David Wheaton was a Canadian working in Portland when he came to Bremerton to be the superintendent on the Manette Bridge project. It was 1928 and Wheaton, a partner in the Union Bridge Company, would end up spending the rest of his life here, overseeing projects like Eastpark, Casad Dam and the Warren Avenue Bridge.*
To me, history is most importantly about people and the amazing things they do, so I chose to begin our latest monthly Story Walk with a few words about him. At least 35 of you came to walk Saturday the road named for him, Wheaton Way, along the newly remade stretch. We traversed the new, almost mile-long 10-foot sidewalk and had some good discussions about the road’s past, present and future.
We only got rained on one time, while we visited the site of the now deceased Maple Leaf Tavern — proof positive that there’s really no way to stay dry anywhere near that property, even when the bar is long gone.
I hope the experience was fruitful for everyone. I’m still working out the kinks for next month, but I hope you will join us in May for the next one. Watch this blog for details as I know them.
*History courtesy of the great history book “Manette Pioneering.”
Links to all of our Story Walks:
Washington Avenue, past and present
Redwood Rendezvous in West Bremerton
Fourth Street’s Economic Divide
Great walk Josh, but actually Laura Henderson took that first pic, not Dora. 😉
Oh no! I will fix! Sorry!
Thanks for the fun, informative walk 4/25/15, Josh. Now I regret not
being at the Madrona Trails walk. There’s so much change going on
it’s hard to keep up with at times. There’s a big backhoe n the clear-
ed lot above Washington Ave where the Spyglass ? project will be
built. Something more to keep my curiosity fed. j
You are most welcome, Jay. We’ll do one of these every month. There is a lot going on — when Spyglass ramps up I will post photos. Stay tuned!
-josh
Hey Josh, still unpacking things at the new apartment at Bremerton Gardens so I survived the move lol. I’m intensely curious about the history of the street and area and future plans; is there any chance you’d write up a review of what you discovered and discussed on the walk?
Hey Eric!
Well, let’s see …. I opened with the history about David Wheaton (as noted above).
We talked about the street’s new intersections:
http://pugetsoundblogs.com/bremertonbeat/2014/06/19/lower-wheatons-3-new-intersections/
The lighting:
http://pugetsoundblogs.com/bremertonbeat/2015/01/13/fences-and-street-lights-come-to-lower-wheaton-way/
We talked for awhile about the Maple Leaf Tavern:
http://pugetsoundblogs.com/bremertonbeat/2015/01/13/fences-and-street-lights-come-to-lower-wheaton-way/
We also discussed the Bay Bowl:
http://www.kitsapsun.com/business/owner-seeking-new-life-for-shuttered-bay-bowl
I’m trying to think of the other stuff: anyone help me out?
-Josh