Port Townsend has to be one of the most charming towns we have visited.
It is a historic Victorian seaport on the edge of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state.
Click to enlarge if you want to see the details of this amazing house and garden.
The town is bordered by the stunning Puget Sound and the Straight of Juan de Fuca.
It has panoramic views of the sound and the snowy Olympic Mountains.
This beauty with her Mansard roof is perched overlooking the water, with windows everywhere, to capture the views.
Port Townsend is full of art galleries and artists.
The residents have restored the town’s many painted ladies to surpass their former glory.
Bounded by seas and sounds, Port Townsend has wonderful restaurants, as well as fun pubs and cafes.
St Paul’s Episcopal Church is a gothic revival built in 1860.
Wandering the the old Victorian neighborhoods is a architectual browsers paradise.
Cheers to you from stunning and historic Port Townsend~
One of my favorite places! Were you able to visit For Worden? Highly recommend if not.
Also, if you are not already on your way, check out Point No Point. Also a great little park with a historical lighthouse, sandy beaches, and a view for days… 🙂
Wonderful! Thanks for the tip. There is sooooo much to see here. I have been to this area several times and have not yet begun to scratch beneath the surface.
We were going to stay there, in a cottage. It is wonderful. I would love to come back and stay there.
Wow! Great old houses. Painters love it!
This is the home of happy painters! 😉
These lovely photos of Port Townsend remind me very much of the house I have seen in Victoria, BC. I guess that’s where the term Victorian is coming from. Great photo essay, Cindy!
Pt. Townsend and Victoria are just a hop and a skip from each other by ferry, and yes, the similarities are marked. Both are very beautiful. Victoria is a much bigger city though, and PT is a small quiet town.
Wow Cindy you make these look so stunning. Like a real estate showing. So beautiful. I love the quaint feeling of these houses and this town. The gardens are stunning <3
Yes, a quaint feeling describes it perfectly. The gardens, the restorations, the setting itself, all combine to make this a very special place.
I think so too. My two favorite Aunties live in WA and their gardens are so rich and brightly colored. Maybe it’s the damp climate that gives them such vibrance. <3
I agree, rich soil, a moderate climate and tons of rain. The flowers just seem so healthy.
<3
Reblogged this on Musings on Life & Experience and commented:
Lovely photos by Cindy Knoke of Port Townsend’s painted ladies (older homes).
Have a wonderful weekend and thank you sweet friend <3
Really enjoyed this stroll with you, Cindy, through Port Townsend. I took a ferry here, once, but didn’t see the beautiful houses, so enjoyed this aspect. The emerald grass and trees and flowery gardens are so rich with life.
Happy you have been. It is a truly beautiful place and so were the nearby San Juan Islands. You do have to not be bothered by lots of rain to live her happily.
What a treat to see Victorian houses preserved and decked out like these! Thanks for capturing their old majesty 💛
Thank you for appreciating them Val & cheers to you <3
They’re all lovely! I especially love the green painted themes, roof lines, and the gingerbread trims.
The green was a theme, used really creatively with other colors, and I could have done a whole post just on the roof details. Wonderful! You have good eyes.
Oh my! I love those houses 💚
I do too <3
Gorgeous houses!
Hi Peter! They are special aren’t they.
Beautiful images! I could look at old houses forever.
You and me both. I love touring them too.
Gorgeous homes and landscaping! Each photo looks like a postcard and you did a wonderful job capturing the beauty of each. 🥰
Ahhh, you are very kind & most appreciated. Thank you!
Fabulous property porn!
Love architectural porn!
I love Port Townsend. We stayed in one of the painted ladies which had been turned into a B&B. It was so cool.
So did we! It was beautiful and so restful.
Such unique architecture! All this modern day stuff is just duplicated design!
Agreed, and poor duplications to boot!
What a gorgeous place! And that house with all its windows to provide residents spectacular water views is amazing! Thanks for introducing me to Port Townsend, Cindy!
That is truly a stunning home and property. It was the first to be declared a historical landmark.
So beautiful. A living time capsule.
I love escaping into the past in places like this <3
Gorgeous!
Happy you enjoyed!
I’ll take the one with the Mansard roof overlooking the Sound, thank you.
Yes, that one was really amazing. I have photos of the glassed in patio that runs the whole length of the back of the house with the most stunning views. It was the first home in Pt. Townsend to be registered as an historical building.
Even better!
<3
What an amazing, beautiful place to live. Thanks for sharing it with us, Cindy. Hugs on the wing.
Hugs back to you sweet friend~
Beautiful photo of these houses, Cindy! They are so well presented and maintained. 💗
There is lots of love and care demonstrated here.
Beautiful Houses!
Aren’t they wonderful. I would like to spend a summer in one.
Such charming Victorian houses – the restorations are certainly a labor of love. <3
Yes, and artistry. One home’s garden was so creative and whimsical I was enraptured.
Lovely buildings Cindy. I’ve noticed that many communities that are near the ocean/sea tend to paint their buildings/homes in bright colours. Two that come to mind are Newfoundland and many of the Greek Islands. I wonder why?
Leslie
That is so interesting. I was born and grew up by the ocean and my town was not particularly colorful. Both the places you mention are not in the USA. I tend to see more use of color abroad. New Orleans and San Fran, both by water, are quite colorful though, and that gorgeous town full of Victorians in Florida……
just a random thought passing through my mind as I looked at your photos….
Absolutely amazing. So very beautiful.
Thank you. It would be so fun to spend a summer here. There is so much left to explore.
A grand collection indeed!
And there were so many more, and the historic downtown, but I had already broken my own rule and posted more photos than I allow myself!
You did well … and cheers to your self-imposed rule. 🙂
Thank you.
I thought this post was going to be about butterflies (painted lady), but I enjoyed looking at these houses even more. Wonderful colours and trim and style. Great post, Cindy.
I am happy you enjoyed. Painted Lady butterflies would be so at home in these gardens! <3
What an interesting variety of architecture and the gardens are utterly charming. This is one town I would love to walk around.
One house reminded me of the verandah and double storey of my best friend’s home. They have restored all the exterior and painted it the traditional colours of the era in which is was built, just like in your post.
Must be wonderful to be in your friends home. It is so wonderful to see so many of them so beautifully restored & you are right, the gardens were just scrumptious.
Beautiful in every way!
Thank you Rosaliene & cheers!
Love Victorian homes! We’re just across the water in Victoria, Canada. There are many old beauties like that here 🙂
There certainly. Victoria is truly beautiful.
Beautiful.
Lovely place to live!
What an amazing place!
I wonder why I had never visited before!
🙂
Love them all! <3
I do too and the setting is so beautiful too!
Amazing place
They are dream houses. Its beauty can be seen at first sight by how well taken care of they are. The photos are impressive. You have captured the colors brilliantly. A visit that is worth doing. Greetings.
What a lovely and kind comment. You make me glad I posted. Thank you.
How wonderful that these treasures have been restored and kept up! Looks like paradise to me.
Yes, and it has this feeling of safety, which is sorely needed in our country these days.
It is great.
You can apply for free membership to get good chances and free eBook [ MY HEART NOT MY EYES]. More information is on GCBA GLOBAL GROUP post.
You are welcome in London at any time.
Best wishes.
Thanks much & cheers to you!
Idyllic and nostalgically wonderful, these beautiful pics by you make me envious of the past.
TY, Cindy, great shots of a sweet place!
Awww, thank you Resa. I am envious of the past too. I can so easily imagine living here in the 1890’s and it is sooo appealing <3
Agree!
Love to you Resa.
My sister lived in Port Hadlock for about a year right outside Port Townsend and she took me around a little but I do NOT remember seeing those beautiful homes! I also didn’t get to any lovely restaurants but there are lots of arts and creative things going on. Thank you for showing me the lovelier side of this. Perspective.
The weird thing is, I have explored some of the nearby areas several times, but PT was never on my radar. Just goes to show my radar isn’t worth much. It also may indicate, the more you travel, the more humble you get, for good reason. There is always so much more in this world that we can ever see, no matter how hard we try. Lots of travel makes me recognize I am kinda dumb, comparatively. And I like this. Love to you Marlene, and to your wonderful son, and be well my friend.
We loved this town and will go back again! Thanks for sharing these gorgeous photos, Cindy!
I am home now, and my husband and I both want to go back. Port Townsend is sort of like quintestial good America, absent our current stress and strife.
We’ve been exploring the greater area up there and will move in that direction eventually. Still trying to figure out where we would fit in with kindred spirits. We’ll see!
The church looks AMAZING. 🙂
It is! Just simple, humble, old and beautiful.
Yep.🙂
When I saw the photograph, I immediately thought it looked like an Episcopal church–and sure enough, it was!
Yep, it has that unique Episcopalianess!! 😉
WHAT a treat it is to see these beautiful homes and gardens. They must require a lot of ongoing maintenance, so hats off to their owners!
So happy you enjoyed them Anne and you are right, these homes are maintained with lots of love, talent and TLC. <3
Such character. I’m living in a town that has homes dating back to the 1700s.
I am envious. I would love to visit. I love the sensation of going back to an earlier time.
I intend to start posting these old homes. Some are on registries. This area was the breeding ground for The Revolution.
I look forward to seeing what you post.
😁
Gorgeous homes!!! My favourite is the one with the Mansard roof, for I love all those big windows! I am a creature of light … I cannot stand to have the blinds closed during the day, and the bigger the windows the better! Thanks for adding a bit of beauty to this day!
I feel exactly the same as you. All my houses have lots of windows most of which are uncovered. I love the light. The house you mention had the entire back enclosed in an open glass patio running the entire length of the house and looking directly down at the sea. Gorgeous. Thank you so much for taking the time to post such a thoughtful comment Jill & cheers to you~
das gefällt mir sehr, da ist er, der Sommer 2019, passe auf dich auf und genieße ihn, Klaus
Frohen Sommer, lieber Freund Klaus!
vielen dank, alles Gute
<3 <3
How beautiful! Thank you for this fabulous tour, Cindy. Stunning photos, as always!
Awww, so nice of you Jennie & so appreciated too. Thank you!
You are welcome, Cindy. 🙂
<3
All so tastefully done
Thank you Derrick. There is lots of love and care put into these beauties & it shows.
Absolutely gorgeous!
Thank you & so happy you enjoyed!
All are beautiful but the church is special. Very few details yet stands out in crowd. Hope life is treating you kind. Where are you off to next?
The church is special isn’t it. Thanks so much for your thoughtful comments. We are going to Santa Ynez wine country soon, en famille, to spend time with our new twin grandsons. Happy Sunday & cheers to you~
You post a lot of your photos on Pintrest…right? I’ve missed so many trips I wondered if you’ve been to New Zealand, Amterdam or Sweden. I bet the landscape is nice in all three. I have an affection for those mean little taz devils, I wouldn’t want to be stuck in a cage with them. 🙂
I have been to all those places, and you are absolutely correct, beautiful lush gardens and flowers in all three places. We are going back to Tasmania in 2020, so tune in. I have already scheduled a visit to a Tasmanian Devil rescue and sanctuary organization.
Those little devils are so cute and so vicious! I look forward to your upcoming trip to Tazmania. Are you scheduled for another trip this year?
Yes, we are going to spend time with polar bears, and belugas, and other arctic critters in Churchill Canada, and then will rent a cabin in Kicking Mountain National Park which is outside of Winnipeg. I hear that are terrible fires in Canada now and I hope they subside soon.
I would love to see the Carabu migration, it looks like a once in a lifetime experience. I also love belugas they seem so interested in us but I’m sure in the deep see they are different. 🙂
You can swim with them if you wish, in a dry suit, and there are said to be thousands of them converging there at the same time. The caribou migration would be quite a thrill to see, but I hear the mosquitos are fierce.
Forget mosquitos!
Yep. One must get a few nibbles to see the wonder.
They can carry Lyme too.
They can.
they can bite an infected animal the same as a tick can.
<3 <3
Yes, I LOVE Port Townsend! 😍
Now, I do too! <3
I love Port Townsend! My former boyfriend and I spent a few romantic weekends there back in the day.
Lucky you two! Perfect place for a romantic weekend.
I had always heard good things about Port Townsend when I lived in the NW, but I never had the chance to visit. Thanks for sharing the pretty house tour Cindy!
Same with us. We now wonder why we waited so long. The San Juan Islands are beautiful too.
That’s another area I want to see!
I hope you do Brad. It is quite beautiful.
Such beautiful houses! Really stunning, I only know houses like this from films.
I know what you mean, the town had this fairy tale feel to it, like we had just stepped back into the late 1800’s.
Lovely houses.😊
Thank you Imelda & Happy Sunday~
I keep coming back to the one with the “Mansard roof . . . with windows everywhere.” It seems to be looking at me and shouting something. I wonder, are there real people there in Port Townsend? It seems mysterious. Beautifully mysterious.
Laughing….I know, I love that house. The length of the entire back of the house overlooking over the sound is a enclosed glass patio. It is truly special.
You’re welcome. Have a great week to you. 🙂
<3
Cindy these are fabulous!
Thank you & I am very pleased you enjoyed them!
These painted ladies are absolutely gorgeous!
Marvelous architecture that shows the culture and history of the town.
It is wonderful isn’t it. It feels like a safe place where one could escape the violence which is now the norm of daily American life.
Cindy, you did a wonderful job with these photos. I was there years ago and it was magical!
Thank you! I am so glad you were there. I have no idea why we hadn’t visited before now.
Just beautiful architecture.. Such picturesque homes.. <3
Aren’t they lovely! Happy you enjoyed & thanks for stopping by.
I love old architecture like that! So classy and beautiful
Yes, these old houses have soul. So happy you like them <3
I shall have to go see them too
I hope you do, and post it too!
I will, I promise
<3 <3
Stunning photos Cindy. Thanks for sharing
Cheers to you Gary & glad to see on your blog that you are enjoying yourself~
Wow. Those homes and church are gorgeous. Beautiful photos. Thanks for the “tour.”
Thanks so much for joining me on the tour & happy you enjoyed!
Cindy, these photographs are beautiful. Thank you.
Ahhh, thank you Charles & have a wonderful week my friend.
The one with the mansard roof is my favorite, Cuz. The windows are gorgeous! 🌸, Enjoy!!! ………..💙
I love it too. A house that ticks all the boxes and also takes you back in time.
This is a place I wish we had visited when our son lived in Seattle. Beautiful houses and beautiful shots, Cindy!
I wish I had visited sooner too. Somehow it was never on my radar which is my loss~
Mine too. 🙁
<3
Reblogged this on charles french words reading and writing and commented:
Here are beautiful photographs from Cindy Knoke!
Cheers and thank you Charles for being such a thoughtful friend!
We’ve been to Port Townsend many a time, it’s one of the standard stops for my dive club. (Frequently diving a couple hundred yards west of the lighthouse at Point Wilson, with occasional excursions to other spots in the region.) I’ll be interested to see if you feature more beyond the Painted Ladies.
Lucky you to visit here regularly. I have no idea why it took so long for us to visit here. It is clearly our loss.
It was a great calm time, when no streetcars and vans were rolling by and airplanes flying high. (And polluting the environment)
Can’t you just imagine what a treat it would be to time travel back and experience it…..
Wow, it looks like a magical place, Cindy!
Thank you ally. It is lovely indeed.
My pleasure, Cindy!
<3 <3
What gorgeous properties – so individual and beautifully presented. Must be a lovely place to wander around, or, indeed, to live in!
Happy you enjoyed these beauties. It is lovely to visit and wander here. We wish we had allocated more time.
What beautiful homes! My favorite is the yellow house with the balcony and the double bay windows.
Isn’t it lovely! I have always been partial to yellow houses. They are so cheerful.
I’ve not been there since the late 80s! Your photos make me want to go back. 🙂
Thank you for another wonderful impressions shared. Looking a the great images i am feeling like in a fairy tale. Best wishes, Michael
Awww, your very kind comments make me happy. Thank you Michael and be well.
You too, Cindy! Its true! Wonderful work. Michael
Grazie mille <3
What lovely and beautifully restored old houses!
Yes, testaments to people walking the walk, living in the places they value, preserve and restore.
Amazing architecture!
It is isn’t it! Thank for appreciating it.
i find these places
most endeering 🙂
Thank you. So do i!
Beautiful home and yards and beautifully captured with your camera 🙂
Thank you John & I am pleased you enjoyed~
I love old heritage homes. Your share is so representative of homes during the industrial revolution. I love the variations, also.
Back to a time when artistry was a part of everyday life. We have lost too much in advancing beyond this.
So truthful that is.
<3
I believe I would feel like I was almost in heaven 🙂 Jen
The town had this feeling of safety and with it’s stunning location, yes, it felt heavenly <3
I love walking around a town and looking at the old homes. It’s nice that people are willing to take care of these wonderful buildings.
Yes, they are keeping the past, present, and it is beautiful <3
I love Port Townsend.i lived near in port angeles for 5 years.
Beautiful area to live. I have been to Port Angeles several times.
It’s picture perfect!!! 😍
Thanks so much & cheers to you!
It’s charming indeed!
Very pleased you enjoyed!
Eeeep! Get me there ! What a charming place to call home. I’d live there in a heartbeat . I’ve just Googled how I’d get there 😀 1 hr 55 min non-stop to Seattle then 1:40 minute drive to PT !! Putting it on the list 😀 You could be a travel agent x K
Talk to me before you go. I can give you some recommendations which of course you don’t have to follow. 😉
Absolutely my dear, thank you ! Shall I name drop when we arrive? You didn’t paint the town red did you, LOL xK
You should name drop, but not with my name, as it will get you nowhere, fast! 😉 😉
snicker 😀 You’re funny!
So are you.
This is an interesting little getaway. 🐠👍
Yep. Getaways are usually like this.
This is one that is perfect for a loner or for a romantic meet. There are other getaways that are purely vacation vacation perfect for business meets. Well that is how I get away.
Good on you. Anyway you get away, is good for everyone, most of all you <3
That is Right. And your following cindy knoke is sincerely appreciated. I definitely look forward to more visits with you.°°°🐟~~°°°🐟~~
Visa versa 2UX2 <3
Really beautiful buildings, Cindy. And from a UK perspective, very unusual. I particularly love the house by the water with the Mansard roof – something I’ve never seen before. I suppose one can just about see a connection between these and British Victorian architecture. And thank you, by the way, for visiting my blog.
That house on the cliff with the mansard roof is a stunner. It was the first to be designated as an historic building. It’s entire back wall is a fully glassed in sunroom. Lovely! Your blog is wonderful and it is lovely to meet you. Thank you for stopping by!
Cindy – I do apologize. I’ve only just seen your June 20 comment. That’s maybe because when I left my June 19 comment I forgot to check the box to be notified of new comments – which I have now remedied. Anyway – in a much delayed response! – very interesting to hear more of that house with that wonderful roof. Who or what is or was ‘mansard’? And thank you for your valued comment on my blog. I’m always delighted when someone tells me they’ve derived something positive from it. I don’t blog anywhere near as often as I’d like to. But I spend three or four hours of every day writing my book and that doesn’t leave much mental energy left for other things. It’s only my second book, but I can’t turn out novels one a year as some do. ‘Albatross’, my first, took me five years, and this one so far has taken two – and I reckon there’s another eighteen months to go. I’m writing it from the point of view of a woman! It’s a path strewn with potential pitfalls I guess, but I so far, I haven’t found it the elephant trap I thought it might be. Only time will tell. Anyway, good to meet you too.
No worries. I understand. A Mansard roof is a four sided roof with two slopes. The first example I am aware of is on The Louvre. Good luck with your book. The process sounds grueling, but I am sure worth it in the end.
Les grandes dames. Ils sont magnifiques!
Merci beaucoup mon Ami Lea <3
❤
<3
❤
Port Townsend…what a magical place indeed. Looking at the architectural design of those homes leaves me in awe of how carefully placed each piece is. The landscaping too, my goodness. How truly beautiful this place appears to be. Washington state has some breathtaking scenery.
Washington state is gorgeous and like you I am struck by the artistry and these homeowners have devoted to their historic homes. It is the small, individual, whimsical touches, that impress me the most. The whole town has this feeling of going back in time peacefulness. <3
Going back in time…. I love the sounds of that 🙂 And I agree, it is those very simple details that are the most impressive. A home vs. just a house.
So nice to know we are in accord. Thank you.
I fell in love with Port Townsend on a brief visit last year, and would move there in a heartbeat if I could afford it. You beautifully captured the painted ladies, and this post has me yearning to return 🙂
I am so glad you were there, so you know about it, personally. Lovely to meet you & thank you for stopping by and saying hello <3
How fabulous! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Outstanding! Certainly a destination if I ever was in the area. Did you take the photos? Beautiful. Our daughter lives in Portland. I’ll be sure to tell her about it.