| The City of Gig Harbor has received a grant from the State Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation to help fund a comprehensive survey of historic properties in the downtown/Millville neighborhood. The project is being spearheaded by the City’s Design Review Board.
The City has hired two historic preservation professionals, Mildred Andrews and Julie Koler, to conduct the study which started in mid-March and will end in August. Andrews and Koler will compile information on historic buildings, sites, and landscapes that are at least 50 years old or older and which have historical or architectural significance to the city, state or nation. The information will be incorporated into the City’s Registry of Historic Places (RHP). Inclusion in the RHP does not have any regulatory implications; its purpose is to provide a framework within which to guide future preservation efforts including development of educational and interpretive materials, building rehabilitation and restoration, and a citywide historic preservation plan.
In addition to information about individual properties, the consultants will write a historical overview to provide context for interpretation and preservation planning. The overview will explore Gig Harbor’s story from its Native American roots, through its discovery by the Charles Wilkes expedition in 1841, to the Scandinavian and Croatian pioneers, who settled in and around Millville.
Individuals who are interested in volunteering or who have information about historic properties in the downtown/Millville neighborhood are encouraged to contact Lita Dawn Stanton, Historic Preservation Coordinator, City of Gig Harbor at (253) 853-7609.
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