This Pierce County town of nearly 7,200 lies on the southeastern shore of Kitsap Peninsula, across the water from Tacoma.  Its picturesque namesake harbor draws boaters from near and far, and other visitors flock to the town’s waterfront to enjoy a meal at one of the many dining establishments while gazing at the boats and Mount Rainier in the distance.

According to the Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce Web site, the area was named in 1841 during the U.S. Exploring Expedition commanded by Captain Charles Wilkes. During a storm, several longboats and the Captain’s “gig,” which is a small boat, sought shelter in a small bay. Later, Captain Wilkes named the haven that sheltered them “Gig Harbor.”

The chamber adds: “In 1867, fisherman Sam Jerisich became one of the first white settlers on the shores of Gig Harbor. Others arrived from Norway, Sweden and Croatia and lived side by side with the Native American people. Commercial fishing and related industries, like boat building, dominated the local economy and rhythm of life in the community for more than 100 years. Several sawmills also operated in Gig Harbor from the 1880s through the 1950s.”Gig Harbor was founded in 1888 and incorporated in 1946.

Car ferries began transporting automobiles between Gig Harbor and Tacoma in 1917. (This photo, courtesy of the Harbor History Museum in Gig Harbor, probably was taken in the 1920s.) The first Narrows Bridge connected the Kitsap Peninsula with Tacoma in July 1940 but “Galloping Gertie” collapsed in a windstorm just months later. The replacement bridge was opened in 1950.

Among the town’s main events coming up is the popular Maritime Gig Festival June 5-6.

You can learn more about Gig Harbor by going here and here.