Port Discovery, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Port Discovery, Washington
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 Port Discovery, Washington
Location in Washington (state)
Port Discovery, Washington
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Jefferson |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
Port Discovery, Washington was a small but important community in Jefferson County, Washington. It was located right on a bay and was active for about 100 years. The town slowly disappeared in the late 1900s when the local wood industry, which was its main business, closed down.
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Exploring Discovery Bay
Discovery Bay was first explored by Europeans in 1790. This happened during an expedition led by Manuel Quimper on a ship called the Princesa Real. They named the bay Puerto de Quadra. This name honored Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra, who was their commander.
In 1791, another explorer named Francisco de Eliza used Port Discovery as his main base. From here, he launched more trips to explore the area.
History of Port Discovery
The name Port Discovery was given by George Vancouver in 1792. He visited the Strait of Juan de Fuca and named the bay after his own ship, the Discovery. Vancouver's landing spot was likely at a place later known as Carr Point.
The Sawmill Town
In the 1800s, Port Discovery grew into an important community along the coast. Its main feature was a large sawmill that opened in 1858. The town of Port Discovery was located at what is now called Mill Point. This spot is on the west side of the bay, near U.S. Highway 101. It's a few miles north of the smaller towns that are there today.
Port Discovery was a regular stop for ships traveling the Pacific Ocean. This continued until the mid-1900s. Many U.S. ships, especially during World War II, visited the port. Some of these ships included the USS Washington and the USS Lassen.
A famous shipwreck, the War Hawk, is in the bay. This clipper ship burned and sank in 1883. Its wreck is now a popular spot for divers near Mill Point.
Early Population
The U.S. government took a census in 1860. Port Discovery was one of three main areas counted in Jefferson County. The local indigenous people were not included in this count.
The total population recorded was 70 people. Most of them were men between 20 and 52 years old. There was one woman, who was married to a cook. Only one person was not white; he was an African-American male cook.
Most of the people (two-thirds) were born in America. They had moved west from other states. The remaining one-third were born in other countries. Most of these were from England, Ireland, Wales, or Canada. One person was from Sweden.
The Town's Decline
The town at Mill Point started to shrink after the sawmill closed down. It eventually disappeared completely when the local wood industry collapsed. Today, only a couple of old houses and a pier remain at the site. This area is now private property.
Farther down the shore, near what was Maynard, Washington, stood another large sawmill. Its remains were visible until about 2008. This old building was next to Highway 101, so many people saw it. It became one of the most photographed places in the area for decades. Many photos mistakenly called it the Port Discovery mill, even though it was built later. By 2010, the building was removed. This was done to help restore the habitat for salmon and shellfish in Discovery Bay.
