Looks like it’s gearing up to be a nice Labor Day weekend, perhaps one of the last nice weekends before fall?! (I, know, I am not ready for summer to end either.) So why not take advantage of holiday, and head out for a nice day trip to Vashon & Maury islands. While that area of King County holds many alluring sites and beautiful walking trails, be sure not to miss the quiet and scenic little town of Dockton. Located on the west side of Maury Island on Quartermaster Harbor, Dockton is a small residential community with extant traces of the major shipbuilding center that dominated it’s beaches a century ago.
In the 1890s, Dockton was home to the largest dry dock on the West Coast. In the early 20th century, Martinolich boatyard and Stuckey’s marine ways built and repaired boats of all kinds. Today the town has grown into a picturesque waterfront village. A short walk west along Dock Street and south on Stuckey Avenue SW takes visitors past several historic homes, and the last remaining net-drying shed on Quartermaster Harbor. As a Destination Maritime site, Dockton offers unique experiences for the day visitor or resident, including an audio tour accessed via cell phone or on-line. For more information about the free Destination Heritage guide series, or to learn about other activities/points of interest in this area, visit www.destinationheritage.org.
Image: Ship on Dockton Park beach, 4Culture
