PORT ANGELES — Karolyn Hamerquist Burdick will talk about her recently published book The Last Pysht Valley Pioneer at a Clallam County Historical Society’s “History Tales” lecture on Sunday (Oct. 6).
The lecture will be at First United Methodist Church, 110 E. Seventh St., at 2:30 p.m.
Parking and entry to the church’s social hall are on Laurel Street.
That last pioneer, Gertrude “Gertie” Stange Fernandes, arrived by steamer at Pysht Bay in 1890 when she was 2 years old.
She stayed in the Pysht River Valley until her death at nearly 100 years old.
As a background to Gertie’s story, Burdick will talk about the importance of Pysht Bay as a landing point for steamers and describe the trails that led into the interior of the western Olympic Peninsula, providing the early settlers their only contact with the outside world.
Burdick grew up on the farm that was the homestead of Gertie’s family. Burdick attended school in Clallam Bay and later graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in botany.
After 18 years, she returned to the Pysht River Valley with her husband and three sons.
As well as being an avid researcher and writer, Burdick is active in the Friends of the Clallam Bay Library, which has developed an extensive collection of photographs of the area dating from the early 1900s.
She will have copies of her book available for sale.
Dress warmly
The church is switching out its heating system, so those attending the lecture should dress warmly.
History Tales is free and open to the public.
For further information, phone the Clallam County Historical Society’s office at 360-452-2662 or email artifact@olypen.com.
