The earliest residents of the area were the Klallam (“Strong People”) and Makah Indian tribes, who were sustained by the region’s abundant natural resources. These same natural resources – the naturally protected deep-water harbor, abundant coniferous forests, prolific wildlife and marine resources, and an overall natural beauty also attracted the first non-natives to the area. The real settling of Port Angeles began in the 1850s, following the establishment of the boundary between Canada and the United States in 1846. Tourism is alive and well here today.
We walked around town one day and admired the beauty. Twelve outdoor art murals dot the downtown Port Angeles area and tell a tale of the town’s rich maritime history and Native American culture. We didn’t see them all yet, but we will.
This mural above was my favorite of the day. A tribal gathering was held on the Olympic Peninsula. The men decided to challenge each tribe to a friendly competition of strength. They sent forth their strongest young warriors to left a log to the top of a longhouse that was being built. Each tribe chose their strongest young men but none of them could lift the heavy timber. The young warriors from Elwha were called up and they huddled to discuss what they would do and then rolled the giant log into the water. The water rose and covered their shoulders. The audience members turned to each other in amazement asking, “what are they doing?” Knowing the log would float, the young men slipped it onto their shoulders and marched out on the beach and hoisted it on top of the longhouse. The guests were so amazed that they called out “Strong people!” Ever since, this is how the Klallams are known.
Leave a Reply