Pacific Beach, Washington
Encyclopedia
Pacific Beach is an unincorporated community
in Grays Harbor County, Washington
, United States
, by the Pacific Ocean
. There are many hotels there and a stretch of usable beach area is available to those who visit.
, is referred to by the North Beach Business Association as "Washington's best kept secret." The most obvious draw to the region is the almost two miles (3 km) of flat, wide-open Pacific Coast beach that stretches between the two towns 30 miles (48.3 km) northwest of Hoquiam. Both are on state Route 109 between Ocean Shores and Taholah.
Besides its early manifestation as a sawmill town, Pacific Beach has always been a resort destination of sorts, ever since a man named Henry J. Blodget first settled that part of the coast during the mid-19th century.
Henry Blodgett, a trapper and hunter homesteaded 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) and eventually gave part of his land to his hunter friend P. H. Roundtree with the stipulation that he build a $500 home. Roundtree built an $800 house which later became the site of the Pacific Beach Hotel. Originally, Pacific Beach was called Joe Creek. In 1903, Roundtree began plotting the town and decided on the Pacific Beach name. Other names considered were Bluffton, Illahee Beach, Roundtree and Ocean View. The Navy has been part of the local area since moving into the Pacific Beach Hotel. During World War II, anti-aircraft recruits trained here and sharpened their aim by blasting targets pulled by Navy planes out of Westport. After World War II, the facility was offered to the local community for $1, but because the community was unincorporated, the sale failed and the base sat idle until 1950.
In 1902, the Northern Pacific Railway
got the right-of-way to Pacific Beach from the Aberdeen-Hoquiam area. The town of Pacific Beach eventually was platted as the population surged with the advent of the railroad. (The rutted and mostly wood plank roads in those days were practically impassable.)
The beach soon became a popular destination for Sunday train excursions by folks from Aberdeen
and Hoquiam -- even from as far away as Seattle. In 1906, the Pacific Beach Hotel opened and prospered as a resort destination until the Navy took it over during World War II.
Flat and unprotected from Pacific storms, Pacific Beach and Moclips are about as close to the ocean beach as any town in Washington. Geographically, Moclips might even be considered actually on the beach. Besides being ravaged by several major fires early on, Moclips has been decimated by fierce storms over the years—especially a big one that blew through in 1911.
Pacific Beach and Moclips, because of its railroad connection to Aberdeen-Hoquiam, became a popular vacation and day-trip destination because of the easily accessible expanse of sandy beach. Razor clams were plentiful, surf fishing was productive and picnicking on the beach couldn't have been finer. One day in 1913, more than 5,000 people came by train to Pacific Beach and Moclips for a giant picnic.
In 50th The Air Force returned and for the next five years operated the Pacific Beach base as a radar station. In 1957 and 1958, after two more years of idleness, SOSUS
Naval Facility (NAVFAC) engineers arrived and redeveloped the base. Then in October 1987, the U.S. Naval Facility at Pacific Beach was disestablished and transferred to Naval Station Puget Sound and then to Naval Station Everett. Under Commander Naval Base guidance, the unoccupied facilities developed into a Morale, Welfare, Recreation (MWR) and Education Support Center, Resort and Conference Center.
The lodging part of the resort is open to active, retired and reservist military, as well as all Department of Defense and federal employees. Authorized users can sponsor family members and friends. The Windjammer Restaurant and bar, gift shop and bowling alley are open to the public. Each 1950s vintage guest cottage is named after a U.S. president.
Today Pacific Beach is still a small beach community with a population of less than 1000 people and thousands of tourist enjoying Pacific Beach State Park is a 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) camping park with 2300 feet (701 m) of ocean shoreline with brisky fresh area, salty mist and incredible views.
The beach is actually called Mocrocks in the town of Pacific Beach.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Grays Harbor County, Washington
Grays Harbor County, Washington
Grays Harbor County is a county in the state of Washington, in the United States of America. As of 2010, the population was 72,797. The county seat is at Montesano, and its largest city is Aberdeen. The county is named after a large estuarine bay near its southwestern corner...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, by the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. There are many hotels there and a stretch of usable beach area is available to those who visit.
History
Pacific Beach, combined with its close neighbor to the north, MoclipsMoclips, Washington
Moclips is a census-designated place in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. The population was 207 at the 2010 census. It is located near the mouth of the Moclips River....
, is referred to by the North Beach Business Association as "Washington's best kept secret." The most obvious draw to the region is the almost two miles (3 km) of flat, wide-open Pacific Coast beach that stretches between the two towns 30 miles (48.3 km) northwest of Hoquiam. Both are on state Route 109 between Ocean Shores and Taholah.
Besides its early manifestation as a sawmill town, Pacific Beach has always been a resort destination of sorts, ever since a man named Henry J. Blodget first settled that part of the coast during the mid-19th century.
Henry Blodgett, a trapper and hunter homesteaded 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) and eventually gave part of his land to his hunter friend P. H. Roundtree with the stipulation that he build a $500 home. Roundtree built an $800 house which later became the site of the Pacific Beach Hotel. Originally, Pacific Beach was called Joe Creek. In 1903, Roundtree began plotting the town and decided on the Pacific Beach name. Other names considered were Bluffton, Illahee Beach, Roundtree and Ocean View. The Navy has been part of the local area since moving into the Pacific Beach Hotel. During World War II, anti-aircraft recruits trained here and sharpened their aim by blasting targets pulled by Navy planes out of Westport. After World War II, the facility was offered to the local community for $1, but because the community was unincorporated, the sale failed and the base sat idle until 1950.
In 1902, the Northern Pacific Railway
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
got the right-of-way to Pacific Beach from the Aberdeen-Hoquiam area. The town of Pacific Beach eventually was platted as the population surged with the advent of the railroad. (The rutted and mostly wood plank roads in those days were practically impassable.)
The beach soon became a popular destination for Sunday train excursions by folks from Aberdeen
Aberdeen, Washington
Aberdeen is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States, founded by Samuel Benn in 1884. Aberdeen was incorporated on May 12, 1890. The city is the economic center of Grays Harbor County, bordering the cities of Hoquiam and Cosmopolis...
and Hoquiam -- even from as far away as Seattle. In 1906, the Pacific Beach Hotel opened and prospered as a resort destination until the Navy took it over during World War II.
Flat and unprotected from Pacific storms, Pacific Beach and Moclips are about as close to the ocean beach as any town in Washington. Geographically, Moclips might even be considered actually on the beach. Besides being ravaged by several major fires early on, Moclips has been decimated by fierce storms over the years—especially a big one that blew through in 1911.
Pacific Beach and Moclips, because of its railroad connection to Aberdeen-Hoquiam, became a popular vacation and day-trip destination because of the easily accessible expanse of sandy beach. Razor clams were plentiful, surf fishing was productive and picnicking on the beach couldn't have been finer. One day in 1913, more than 5,000 people came by train to Pacific Beach and Moclips for a giant picnic.
In 50th The Air Force returned and for the next five years operated the Pacific Beach base as a radar station. In 1957 and 1958, after two more years of idleness, SOSUS
SOSUS
SOSUS, an acronym for Sound Surveillance System, is a chain of underwater listening posts across the northern Atlantic Ocean near Greenland, Iceland and the United Kingdom — the GIUK gap. It was originally operated by the United States Navy for tracking Soviet submarines, which had to pass...
Naval Facility (NAVFAC) engineers arrived and redeveloped the base. Then in October 1987, the U.S. Naval Facility at Pacific Beach was disestablished and transferred to Naval Station Puget Sound and then to Naval Station Everett. Under Commander Naval Base guidance, the unoccupied facilities developed into a Morale, Welfare, Recreation (MWR) and Education Support Center, Resort and Conference Center.
The lodging part of the resort is open to active, retired and reservist military, as well as all Department of Defense and federal employees. Authorized users can sponsor family members and friends. The Windjammer Restaurant and bar, gift shop and bowling alley are open to the public. Each 1950s vintage guest cottage is named after a U.S. president.
Today Pacific Beach is still a small beach community with a population of less than 1000 people and thousands of tourist enjoying Pacific Beach State Park is a 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) camping park with 2300 feet (701 m) of ocean shoreline with brisky fresh area, salty mist and incredible views.
The beach is actually called Mocrocks in the town of Pacific Beach.