The History of Pacific Beach, WA

The History of Pacific Beach Resort & Conference Center

Pacific Beach was a popular vacation resort in the early 1900s. The area was once entirely populated by Quinault n Indians who partially supported their families by spearing sea otters and whales from ocean-going canoes. When settlers came to the Olympic Peninsula in the 1870s, the sea-otter population was quickly depleted. Clams soon replaced otters as the local's primary food supply. In fact, razor clam digging became so prevalent that when the first school opened in 1900 on the nearby Copalis River, classes convened according to the tide schedule.

Tourists from Seattle seeking fun on the seashore overwhelmed the area in the 1900s. Several resort hotels were quickly constructed to meet the demand. The Pacific Beach Hotel built in 1906 became known as one of the Northwest's most romantic "Honeymoon Hotels". Prospering until the outbreak of World War II, the Navy and Air Force converted the hotel to offices for regional headquarters.

The Navy has been part of the local area since moving into the Pacific Beach Hotel. During WWII, anti-aircraft recruits trained here and sharpened their aim by blasting targets pulled by Navy planes out of Westport. After WWII, the facility was offered to the local community for $1, but because the community was unincorporated, the sale failed and the base sat idle until 1950.

The Air Force returned and for the next five years operated the Pacific Beach base as a radar station. In 1957 and 1958, after two more years of idleness, NAVFAC (Naval Facility) engineers arrived and redeveloped the base. Then in October of 1987, the U.S. Naval Facility at Pacific Beach was disestablished and transferred to Naval Station Puget Sound and then to Naval Station Everett. Under Commander Naval Base guidance, the unoccupied facilities developed into a Morale, Welfare, Recreation (MWR) and Education Support Center, Resort and Conference Center.

During the years 2000-2001, the motel building underwent a complete renovation. A new third floor added four Jacuzzi suites. The resort gift shop, restaurant, and registration office were relocated into the new motel complex as part of the huge renovation. The Windjammer Restaurant & Lounge now overlooks the ocean and has a beautiful new bar.