Fort Nisqually

Portland, Oregon to Tacoma, Washington (May 13, 1998)

The rain kept falling so we took our time getting ready that morning. We wandered into downtown Portland and shopped, and tried to stay warm and dry. Ed (mentioned earlier) and John (who shall also remain otherwise nameless because this is the Internet), from my employer’s Portland office met us for lunch. They assured us that Mt. Hood could be viewed on a nicer day, but the only mountain I’d seen during the entire trip was the one on the Washington State license plate.

Intermittent rain made the drive up I-5 into Washington somewhat unbearable and the storm returned to its previous intensity as we approached Tacoma. Originally we planned to spend the afternoon walking around at Point Defiance Park but the weather limited our choices. Nonetheless we enjoyed the Fort Nisqually Historic site, a restored version of an original Hudson Bay Company outpost (map).

We checked into the inn a little early, partly to get dry and partly to catch our breath from several days of travel. We brought a growler home from the local brewpub and relaxed in front of the fireplace.

• Lunch: Rock Bottom Brewery (Portland, OR location).
• Tasting: Bighorn Brewing Company (Tacoma, WA location).
• Dinner: Engine House 9 (Tacoma, WA).

Readers who have an interest in forts might also want to check my Forts, Fortresses and Fortifications page.

Articles in the 1988 Pacific Northwest Series

• Seattle to Astoria
• Astoria to Florence
• Umpqua River Lighthouse
• Coos Bay to Eugene
• Multnomah Falls
• Fort Nisqually
• Driving Up Puget Sound
• As Far as Vancouver
• Return to Seattle
• Pacific Northwest Breweriana