Fitting Wrap-Up to another Season
And so another season of guiding has come to an end. Theresa and I returned from this season’s last trip to Lake Ozette for REI Adventures. It’s hard to judge the impact of our economy on this year’s trips, although it’s certain it did have some impact. Although our trips where all below capacity it seems we were putting boats on the water as many times as usual.
Exploring Lake Ozette under 'Robin Egg' skies. Photograph by Theresa Weileman
Our last trip certainly had the potential to be a quite a bit of work as it the party size grew to 7 at the last minute. However, despite the range of age for the participants, it turned out to be one of our easiest; everyone was fit as well as experienced hikers which allowed us to make good time around the headlands. With these trips we always get a varied group when it comes to occupations, but this one stood out as we were joined by one of REI’s marketing director as well another REI Adventures guide from California. One of the interesting aspects of trips like this is the friendships you develop in such a short time. I imagine it’s the shared experience, which is somewhat strenuous, that accelerates the bonding. It’s always a bit sad to see the clients go at the end of a trip.
Leaving the coast and hitting the trail head on the last trip of the season. Photograph by Theresa Weileman
For me the highlight of this trip was finally, after three season of research and searching, was to find the family pot of the Nylund family; early homesteaders of the lake area. There are surviving members and out of respect to them I won’t mention the plots location, but should you stumble on it you’ll marvel at the beauty and serenity of the location.
The tombstone of Ander Nylund who build the Nylund homestead. Photograph by Steve Weileman
Here’s a short history from the Historic Resource Study 1983 Olympic National Park by Gail E. H. Evans and T. Allan Comp:
The life of the Nylund family at Ozette Lake was similar to so many other early settlers in the area. Ander and Johanna were natives of Scandinavia (Finland and Sweden, respectively) and immigrated to Seattle in the late 1880s. After hearing of the Scandinavian colony at Ozette, they, with their two daughters, traveled by steamer and footpath to the lake in the spring of i895. For ten years the family occupied an abandoned house on the north end of the lake, while Ander and Johanna worked to clear land, plant hay, fruit trees, and vegetable gardens. Cows, chickens, pigs and eventually sheep were acquired. In season Ander fished in the Ozette River and hunted for deer, ducks and geese, and other wild game. Sometimes he left home for months to work in a mine at Port Blakely. Johanna carded wool and spun thread from which she knitted, crocheted, and sewed clothing (Alcorn and Alcorn 1962, 151-54).
In 1904 Ander Nylund began building a new house. A year later the two-story, nine-room house with cedar siding, a split shakes roof, and wide woods flooring was completed. A large barn and various outbuildings completed the complex of buildings on the Nylund homestead. One by one, the Nylund children (Hulda, Inga, Annie, and Ida) left the homestead to marry, (Alfred died in 1928, at the age of thirty, from unknown causes.) After Ander Nylund died in 1920, Johanna remarried in 1932 and moved away from the Ozette Lake homestead. The Nylund house was never permanently occupied again (Alcorn and Alcorn 1962, 152, 155).
Gradually the buildings on the Nylund homestead deteriorated and fell down. By the late 1940s, most of the small outbuildings had crumbled; by the early 1960s, the barn had collapsed and the house was overgrown with brush and entwined with ivy (Alcorn and Alcorn 1962, 155-56). In the mid-1960s only the shell of the Nylund house remained standing (NPS OLYM 1964, 18 February).
Steve lining up a shot of the Nylund family plot. Photograph by Theresa Weileman
Not sure what next year will bring in regards to this trip, there has been talk of dropping the kayaks and extending the coastal hiking, but I’m sure this is the last I’ve seen of the lake. I hear that Preachers Point which is currently privately owned will be reverting to park property soon. Wonder what interesting finds wait there?
