History

Gig Harbor is steeped in maritime history with boat building and commercial fishing playing a major role in the development of the area. But Gig Harbor was more - an agricultural center, logging and lumber area and Native American fishing grounds.

Throughout our region we cherish and preserve much of this history for our residents and our visitors to remember and enjoy!

THE HARBOR HISTORY MUSEUM ANNOUNCES A $1.5 M GIFT AND ANNOUNCES GRAND OPENING DATE: On September 18th, 2010 the long awaited Harbor History Museum will open.  The mission of the Harbor History Museum is to create opportunities to experience the heritage of the greater Gig Harbor Peninsula.  The new museum, located on the historic Gig Harbor waterfront, will provide visitors with a wealth of opportunities to discover and explore this rich and unique heritage.  Vibrant, hands-on interactives will bring history to life and encourage life-long learning.  Historic objects and photographs, video kiosks, computer interatives, living history presentations, audio tours, and changing exhibits will provide museum visitors with an opportunity to experience and share history.  Read more about the new museum

The Glencove Hotel is a former hotel in Glencove, a short drive from Gig Harbor, that was built in 1897 by Hans Nicholas and Agnes Petersen. The hotel contained six guest rooms and three floors, but was converted to a private residence in 1930. It is currently run as a bed and breakfast. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

In addition to the Harbor History Museum and Glencove Hotel, the greater Gig Harbor Peninsula is home to other museums and historical sites: