Arts & Entertainment Community

Day Tripper | A visit to Poulsbo, Washington’s Little Norway

If you’ve lived in this area for any length of time, you’ve probably visited Poulsbo, most likely more than once.

Whenever guests are in town either their “must-do” list or mine includes a trip up to “Little Norway.” And, while I’ve been to Poulsbo a half-dozen times or more, it seems like we always see the same places and do the same things over and over again. Our to-do list nearly always revolves around two of my favorite activities: shopping and eating. Poulsbo does both very well.

Poulsbo is well known for its main street, fittingly named Front Street, which affords many an opportunity to shop for the unusual. What better time to make a return trip than during the holidays? I was also curious about how a place that prides itself on being Washington’s most authentic Scandinavian Village wears its Christmas finery.

Since I was there during the afternoon on a rare sunny day, I really was not able to get the full effect of the many lights and displays that decorate the town. But I’m certain that like everything else in Poulsbo, it is impressive.

Poulsbo 101

Just about 35 miles due north of Gig Harbor, Poulsbo lies on the shores of Liberty Bay (originally Dogfish Bay). Home to approximately 13,000 people, it covers an area of about 4.5 square miles.

Interestingly, it is one of four and the smallest city in Kitsap County. The other three are Bainbridge Island, Bremerton and Port Orchard, the county seat. (The much larger Silverdale is not a city because residents have repeatedly voted against incorporation, relying on Kitsap County for governance and services instead.)

Getting there

Access to just about any place north of Gig Harbor and west of Puget Sound requires taking Highway 16 north to Highway 3. Stay on 3 north past Silverdale. Get off at the second Poulsbo exit, Highway 305, and follow the signs to Downtown Poulsbo.

Your first turn is from Highway 305 to Bond Road. If parks, hikes, and nature are important to you, I’d suggest stopping for a minute to check out Fish Park. Just as soon as you’ve turned onto Bond, you’ll see a small parking area on your right. Park for a minute and walk toward the footbridge. The map there will help you get the lay of the land and figure out which of the small hikes you might like to do. Happy hiking!

We’ll talk more about Fish Creek Park later when we look at the many parks that dot Poulsbo and make it a very walkable and hikeable city.

 The lay of the land

Did you know that Puget Sound is a fjord? A fjord is defined as a long, narrow waterway that’s usually surrounded by steep cliffs on each side. Fjords were carved out of valleys long, long ago by glaciers.

Fjords are rare in the United States and Washington has one of only a very few fjords in North America and the only fjord on the contiguous West Coast of the United States.

Many people may know that. I was not one of them. Now I know.

Founded by Norwegian immigrant Jorgen Eliason in the 1880s, Poulsbo was originally settled by a large number of Scandinavian (primarily Norwegian) immigrants because it reminded them of their native countries, which are replete with fjords. It’s been reported that the earliest settlers fell in love with the area because the topography was so much like home despite being a lot more temperate.

The area became Poulsbo in 1886 when Iver Moe petitioned the USPS for mail delivery to the area, which at the time was called Dogfish Bay. The name that he selected was Paulsbo, which was both the name of the village he was from in Norway and the name for the log dump owned by Paul Wahl known as Paul’s Landing.

It ended up not mattering because when the Postmaster General filled out the charter, he most likely misread Moe’s cursive writing and established the mail delivery location as Poulsbo.

Parks, parks, and more parks

The city of Poulsbo has 16 city parks totaling 137 acres, about half of which are developed. Most notable among them are:

• Net Shed Park, 18431 Fjord Drive
• Oyster Point Park, 17881 Fjord Drive
• Nelson Park, 20296 3^rd Ave NW

11 acres including a picnic shelter with tables, restrooms and a playground. It is also home to the Nelson Family farmhouse and the Martinson Cabin Museum, which is operated by the Poulsbo Historical Society. A pedestrian trail connects Nelson Park to Fish Park.

• Fish Park, 288 NW Lindvig Way

40 acres on the Liberty Bay Estuary and Dogfish Creek Fish Park is an urban nature park that has interpretive signs, 1.5 miles of trails, boardwalk and viewing platforms.

• American Legion Park, adjacent to Front Street

Four acres that include wooded trails, restrooms, playgrounds and picnic tables, and a boardwalk leading to Waterfront Park.

• Muriel Iverson Williams Waterfront Park, 18809 Anderson Parkway

Nearly two acres, includes the Austin-Kvelstad Pavilion, restrooms, picnic areas and a boardwalk that leads to the American Legion Park.

Waterfront Park is located between Front Street and the water.  It includes a free parking area that is several blocks long.  Even on a busy Sunday afternoon during the holiday season, I was able to find a parking place.  At the end of the parking lot is the Public Boat Launch.

• Raab Park 17348 Caldart Ave NE

21 acres including a picnic shelter, restrooms, the P-patch (a 54-plot community garden) and youth demonstration gardens, a playground and playfield, horseshoe pits, a sand volleyball court, a full-sized basketball court, a dog park, and a skate park.  A Play for All park that features an ADA compliant playground is scheduled to open sometime this spring.

If you’d like more information about the Poulsbo parks, the city provides a printable brochure and map on its website.

Kitsap Peninsula National Water Trails System

In May 2014, the U.S. Department of the Interior designated the Kitsap Peninsula Water Trails System as part of the National Water Trails System. It is the first in Washington state and the only natural saltwater trail in the U.S.

The National Water Trails System is a network of water trails open to the public.  National Water Trails have been established to protect and restore America’s rivers, shorelines, and waterways; conserve natural areas along waterways; and increase access to outdoor recreation on shorelines and waterways.

The trails system offers residents and visitors year-round access to enjoy water-related activities from kayaking around bays and coves to sailing around the entire Kitsap Peninsula. It includes 371 miles of shoreline, a variety of water-related activities including kayaking, boating, scuba diving, fishing, and wildlife viewing. You can find more information and an interactive map here showing the many local access points (including those in the Gig Harbor area).

SEA Discovery Center

SEA Discovery Center has a long history. It was built in the 1960s as the Poulsbo Marine Science Center serving as a marine education resource for the community and local schools. In the 1990s, it moved to its present location in downtown Poulsbo.

After a short closure in 2005,  the center reopened with new seawater systems and aquarium exhibits that continue today. A floating boathouse laboratory was developed for elementary students.

In May 2016, the Poulsbo Marine Science Center was formally gifted to Western Washington University with an agreement that the college would maintain and staff it. As a self-sustaining entity of WWU, the center was renamed SEA Discovery Center.

A 7-foot-6, 8,000-pound octopus sculpture welcomes visitors. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Historic Poulsbo

Several places in Poulsbo are certainly worth checking out. Before we leave the Poulsbo parks we need to talk about the Martinson Cabin Museum, and while we’re at it, the Nelson Family farmhouse.

Built in the late 1800s by the Martinson family, the cabin was moved to its present location in 2006 to preserve it as a historical landmark. Historical tools, transportation, laundry and the other elements of daily living are displayed. The Poulsbo Historical Society opens the museum on Saturdays — from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the summer and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the winter.

Also on the park property is the vintage Nelson Family farmhouse.  It is currently being used as the caretaker’s residence.

The relatively new Poulsbo City Hall, located at the corner of Third Avenue and Moe Street, opened in 2010 after many years of planning and two years of construction. Its modern style is in sharp contrast to the First Lutheran Church just down the street.

It’s hard to miss the First Lutheran Church of Poulsbo. It is the iconic church shown towering over the community in nearly all of the pictures of downtown and the waterfront. First Lutheran is on 4th Avenue, two blocks up the hill from Front Street.

It was established as the Fordefjord Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in 1886 by roving pastor N.G. Nilsen and original settler Jorgen Eliason. Early pastors would circulate on horseback between congregations in Poulsbo, Vinland, Bangor and Keyport, speaking once or twice a month at each location. Services were in Norwegian.

Once-a-month English-language services were approved in 1921, the result of World War I and the increase to Poulsbo’s population with the boom of military families employed at the naval base at Keyport. The church’s name was changed to First Lutheran in 1942.

Front Street

As we come down into the town via Front Street, among the first places you’ll see are the Poulsbo Heritage Museum and the Maritime Museum. They were really interesting, so I would recommend taking a few minutes to investigate before hitting the shops and eats.  Alternatively, they might be a good place to ditch the family and go shopping on your own.

Heritage Museum

The Heritage Museum is located at 19020 Front St. Exhibits reflect the early history and culture of Poulsbo families. Admission is free; hours are daily 10 to 4, extending to 5 p.m. in June, July, and August.

Maritime Museum

The Maritime Museum at 19010 Front St. has exhibits that focus on the maritime history of the region. There are a number of interactive displays, things to see and things to do.

Between the two buildings is a boatyard that features displays explaining the history of boat building in the Liberty Bay area over the past 150 years.

Shopping

If you’re trying to get in a last-minute shopping trip before the holidays, Poulsbo is the place to do it. The town is full of cute little boutiques, shops, and galleries that offer up one-of-a-kind gifts. The easiest way to get the lay of the land so that you can efficiently part with your hard-earned dollars is to consult the guide provided on-line by the Visitors Bureau.

Here are a couple of destinations you want to be sure to check out:

Boehm’s Chocolates

Julius R. Boehm originally established his chocolate company on Ravenna Avenue in North  Seattle in 1942. The family relocated to its present location in Issaquah in 1956 and opened the shop in Poulsbo during the 1984 Viking Fest. It features an old-fashioned candy counter and a vast selection of the chocolates and other candies that the company is famous for.

Liberty Bay Books

Located at 18881 Front St., Liberty Bay Books is an independent bookstore. A local children’s book author, Suzanne Selfors, has owned it since 2020. They are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. The assortment of books, e-books, audio books, cards, gifts, games, book clubs and author events are curated specifically for their Pacific Northwest clientele.

The building itself is unique with a square cupola adorning the front corner of the store. On top of the cupola is a glimmering turret. As I admired the structure, I was taken with what I assumed was a beautiful sculpted bird sitting atop the ball at the tip of the turret. I was wondering what material they had used that allowed them to sculpt the bird to exactly match the turret. And then the bird flew away.

A dozen antique (or is it vintage?) stores

As so many small tourism-based towns do, Poulsbo has more than its fair share of antique stores. A handful of them are located on Front Street. One of the newest is Rust and Relic, located on the water side of Front Street near the Discovery Center.

If you’re hungry

I could be content with no more than the Boehm Chocolate store. Well, maybe I need Sluys Bakery as well. I do think that in order to avoid a severe sugar high, I should perhaps make a better decision and visit at least one of the 40+ restaurants in the downtown Poulsbo area before I indulge in multiple sweet treats.

It wouldn’t be hard to tour the world’s cuisines by visiting a different location each time you’re in town. And you won’t be in danger of losing your caffeine buzz. I counted at least 10 coffee locations in the vicinity of Front Street alone. The Poulsbo Economic and Development department brags that there are five breweries in town, or one for every 2,500 residents.

Military influence 

Poulsbo is very much aware of its dependence on the local military bases for its economic prosperity. Displays at both the Heritage Museum and Maritime Museum stress the role of the military in the growth of the area.

I always do a considerable amount of research before I visit an area that I think I know, and often find out my knowledge barely scratches the surface. This proved true again this trip.

I discovered the Keyport area and the U.S. Naval Undersea Museum on the shores of Liberty Bay, just over six miles south of Poulsbo. With the short days this time of year, I found I really didn’t have time for a side trip that required more than a brief stop and a picture. I need to go back when I can take the time to check out this area more thoroughly.

At the Maritime Museum in downtown Poulsbo, I picked up a brochure that looked interesting. Published by the Poulsbo Historical Society, it is a Driving Tour of the area that includes several sites, some of which are related to military history.

I never intend for this column to descend to the level of a history class field trip. We all know that the United States and the military have a long naval history in our area. But now, I’m curious.

I’ve added an investigation of the things to do, places to go, and people to see that relate to the Navy’s presence in the Keyport, Poulsbo Bangor, and Bremerton areas to my growing list of day trips I hope to take later this year. The days are sure to be a lot longer. Who knows, the weather might even cooperate.

---

About the Day Tripper column

Gas prices are sky high, and a night in a hotel is approaching astronomically expensive.  So, for the foreseeable future, I imagine many of you are going to find yourselves taking day trips rather than the road trip vacations we’ve grown to love. 

This beautiful region in which we live is ripe with opportunities to explore new places, see new things, and learn a little something at the same time. I promise to keep the longest journeys to a one-way distance of under 200 miles. Whether you want to make it an overnight trip, a weekend, or just a very long day trip, we should be able to pull it off.   

I hope you’ll grant me the honor of your virtual company as we travel these roads together.  Happy trails!