Couple rocking out in restoring Eaglemount Rockeries Museum

PORT TOWNSEND — At about the two-mile mark heading into Port Townsend on state Highway 20, a Native American statue named “Watch Out” greets cars with his right arm held high.

He stands perfectly still overlooking traffic from the east side of the highway and offers passers-by a glimpse of what’s to behold if they are curious enough to stop.

Watch Out is the sentinel who keeps guard and one of the many concrete villagers who are getting a new lease on life at the Eaglemount Rockeries Museum.

Earnest and Schen Callahan bought the roadside attraction about three years ago and are now dedicating their efforts into restoring the rockery to its original 1950s glory, with some new amenities.

“These roadside attractions are a thing of the past,” said 50-year-old Schen.

“We decided it would be a good retirement project for us to restore it.”

A public comment period ended Wednesday that gave Jefferson County residents input about the Callahans’ plans to refurbish the rockery by turning a building that was a grocery store and gas station into a museum for rockery memorabilia and drive-through espresso stand.

The Callahans are working with Jefferson County to gain official status as a “small-scale tourist and recreation facility.”

In 1948, Anna Wolfer began crafting concrete and rock figures as a front yard project.

By 1969, her hobby had turned into an outdoor attraction that lured travelers from all over the state to investigate the roadside oddities.

More in News

Children pick up candy along the parade route in Forks on Friday during the Forks Old Fashioned 4th of July Parade. (Lonnie Archibald/for Peninsula Daily News)
Festivities on the Fourth

Children pick up candy along the parade route in Forks on Friday… Continue reading

A new parking lot next to the Sequim Civic Center will be completed by the end of the summer, according to Sequim city staff. The city purchased three lots adjacent to the center in June 2022 to convert the properties into a parking lot. The lots also were known for common calls to 911. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Sequim sets its list of projects

Summer work includes paving streets

Weekly flight operations scheduled

There will be field carrier landing practice operations for aircraft… Continue reading

Security exercise set for Wednesday at Indian Island

Naval Magazine Indian Island will conduct a security training… Continue reading

Project SAFER aims to help those with disabilities

Form identifies sensitivities for law enforcement officers

Summer meal programs help out families in Jefferson County

Jefferson Healthcare and Jefferson County Food Bank Association offer assistance

Violinist Kristian Bugge plays traditional Danish folk songs with Fiddle Tunes found Bertram Levy, July 2. (ELIJAH SUSSMAN/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS)
Fiddle Tunes fill the air at Fort Worden

Traditions flourish, musical and otherwise

Beaver Valley fire sees road closure

One acre vegetation fire controlled quickly

Public meeting on Rayonier Mill Cleanup on Tuesday

The Washington State Department of Ecology on Tuesday will… Continue reading

Port Angeles City Council taking applications for seat

A vacancy on the City Council must be filled… Continue reading

KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
Construction workers stand on what remains of the old U.S. 101 bridge over the Elwha River on Wednesday as the aging structure is dismantled. The old bridge, built in 1926, was in danger of washout when the river beneath changed course and engineers discovered the bridge piers were built on gravel instead of bedrock, leading to constructon of a new bridge, at right, which was opened to traffic in 2024. The old bridge was to remain in place until a fish-spawning window, which runs from mid-July until the end of August.
Bridge removal

Construction workers stand on what remains of the old U.S. Highway 101… Continue reading