Community Hall

Community Hall of Port Gamble demonstrates Pope and Talbot Lumber Company’s regard for its town and its employees. The building is situated at the corner of North Rainier Avenue and Walker Street, across from the original Pope and Talbot Office and General Store. Built in 1906, Community Hall is distinguished by its refined execution and decorative bracketing under its eaves that accompany the double-stepped gables on the north- and south-facing facades. It was designed by Bebb and Mendel, among the premier architectural firms in the Puget Sound region at the time, and built by Seattle contractor E. J. Rounds.

On the first floor are eight rooms, with a corridor running the length of the building. These rooms originally accommodated offices for a doctor, dentist, and barber shop, and space for the post office, telegraph, and telephone. The second floor contains a large hall (approximately 42 x 50 feet), which now has a basketball hoop and a movie projection booth. Over the years, the hall has accommodated fraternal organizations and the Boy Scouts, as well as dances, card parties, and a wide variety of entertainment activities.

Alterations to Community Hall have been minor over the years: a new railing on the side porch, a ramp at the front, and a loading dock west of the main door for the post office. The post office still operates and has the original individual boxes, although they have since been moved. The building remains a community hall and its large auditorium is used for plays, movies, and other social events.