This Master Plan incorporates two key historical stories the Gig Harbor Historical Society wanted to tell:  the timeline history of the Gig Harbor peninsula from pre-contact to the present, and the specific story of the local fishing fleet, epitomized by the restored Shenandoah, a locally-built 1920’s-era wooden purse seiner.

The site sits above the harbor on a four-acre wooded parcel.  At one end of the site a historic one-room schoolhouse will be relocated from another location, and will help interpret the experiences of early pioneer life.  At the opposite end of the structure, the Shenandoah Gallery will be support an ongoing effort to restore this historic boat, and offer interpretive information about life during the heyday of the local fishing fleet.  Large community gathering spaces, gallery spaces for permanent and traveling exhibits, and curatorial and administrative areas complete the scheme.

The design process for this facility involved a highly interactive group of staff and volunteers, and included the development of a detailed architectural program.

This project was executed while Scott Allen was a Principal at Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects (OSKA).  Scott Allen, co-principal in collaboration with Jim Olson.