posted October 7, 2022 - Six months ago, an arson fire destroyed three historic buildings in Friday Harbor. In an essay posted on historylink.org, Lynn Weber/Roochvarg of Friday Harbor described what was lost.
"The community mourns the loss of buildings that housed more than 125 years of Friday Harbor history. One building, home to a long-favorite tavern and a popular coffee shop, was originally a store selling everything from groceries to wool fleece. The oldest was a hotel for more than a century before becoming a real-estate office. The third began as the town's first movie house and was used by numerous enterprises over the years, most recently a kayaking business."
The Crystal Seas Kayaking building is on the right.
She details the history of the building that was most recently Crystal Seas Kayaking.
"Just east (downhill) of the Bay View Hotel, on another property originally owned by Joseph Sweeney, a new kind of entertainment debuted in 1912. Moving pictures had come to town and were shown every Wednesday and Saturday at the small Star Theatre there. Because there was no town electric utility, John Browning and his son Charles arranged with the nearby creamery, which had its own dynamo (electricity generator), to provide power to the theater over long wires strung between the buildings. The result, it was said, showed the films "to better advantage than many that are seen in the cities" ("The Picture Show"). A typical program would include three or four reels (movies such as The Governor or Locked Out of Wedlock) and an illustrated song. Unfortunately, the creamery's direct current (DC) electricity was not the right kind to operate the electric piano (alternating current [AC] was needed) purchased to accompany the silent films, which were brought to the island on the steamship Rosalie.
"In later years this building was the site of a variety of businesses. At several periods it housed a barber shop, and at one time the barber also provided a laundry service in the back. Sometimes it was a real-estate office. In the 1970s it was the cozy Sweet Tooth Saloon tea shop, and then it housed several consecutive different restaurants before being transformed once again into a real-estate office. By 2022, this building at 40 Spring Street was the site of outdoor-adventure firm Crystal Seas Kayaking, offering kayak tours in the San Juan Islands."
Do yourself a favor and read the whole essay on historylink.org.
The 126-year-old foundations were revealed during the demolition.
So what's next for the empty lots on Spring Street?
Crystal Seas Kayaking building plans
Crystal Seas Kayaking has a foundation permit and building permit. The building plans have been reviewed once by the town's Historic Preservation Board. Another meeting has been scheduled.
Greg King has hired architects to draw up designs to replace the former Windermere Realty building.
No plans so far for the Herb's Tavern lot.