by the time the country had fully engaged in war with the native Americans...in the era dubbed "the Indian Wars".....across the new lands of the fledging United States....they managed to end centuries of conflict within just 60 years. It wasn't pretty.....the there is still argument to this day as to whether or not it was fair....and just....but none the less...the military aspect of the conflict, for the most part, was over.

I'd also learned of incredibly fascinating twists in the 60 some year war like....the Modoc war in Northern California and Southern Oregon.....and the establishment of the original Texas Rangers....in what at the time was the sovereign nation of Texas.....but I had to pull away from all that for now. Can't wait to dig into all that when I pass thru those areas.

As for here.....there was conflict...in the pacific northwest. and why it took me so long to read about "The Battle of Seattle".....and the "Puget Sound War".....I have no idea. But it turns out....that things out this way were not that different than anywhere else in the wild west at the time.

Video Credits Jaguar Bird's Youtube channel and the Puget Sound wars:

$ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8nSK-9SNFs&t=56s$

Conflict would escalate in the region beginning with the Yakima Wars on the eastern side of the state. As was the case in most of the country....the story begins in earnest with the discovery of gold in the area....which led to the inevitable flood of white settlers in search of riches. Over a brief period of time settler activity would continue to increase...and push over the cascades and into Western Washington.

Treaties were signed....in this case..."The Treaty of Medicine Creek" and nearly immediately....not honored by white settlers. When enforcement of these treaties failed....conflict was nearly always the result.

The Puget Sound War would last a year...from 1855 to 1856, with multiple conflicts across the region. One of the most notable would be the Battle of Seattle....

With the support of many other tribes in the region....The Nisqually Indians, led by Chief Leschi, would fight this encroachment on their lands. Chief Leschi had deployed multiple strategies, including even peaceful talks and negations with the Territorial government...led by the governor at the time....Isaac Stevens.

Stevens..he's a story in and of himself....his time in office would be marred with controversy....at one point he had declared martial law across the region during the Yakima wars....his actions and retaliatory conduct relating to the Native Americans would become so aggressive that he would be admonished by The Pierce Administration, even being convicted of contempt of court....but then famously pardoned himself immediately. In spite of this he would go on to be elected as a territorial representative to the US House of Representatives. Ultimately he would join the Union Army to fight in the Civil War and would be killed in Battle leading a charge against the Confederates in 1862. The complexities of his influence both in the military...and politics are studied to this day by Historians.

And back to Chief Leschi....after failed attempts at negotiations with the Stevens Administration....and the Federal, and Territorial government failing to enforce the Treaty of Medicine Creek....he, and his allies would decide to go to battle.....

Here's just one example of where the whole "two sides to every story" thing....

I read multiple other accountings of this period in which it is stated that Chief Leschi...speaking on behalf of, and in unison with, 9 other tribes in the area......was so outraged and insulted by what was being proposed in the Treaty of Medicine Creek.....that he refused to sign it. The treaty would mean that the tribes would give the US over 2 million acres of land in exchange for 3 reservations....a fraction of that size, which would include hunting and fishing rights, and monetary payments over 20 years totaling just over 32 thousand dollars.....which would be shared by all tribes involved. Some even say that his signature on the treaty was forged with an X....or worse....he was forced to sign it.

Regardless of which story got them to this point....Chief Leschi would work for months to galvanize the tribes in the area and stage an attack on Seattle that that would last a full day. As usual...specifics around this event vary depending on who you ask....but my takeaway......this was just one of a series of battles across the region illustrating how contentious things were at this point in the history of the PNW.

Mired in a whole bunch of varying accounts....Leschi would ultimately be brought to trial for the death of two military officers during one of these conflicts. The first trial would end in a hung jury....but a second trial would convict him and sentance him to death. He would be hung to death in a public execution in 1858 at Fort Steilacoom Washington. The site of the execution was on land that is now a part of Western State Hospital grounds.

The outrage and controversy around his trial and, according to historians, his unjust execution, would continue for decades in the region. While far to late for Chief Leschi's ....in 2004 the Washington State Legislative body would overturn his conviction, and legally document that his execution was unjust, proclaiming him a war hero.

Hmmm......it's so easy to get lost in all this. And at the same time.....so hard to internalize. It all leaves me wondering when war....merciless killing....the inate ability within a human being to take another human beings life....backed by nothing but a personal belief.....when did all these things begin to fade into the shadows of civility...morals...public acceptance.....but then I look across the geopolitical landscape of the world today....even last weeks headlines right here in the US....and I realize.....they haven't. It's just a matter of whether or not your lookin....or whether or not you care?

My random thought processes took me down another quick query.....I wondered.....what if I were to look at the total number of active conflicts were taking place on the planet in 1865.....I mean....actual wars...in which man was killing man in the name of country...or personal beliefs....in 1865....that number.....Multiple....somewhere between 8 to 15 or more Signiant conflicts were active across multiple continents and countries. Not exactly a scientific or historically accurate accounting for sure.....but I was just curious...what in general....was happening on the planet as far as wars go...

In 2019...that same general inquiry across the internet.......yields nearly identical results. Multiple Major conflicts across Multiple regions and continents.....the areas of conflict shift across the planet over time......but it appears the conflicts...they continue.....apparently in perpetuity.

Begs the question for me ....... do humans ever really learn from the past? Or does yesterday......simply become yesterday? I can see how Historians would come to devote their lives to understanding these conflicts and digging up the facts....even if all the while the rest of us appear to be more focused on who's gonna win the world series this year...or even more importantly.....who'll be the next American Idol?

Dang....I had to put all that down for a moment....go for a walk....clear my head.....and then see if there was anything else to know about Port Orchard.....before we headed out.

Today, Port Orchard is known for its waterfront community, marinas, shopping, museums, entertainment, galleries, dining, and the majestic view of the Olympic Mountains. It's a city that prides itself on its military heritage and natural beauty, offering a quiet waterfront...not so far from the bright lights of Seattle. You can even take a 10 minute historic ferry ride across the bay to Bremerton....aboard the Carlisle 2.....this vessel holds the distinction of being the oldest in continuous operation on the Puget sound. It has been connecting the communities of Bremerton and Port Orchard for over a century....and stands as a testament to the regtions commitment to transportation...and connection across the Puget Sound dating back 100's of years.

Oh... and catching up with the Washington Street gang…a bbq here and there, an awesome shrimp salad dinner....so much fun every time I’m here...

Headed south as planned this morning…..September 14th, 2019....but I guess it wouldn’t be a day in the life of “us” if a curve ball weren’t thrown our way from time to time. This mornings curve ball would come in the form of failing brakes on highway 16 nearing I-5 south. Thankfully it was not a complete failure….but absolutely put a kink in the travel plans. We'd spend the night on a parking lot behind a brake shop waiting for our turn. Turns out the brakes would be just the beginning of the failures for this segment of our adventure….soon a failed alternator, a defroster that doesn’t defrost, dashboard lights going out, and even a leaky roof would all ad themselves to the list of thing's I'd learn how to fix on a 30 year old RV.

But even still....excited to head back down into Oregon...The arrival of fall across Oregon brings new personality and wide open spaces back to the area.

As I learned while researching Drain Oregon earlier this year...it's No surprise that tourists from all over the world flock to the coastal areas, rivers, hiking mecca’s and scenic byways…so when the first frost hits the area and the traffic thins out…we are left to enjoy the change in colors and natural beauty in a bit more relaxed way.

Shorter days, longer nights, chilly nights and 50 degree days….It’s almost winter in the Pacific Northwest! As the deer wander through the streets and wild turkeys stop traffic on hiway 38…the frosty nights accelerate and amp up the color shift in the leaves. The mountainsides that spend all summer in lush shades of green start to pop with color in patches where the Oregon white oak, bigleaf maples, poplars and occasional grove of alders begin to shed amongst the douglas fir and western hemlock. We'd take our time stopping here and there for repairs....or visits with friends....or random stops in places like Castle Rock for some photo’s. When I pulled into Castle Rock and found a great spot to park along the Cowlitz River....I thought it would be just a quick stop for lunch along with a read about this place called Castle Rock.

What it turned into was a couple of hours that started with learning that the Castle Rock we were sitting in....was not the original. The original, unincorporated town would form some 180 miles from here in 1881 when a railroad station opened. In 1883 a post office would open, and remain in operation until 1926. In 1968 Construction of the John Day Dam on the Columbia River would form Lake Umatila....and submerge the town of Castle Rock beneath it. The railroad station was moved to higher ground....the rest of town....became history. Also turns out that though the towns share the name....they were eached named for volcanic rock formations in the area that resemble castle turrets....rather than one being named after the other...

Reading about this activity, I would also learn of an earthquake event estimated to have taken place around 1700. This 9.2 magnitude earthquake would be named the Cascadia Earthquake and would cause massive landslide events resulting in the natural damming of the Columbia River. The body of water formed would submerge entire forests in water and silt. Eventually the force of the Columbia River would cause the dam to breach.....once waters had receded the fossilized remains of these forests were revealed.

Just another example of how recent dramatic shifts in the landscape have continued to take place in the region....and another couple of stops added to the list of places we need to visit!

But for now...Headed out of Oregon this time....we didn't even have a specific plan.....just sorta go where the road takes us this time. The only thing I knew for sure is that we would head back over to the coast...but this time...continuing south on the historic hiway 101.....that 300 miles or so of Oregons amazing coastline that we had touched here and there last trip.

We'll be sure to see the rest of it this time....

I wonder what we'll learn there......