Seabeck, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Seabeck, Washington
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 Seabeck, Washington
Location in Washington (state)
Seabeck, Washington
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Kitsap |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.2 sq mi (11.0 km2) |
| • Land | 3.3 sq mi (8.6 km2) |
| • Water | 0.9 sq mi (2.4 km2) |
| Elevation | 500 ft (200 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 1,105 |
| • Density | 333/sq mi (128.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
98380
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| Area code(s) | 360 |
| FIPS code | 53-62120 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1525535 |
Seabeck is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,105 at the 2010 census. Seabeck is a former mill town on Hood Canal.
Contents
History
The name Seabeck comes from the Twana /ɬqábaqʷ/, from /ɬ-/, "far", /qab/, "smooth, calm", and /-aqʷ/, "water".
Seabeck was founded in 1857 by Marshall Blinn and William Adams, doing business as The Washington Mill Company. Their lumber was in such demand they built a second mill, then a shipyard to build boats to haul the lumber to California, which had high demand due to the California Gold Rush. Eventually, along with four saloons, the town had two general stores and two hotels. In 1876, there were over 400 people living in Seabeck. After decades of success, in the 1880s, the demand had eased, and most of the easily accessible trees had been harvested. In 1886 a spark from the ship Retriever started a fire that consumed both mills, along with other buildings. Rumors flew that the mills would not be re-built, so most residents moved to other towns with mills, notably Port Hadlock, turning Seabeck into a virtual ghost town.
Seabeck is a mostly rural area, consisting primarily of a conference center across the road from the general store, coffee shop, antique store, a pizza parlor and Olympic View Marina. There are houses and a now-closed elementary school that serviced the areas around Seabeck. The population was 1,015 at the 2010 census.
Seabeck is also the hometown of figure skater Ashley Wagner.
Conference center
In the early 1900s, Laurence Colman and Arn Allen of Seattle formed a partnership to build a facility for YMCA and YWCA groups to hold summer conferences. In 1914 Lawrence Coleman and his brother George purchased much of the original Seabeck site. In 1936 Laurence Colman's son, Ken Colman, incorporated the conference grounds as a private, non profit corporation. He deeded to the corporation the 90 acres (360,000 m2) that now make up Seabeck Conference Center. The Conference Center is available for events during the year. For over thirty years, The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. has held its annual Deaf-Blind Retreat there, hosting Deaf-Blind visitors from across the nation and world at the Conference Center.
Seabeck Elementary
The town's primary school, Seabeck Elementary, offered kindergarten to sixth grade. It had a long and locally significant history and thus was supported by the community. However, recent events beginning in the 1990s have questioned the value of the school; the reasons included various health and safety issues . Also, the local school district has claimed to need budget cuts. Because of this, the school closed at the end of the 2006-07 school year. The future of the site has not been decided.
Notable places
Seabeck Conference Center
In the early 1900s, Laurence Colman and Arn Allen of Seattle formed a partnership to build a facility for YMCA and YWCA groups to hold summer conferences. In 1914, Lawrence Coleman and his brother George purchased much of the original Seabeck site. In 1936, Laurence Colman's son, Ken Colman, incorporated the conference grounds as a private, nonprofit corporation. He deeded to the corporation the 90 acres (36 ha) that now make up Seabeck Conference Center. The center is available for events during the year. For over thirty years, the Seattle Lighthouse for the Blind has held its annual retreat there, hosting deaf-blind visitors from across the nation and world.
Seabeck Elementary
The town's primary school, Seabeck Elementary, offered kindergarten through sixth grade. It had a long and locally significant history and thus was supported by the community. The school closed at the end of the 2006-07 school year. Demolition of the old school building started in autumn of 2019, and is planned to become the new location of the area's fire department. The school gym, which was built separate from the school in 1990, will remain standing. The field and track will also remain open, and both are available for use and open to community recreation.
Seabeck Cemetery
The Seabeck Cemetery lies in the woods of Seabeck near the elementary school. It is a popular attraction among locals due to its antiquity that is only locally challenged by the Buena Vista Cemetery in Port Gamble.
Scenic Beach State Park
The 88-acre (36 ha) Scenic Beach State Park in the western part of the CDP began as the Emel family's homesite in 1911. The site became a resort, then a state park, offering areas for visitors to boat, camp, or picnic while enjoying the views of the Hood Canal and the Olympic Mountains. Visitors can enjoy the blooming rhododendrons in the spring or harvest oysters along the shore when in season.
Guillemot Cove Nature Reserve
The 158-acre (64 ha) Kitsap County Guillemot Cove Nature Reserve is 6 miles (10 km) southwest of Seabeck and was the property of the Reynolds family from 1939 to 1993. The area is open to the public, and visitors can enjoy the many trails that provide a pathway through the reserve. Attractions include a hollowed-out stump of a red cedar, referred to as the Stump House.
Images for kids
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The gate and bridge over the lagoon that is the entrance to the Seabeck Conference Center (August 2017)
See also
In Spanish: Seabeck (Washington) para niños
