Off the Beaten Path to Historic Dayton Washington
Sometimes the best trips are not to the big cities but rather the small communities that lay outside. We just had the opportunity to get off the beaten path to historic Dayton Washington. Interestingly, we had gone through this cute little town on a previous trip and finally got the chance to go back because of my husband’s work. What a great place to visit and spend some time. Here’s what I discovered!
Dayton Historic Depot Museum
A quick walk from our hotel takes me right into the heart of historic Dayton Washington downtown. You will see the courthouse, shops, restaurants and then the Historic Depot Museum is just around the corner. A well-maintained piece of history that reflects the journey of the area to get their products to market. As I walked around the depot I was transported back in time where I was able to see what the people of the times experienced. The benches placed around the waiting area for passengers, beadboard walls, ticket window, pot bellied stove and the Agent’s office still sitting just like they may have left it to go grab lunch! Most of the building is still in the original state with very few changes as Karina the Museum Director explained as she took me around to share the history of this amazing depot. Upstairs you find the Station Agent’s Home and it is so warm and inviting. A few changes made but the authenticity is still very much alive in the space. With a deck, lots of windows and large spaces it would seem to be a very comfortable place to live. When I was there, I was able to look at the barn photo exhibition that was on display as well. The community has the opportunity to use State money to refurbish local barns and keep them from falling by the wayside. It was so nice to see this type of restoration happening in the State of Washington. As Karina and I stood downstairs looking out at the platform, a train actually came by and we were able to experience what it must have felt like way back when! Because there are no signals or drop barriers, the train must use the horn at every street to alert the townspeople that they are passing through. The depot stopped service and closed at the end of 1971 but one of the local businesses use the train and the tracks to move their product which keeps history alive still today.
Boldman House Museum
Karina let me know that my next stop should be a short walk to Boldman House. As I started off on my way, it was a beautiful day to walk around the community taking in all it has to offer. From the older buildings, to the train car and statues of what makes this community so great. As I neared the Boldman House I realized just how beautifully well restored, taken care of and loved that this piece of historic Dayton Washington is to this community. Loretta met me at the door as I was putting on the booties required as you entered the home. As museum director, she was a wealth of knowledge and history on this home but also had such a passion for the people who resided here. While their was a bit of restoration that needed to be done and some pieces of the home had to be replicated it was still such an amazing site to see. The lengths that the board has gone to in order to keep this as original as possible is truly a blessing. As an example, the wallpaper in the first room you enter was beyond repair, so they found a piece of the original paper, sent it to the Smithsonian and they replicated it and sent it back to be in stalled in the same area. Loretta took me through each room, shared tidbits of the lives of the Boldman family. Everything from the music they loved, the way they spent their days and the items that were near and dear to their hearts. Classified as middle class, the home was filled with many beautiful pieces of furniture, a piano, organ and two different types of music players. We listened to the music from the Edison standard cylinder phonograph – they have some of the original cylinders on display but don’t use them because of their fragility. They did have some replicas made of the ones they have so we could listen to some of the favorite music of the Boldman family. Plus, this phonograph could play and record sound simply by speaking into the big trumpet-bell on the machine. The other phonograph that played flat records was the Brunswick Model 110. You can see by being in these two rooms, music was a big part of this family.
Buckwheat Brewing Company
Of course, no visit is complete without checking out the local breweries. Since we were within walking distance of downtown, we had to check out Buckwheat Brewing Company. I will tell you it was a bit hard to find because it has just come into existence about two weeks before we were there. Originally, it was called Chief Spring’s Fire & Irons Brew Pub which is what we thought we were going to experience. After some looking around, we finally figured out that these two businesses were now one and the same. How exciting to be part of the transition as one “door” closes and another one opens. Rustic feel, great food and incredible service are just a few of the reasons you have got to experience this brewery when in Dayton. So one building is the brewery and right new door is the pizza place and both are the same business. Let me tell you the food options were amazing. Very hard to decide what to choose but of course, since pizza was their claim to fame along with the beer we decided to give it a try. We were not disappointed!
Hop Thief Taphouse and Kitchen, Walla Walla
On the drive to Dayton, we decided to stop for dinner in Walla Walla – of course it needed to have some local brews attached to it and we found an amazing place to stop. Hop Thief Taphouse and Kitchen is a great place to grab a beer, wine, seltzer, cider, and more. They offer over 40 self-service beverages so you get to sample a variety of different types of beverages because you settle on any one or two. Using the card tap system, you grab a glass, tap the card and pour! Then you get to choose from a wide range of great food and enjoy sports in an updated brewery type of feel. Indoor and outdoor seating make this a great place to enjoy some great food and beverages. I also need to mention how great the service was because of highly qualified, enthusiastic servers who seem to truly love what they do and it shows! This is a definite must stop when you are in Walla Walla.
