In 1853, Port Gamble was formerly named after Lt. Robert Gamble, who was wounded in the War of 1812. The location also inspired Andrew Pope and William C. Talbot of the Pope and Talbot Company of San Francisco to establish an industry here. Both men were exploring the Northwest looking for a site for a sawmill to supply the lumber needs of California, and Port Gamble was the ideal location for their needs.

Captain Josiah P. Keller, who was part of the Pope and Talbot Company, later arrived in Port Gamble with his family and the necessary machinery to start the Puget Sound Mill Company in 1853. When the mill closed in 1995, it was the oldest continuously operating sawmill in the United States. But Port Gamble’s legacy lives on, and the community thrives knowing its history has been preserved.

Many of the community members who helped build Port Gamble are still there today in spirit and continue to make their presences known to the modern-day residents and visitors. From the woman who greets people from her third-floor window at the Walker-Ames House, to the stage manager who overlooks many of the activities that needed to be done at the community hall and theatre—many souls of the past are still here.

James A. Thompson still occupies the Thompson House. He was a sawyer from Maine who built the first part of the house in 1859. Evergreen Paranormal’s sensitive, Maureen Nelson, received a clear impression of James upstairs during our group’s preliminary walk-through of the house. Nelson was taken back one evening when she saw a photo of Mr. Thompson months after first encountering him—it was the same man she saw in her impression.

Other public buildings in town also have experienced supernatural phenomena, such as the general store, where under the store a male’s voice was recorded, though no one (living) was around who could have spoken the words. Events such as these remind people who work there and visit that although the years continue on, these ghosts remain.

Evergreen Paranormal was able to document some interesting EVP on audio tape as well as some on digital video. There are several video segments of orb movement, and one interesting account of Maureen Nelson sensing the presence of a woman in one of the buildings in town. Then, within seconds of recording, some paranormal mist moved from left to right on video. In the basement of this same building, Nelson asked if there was anyone in the building who wished to speak to us, and several seconds later, a male voice said, “Yes.” There were no men in the building during that time. The group did find that moon phases seemed to play a part on the level of haunting activity— seemingly, such activity doesn’t happen during new moons.

Port Gamble is located on the Northeast corner of the Olympic Mountain range and overlooks the Hood Canal Bridge.

Written by — Maureen Nelson Evergreen Paranormal Group

PORT GAMBLE
KITSAP PENINSULA—1 MILE EAST OF THE HOOD CANAL BRIDGE ON HIGHWAY 104
PORT GAMBLE, WASHINGTON
WEBSITE:www.experiencewashington.com/ City_C178.html

Taken from the: Encyclopedia of Haunted Places -Ghostly Locales from around the World – Compiled & Edited by Jeff Belanger – Copyright 2005 by Jeff Belanger