Gig Harbor is the name of both a bay on
Puget Sound
Puget Sound ( ) is a sound of the Pacific Northwest, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, and part of the Salish Sea. It is located along the northwestern coast of the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected ma ...
and a city on its shore in
Pierce County,
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
,. The population was 12,029 at the
2020 census.
Gig Harbor is one of several cities and towns that claim to be "the gateway to the
Olympic Peninsula
The Olympic Peninsula is a large arm of land in western Washington that lies across Puget Sound from Seattle, and contains Olympic National Park. It is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, the north by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and th ...
". Due to its close access to several state and city parks, and historic waterfront that includes boutiques and fine dining, it has become a popular tourist destination. Gig Harbor is located along
State Route 16, about 6 mi (10 km) from its origin at
Interstate 5
Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels through the states of Californi ...
, over the
Tacoma Narrows Bridge
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge is a pair of twin suspension bridges that span the Tacoma Narrows strait of Puget Sound in Pierce County, Washington. The bridges connect the city of Tacoma with the Kitsap Peninsula and carry State Route 16 (know ...
. A $1.2 billion project to add a second span to the bridge was completed in 2007.
History
![Boats in Gig Harbor](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Boats_in_Gig_Harbor.jpg)
During a heavy storm in 1840, Captain
Charles Wilkes
Charles Wilkes (April 3, 1798 – February 8, 1877) was an American naval officer, ship's captain, and explorer. He led the United States Exploring Expedition (1838–1842).
During the American Civil War (1861–1865), he commanded ' during the ...
brought the
captain's gig
A gig is a type of boat optimised for speed under oar, but usually also fitted with a sailing rig for appropriate conditions. The type was in use by Deal boatmen in the 18th century. It first occurred as a naval ship's boat after Deal boatbuilde ...
(small boat) into the
harbor
A harbor (American English), harbour (British English; see spelling differences), or haven is a sheltered body of water where ships, boats, and barges can be docked. The term ''harbor'' is often used interchangeably with ''port'', which is a ...
for protection. Later, with the publication of Wilkes' 1841 map of the
Oregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. O ...
, he named the sheltered bay Gig Harbor.
In 1867, fisherman Samuel Jerisich came to the Gig Harbor area, along with many other immigrants from Sweden, Norway, and Croatia. The town was platted in 1888 by Alfred M. Burnham.
Gig Harbor was officially incorporated on July 12, 1946. Commercial fishing, boat building, and logging dominated the economy until the construction of the first Tacoma Narrows Bridge in 1940. Until then, the primary method of transportation between Gig Harbor and the economic center of nearby Tacoma was by steamship. Starting in 1836, steamships started plying the waters of Puget Sound and quickly developed into what was eventually dubbed the "Mosquito Fleet". Gig Harbor, isolated from Tacoma and Seattle by Puget Sound and the Tacoma Narrows, could not be reached by automobile or horseback except by a very long and arduous trip south around Puget Sound and Hammersly Inlet. The boom was to be short lived, as the
Tacoma Narrows Bridge
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge is a pair of twin suspension bridges that span the Tacoma Narrows strait of Puget Sound in Pierce County, Washington. The bridges connect the city of Tacoma with the Kitsap Peninsula and carry State Route 16 (know ...
collapsed just months after it was completed. The resource demands of World War II prevented another bridge from being built until 1950. Between the time when the first bridge collapsed and when the second bridge was completed, a state-run ferry service delivered drivers directly into downtown Gig Harbor. Remains of the ferry dock can still be seen just outside the mouth of the harbor at the southeast end of Harborview Drive. The area has been turned into a small park, where the public can see a panoramic view of the Cascade Mountains, Point Defiance, and Mount Rainier.
After the completion of the replacement bridge in 1950, Gig Harbor and the surrounding area quickly began to develop as a suburb of neighboring Tacoma.
First, the area had substantial residential development as families retreated from Tacoma in favor of the tree-lined neighborhoods and waterfront lots available on the Gig Harbor Peninsula. What had once been summer cabins became primary residences for people who commuted daily over the bridge to Tacoma. Medium-sized housing development sprang up across the peninsula. The 1980s and 1990s had substantial retail development near State Route 16 to serve the growing residential population, shifting the economic center of Gig Harbor out of downtown. For some time, city leaders were unsure how to handle the growth while maintaining the character of the city. Ultimately, the city decided to aggressively annex the surrounding rural areas and convert them into high-density commercial and housing districts, forever changing the rural character of the area, but assuring that little new development happens in the historic downtown area, preserving its history and charm. By the 1970s, local merchants had begun actively promoting the downtown area for its historic value, and tourism became prominent on the list of economic engines in Gig Harbor. Today, downtown Gig Harbor is a very active place for tourists with shopping, dining, and recreation on every block. The last large swath of undeveloped waterfront property at the south end of downtown was recently developed into the headquarters of the Russell Foundation, named for George Russell, founder of Russell Financial.
Today, despite a long history of boat building, very little manufacturing exists in Gig Harbor. The only remaining boatbuilder is Gig Harbor Boatworks, which builds rowing and sailing dinghies in classic style using modern materials. Until recently, Tiderunner Boats maintained a manufacturing facility at the north end of the bay. The historic Skansie boatyard is now primarily a maintenance facility for yachts and pleasure craft. The Glein/Eddon/Gig Harbor boatyard was recently purchased by the city after spending many years sitting idle. The city intends to use it as a working waterfront museum.
Commercial fishing is still of great cultural, if somewhat lesser economic, importance to Gig Harbor, and many commercial fishing boats make it their home port. Most, however, do not rely on Puget Sound to gather their catch, instead finding it more profitable to venture north to Alaska to fish in the summer. Gig Harbor's fishing fleet still gathers the first weekend in June (during the Maritime Gig Festival) in the center of the bay for the annual Blessing of the Fleet ceremony. In recent years, due to the dwindling number of remaining fishing boats, pleasure craft have been allowed to participate in the ceremony, somewhat lessening its authenticity, but increasing its visibility and participation.
A new
Tacoma Narrows Bridge
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge is a pair of twin suspension bridges that span the Tacoma Narrows strait of Puget Sound in Pierce County, Washington. The bridges connect the city of Tacoma with the Kitsap Peninsula and carry State Route 16 (know ...
has been built alongside the existing bridge and opened July 2007, doubling past capacity.
Skansie shipyard
In 1905, the Skansie brothers were the first in the area to build a gasoline-powered fishing boat. They did so at first by refitting boats with a gasoline-powered engine. Usually the motors were quite small, between 6 and 8 horsepower; the Skansie brothers originally used a 7-horsepower engine. Although these were powerboats, neither masts nor a turntable to hoist in the nets were used. This work was all done by hand. However, with the introduction of a motor, the boats were not able to go as far as Alaska. Skansie shipyards built fishing vessels from the late 1910s to the early 1950s.
Vessels built by Skansie:
* F/V ''Genius'' – being refitted by grandson of original owner
* F/V ''Shenandoah'' – being restored as a museum piece for the
Harbor History Museum
* F/V ''Supreme'' – registered in Canada as ''Supreme No. 1''
* F/V ''Advocator'' – sunk in early 2000s in Bellingham
* F/V ''Veteran'' – still has permits to fish, was donated to the Gig Harbor Boat Shop and is used to educate people about commercial fishing
* F/V ''Greyling'' – registered with state of Alaska as F/V ''Taylor Maid''
* F/V ''Emancipator'' – serves as tender vessel in
Friday Harbor for San Juan Island salmon seining
* F/V ''Avalon'' – Resided in Port Townsend, later demolished by state
* F/V ''Vernon'' – active in Puget Sound and South East Alaska Seining
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , of which are land and is water.
Climate
Gig Harbor has a
marine west coast
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ...
climate: Warm and dry summers, transitional springs and autumns, and cool and wet winters, with occasional snow. The annual high and low temperatures of Gig Harbor are and , respectively, making for an average of .
Demographics
2010 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
of 2010, 7,126 people, 3,291 households, and 1,937 families resided in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...
was . The 3,560 housing units averaged . The
racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the city was 90.2% White, 1.2% African American, 0.6% Native American, 2.4% Asian, 0.5% Pacific Islander, 1.4% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 5.8% of the population.
Of the 3,291 households, 22.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.1% were not families. About 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.12 and the average family size was 2.69.
The median age in the city was 48.1 years; 18% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were 18 to 24; 21% were 25 to 44; 29% were 45 to 64; and 25% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46% male and 54% female.
2000 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
of 2000, 6,465 people, 2,880 households, and 1,765 families resided in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...
was 1,485.2 people per square mile (573.8/km
2). The 3,085 housing units averaged 708.7 per square mile (273.8/km
2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.2% White, 1.1% African American, 0.6% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 0.5% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.0% of the population.
Of the 2,880 households, 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples]living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.7% were not families. Around 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.75.
In the city, the population was distributed as 20.3% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 23.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $43,456, and for a family was $57,587. Males had a median income of $46,250 versus $28,487 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $28,318. About 3.5% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 7.8% of those under the age of 18 and 4.1% of those ages 65 or older.
Government
At the state level, Gig Harbor is part of the
26th Legislative District - which runs from the Tacoma Narrows in the south to Bremerton in the north. It is represented in the Washington State Legislature by Senator
Emily Randall (D - Bremerton), Representative
Jesse Young (R - Gig Harbor) and Representative
Michelle Caldier
Michelle L. Downey Caldier (born 1976) is an American dentist, professor, and politician serving as a member of the Washington House of Representatives, representing the 26th district since 2015. A member of the Republican Party, Caldier was ele ...
(R - Port Orchard).
At the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
, Gig Harbor is part of
Washington's 6th Congressional District
Washington's 6th congressional district encompasses the Olympic Peninsula, most of the Kitsap Peninsula, and most of the city of Tacoma. Its counties include the entirety of Clallam, Kitsap, Jefferson, and Grays Harbor counties, and part of ...
and is represented by Congressman
Derek Kilmer
Derek Christian Kilmer (born January 1, 1974) is an American politician who has been the U.S. representative for Washington's 6th congressional district since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a member of the Washington House ...
. Gig Harbor is represented in the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
by
Patty Murray
Patricia Lynn Murray (; born October 11, 1950) is an American politician and educator who is the senior United States senator from Washington since 1993. A member of the Democratic Party, Murray was in the Washington State Senate from 1988 to ...
and
Maria Cantwell
Maria Ellen Cantwell (; born October 13, 1958) is an American politician and former businesswoman serving as the junior United States senator from Washington since 2001. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the Washingto ...
.
Education
The
Peninsula School District
The Peninsula School District is the main school district for the city of Gig Harbor, Washington, USA and the unincorporated areas around Gig Harbor and the Key Peninsula. These areas include Artondale, Arletta, Rosedale, Purdy, Wollochet, ...
is the district covering the city of Gig Harbor and the peninsula. Tacoma Community College opened a satellite campus in Gig Harbor in 1992, and also operates a branch serving Washington Corrections Center for Women, also in Gig Harbor.
;High schools
*
Gig Harbor High School
Gig Harbor High School is a public high school in the Peninsula School District in Gig Harbor, Washington. The school opened in September 1979. The school enrolls 1611 students (2017) in ninth through twelfth grades.
Facility history and remode ...
*
Peninsula High School
*
Henderson Bay Alternative High School
Henderson Bay High School is a public alternative high school in Gig Harbor, Washington, United States. It is part of the Peninsula School District and located on the same campus as Gig Harbor High School
Gig Harbor High School is a public hi ...
;Middle schools
* Goodman Middle School
* Kopachuck Middle School
* Key Peninsula Middle School
* Harbor Ridge Middle School
* St. Nicholas Catholic School
;Elementary schools
* Artondale Elementary
* Harbor Heights Elementary
* Discovery Elementary
* Pioneer Elementary
* Purdy Elementary
* Voyager Elementary
* Vaughn Elementary
* Swift Water Elementary
* St. Nicholas Catholic School
Notable people
*
Christophe Bisciglia, founder of
Cloudera
Cloudera, Inc. is an American software company providing enterprise data management systems that make significant use of Apache Hadoop. As of January 31, 2021, the company had approximately 1,800 customers.
History
Cloudera, Inc. was formed on J ...
*
Marian Call, singer-songwriter
*
Jini Dellaccio, photographer
*
Jay Faerber
Jay Faerber (born 1972) is an American comic book and television writer. Faerber is known for his work on ''Generation X'' and ''New Warriors'' for Marvel Comics, and '' The Titans'' and '' Connor: Spotlight'' for DC Comics. He later wrote his ow ...
,
illustrated book writer
*
Freddie Goodwin
Freddie Goodwin (28 June 1933 – 19 February 2016) was an English professional football player and manager. He also played county cricket for Lancashire.
Career
A wing half, Goodwin was signed as a trainee from Cheshire Schoolboys by Manchest ...
, former
Manchester United soccer player and alumnus of the
Busby Babes
The "Busby Babes" were the group of footballers, recruited and trained by Manchester United F.C. chief scout Joe Armstrong and assistant manager Jimmy Murphy, who progressed from the club's youth team into the first team under the management of ...
*
Tally Hall
Tally Hall is an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in December 2002. The band is known for upbeat melodies and whimsical lyrics. The members originally described their musical style as "wonky rock," later redefining their soun ...
, soccer goalie
*
Scott Hatteberg, baseball player, played by
Chris Pratt in ''
Moneyball''
*
Doris Brown Heritage
Doris Elaine Brown Heritage (born September 17, 1942) is a retired American runner. She won the International Cross Country Championships five times in a row, in 1967–1971. She collected silver medals in the 800 m at the Pan American Games, in ...
, athlete
*
Kevin Johnson, chief executive officer (CEO) of
Starbucks
*
Casey Kasem
Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem (April 27, 1932 – June 15, 2014) was an American disc jockey, actor, and radio personality, who created and hosted several radio countdown programs, notably ''American Top 40''. He was the first actor to voice No ...
, actor, television and radio voiceover (lived in Gig Harbor until his death in 2014)
*
Josh Lucas
Joshua Lucas Easy Dent Maurer (born June 20, 1971) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in various films, including '' American Psycho'' (2000), '' You Can Count on Me'' (2000), '' The Deep End'' (2001), '' A Beautiful Mind'' (2 ...
, actor
*
Bob Mortimer, evangelist
*
Onision, YouTuber, lives in Gig Harbor
*
Cory Procter, former NFL football player
*
Kenneth Pinyan, deceased former Boeing engineer and horse aficionado, also known as "Mr. Hands"
*
Christopher Rufo
Christopher Ferguson Rufo (born August 26, 1984) is an American conservative activist and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. He is best known for his activism against critical race theory, which he says "has pervaded every aspect of the fe ...
, conservative activist, senior fellow at the
Manhattan Institute
The Manhattan Institute for Policy Research (renamed in 1981 from the International Center for Economic Policy Studies) is a conservative American think tank focused on domestic policy and urban affairs, established in Manhattan in 1978 by Anto ...
*
Austin Seferian-Jenkins, NFL football player
*
Paul Skansi
Paul Anthony Skansi (born January 11, 1961) is an American football scout for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). A former wide receiver, he played college football for the Washington Huskies and was drafted by the ...
, NFL football player
*
Kyle Stanley
Kyle Stanley (born November 19, 1987) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.
Amateur career
Stanley was born in Gig Harbor, Washington. He was a 2002 graduate of St. Charles Borromeo elementary and middle school and a 20 ...
, professional golfer
*
Keith Weller, former soccer player
*
Charles W. Johnson, jurist and Associate Chief Justice of the
Washington Supreme Court
The Washington Supreme Court is the highest court in the judiciary of the U.S. state of Washington. The court is composed of a chief justice and eight associate justices. Members of the court are elected to six-year terms. Justices must retir ...
*
Howard McLeod, medical scientist
*
Dave Krusen
David Karl Krusen (born March 10, 1966) is an American musician who is best known for being the first drummer for the American rock band Pearl Jam, and for his work on the band's debut album, '' Ten''. Krusen was also a member of the bands Hover ...
, drummer, Rock Hall of Fame member
Media appearances
* The 1973 film ''
Hit!'' had many scenes filmed in the harbor.
* The 2002 film ''
Enough'' had select scenes filmed in the city.
* Three episodes of ''
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' included the fictional character "the Gig Harbor killer".
* The 1996 book ''
Into the Wild'' featured the town.
References
External links
Official city websiteCity of Gig Harbor's Official Visitor WebsiteGig Harbor - Peninsula Area Chamber of Commerce
{{Authority control
Cities in Pierce County, Washington
Cities in the Seattle metropolitan area
Cities in Washington (state)
Populated places on Puget Sound