Port Hadlock-Irondale, Washington
Encyclopedia
Port Hadlock-Irondale is a census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...

 (CDP) in Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Washington
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington, named after Thomas Jefferson. As of 2010, the population was 29,872. The county seat is at Port Townsend, which is also the county's only incorporated city....

, Washington, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The population was 3,476 at the 2000 census.

Geography

Port Hadlock-Irondale is located at 48°2′12"N 122°46′30"W (48.036614, -122.774938). Port Hadlock, Irondale and Chimacum
Chimacum, Washington
Chimacum is an unincorporated community in eastern Jefferson County, Washington, United States. It lies on the Olympic Peninsula. It was named after the Chimakum group of Native Americans that lived there until the late 19th century.Chimacum is the home of Chimacum Schools' main campus, which...

 form an area locally known as the "tri-area." (source needed)

According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...

, the CDP has a total area of 7.7 square miles (20.0 km²), of which, 6.7 square miles (17.3 km²) of it is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) of it (13.82%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 3,476 people, 1,407 households, and 955 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 521.3 people per square mile (201.2/km²). There were 1,537 housing units at an average density of 230.5/sq mi (89.0/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 90.74% White, 0.32% African American, 1.93% Native American, 1.41% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.58% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 4.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.50% of the population.

There were 1,407 households out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 97.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.5 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $32,202, and the median income for a family was $34,847. Males had a median income of $34,583 versus $22,500 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the CDP was $15,721. About 13.6% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.5% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.

History of Irondale

The first iron producing blast furnace in what is now Washington state was completed in Irondale in 1881. About 1200 tons of pig iron
Pig iron
Pig iron is the intermediate product of smelting iron ore with a high-carbon fuel such as coke, usually with limestone as a flux. Charcoal and anthracite have also been used as fuel...

 was produced during its first year of operation, with ore obtained from Chimacum Valley
Chimacum, Washington
Chimacum is an unincorporated community in eastern Jefferson County, Washington, United States. It lies on the Olympic Peninsula. It was named after the Chimakum group of Native Americans that lived there until the late 19th century.Chimacum is the home of Chimacum Schools' main campus, which...

. The plant was closed in 1889.

The initial hope was for Irondale to become a major iron and steel producer for the Western United States. At first, it looked as though this dream was going to come true. After only 2 years of production, Irondale had several bars, boarding facilities for both men and horses, homes and accommodations for over 200 workers. Before the local economy and the plant failed in 1889, there were over 400 men employed at the foundry. The town expanded and grew on the sandy bluffs that overlooked the waterside plant.

There were several efforts made to rebuild the iron and steel plant in the following years, but all failed. Irondale today is a small bedroom community for the surrounding towns of [Port Hadlock], [Port Townsend] and further south to [Silverdale].


Source:Irondale - Washington Ghost Town (http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/wa/irondale.html)

History of Port Hadlock

Samuel Hadlock, the founder of Port Hadlock, moved west in the 1850s. Finally landing in the Port Hadlock area in 1870. He contracted with the Washington Mill Company to build a sawmill on a spit of land off the Bay, on a low bank, but deep enough waters for tall ships to moor. Hadlock established a large lumber mill. Lumber from the mill was shipped to San Francisco, and as far away as Australia and Hawaii. Two of the remaining buildings of the Washington Mill Company are; the first one known today as the Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building. The second building was the residence of Samuel Hadlock, presently known as the Ajax Cafe.

On the waterfront near the mill was a general store, post office, barber shop, livery stable, laundry, two hotels and two saloons. The saloons were frequented by sailors from all over the world as well as local mill workers, long-shoremen, and loggers. There was little law enforcement and it was life in the Wild West.

In 1909 construction started on the alcohol plant. It was completed in 1910 when it began manufacturing wood alcohol from sawdust. The operational costs of this venture proved too costly and the plant suspended operation about 1913. Today the The Alcohol Plant has been renovated into a first class Resort, which includes an Inn, Restaurant, Marina and Art Gallery.

The residential section was in upper Hadlock. After the lumber mill burned, businesses began to move uptown. William Sehrs of Sehrs Shipyard built the Masonic Temple in 1911. Sehrs completed other projects such as the Nordland ferry and bridges across the Chimacum Creek. The Tri-Area was a growing, viable township.

Subsequent industries have included a boat building yard, and a clam cannery. In 1946 Melvin Kively established the first businesses at the Hadlock intersection - a second hand store and a Signal Service Station.

Source: Port Hadlock History (http://www.porthadlockchamber.org/index.php?content=History.
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