A New State Park on Harstine Island
Protecting an unspoiled beach
By: Anne Webster
04/29/2011
A grandfather’s wish comes true
The weather was cold and misty as staff from The Trust for Public Land (TPL), members of the Scott family, and state and county officials boarded the chartered boat bound for South Puget Sound on September 23rd. The group gathered to celebrate a decades-long effort to save a cherished place—so even the rain couldn’t dampen their enthusiasm.
TPL just helped Washington State Parks (WSP), acquire 112 acres of the Scott’s property on Harstine Island, outside of Olympia. For years, park administrators eyed the property as a potential state park, not only for its unspoiled beach and thick forests, but also because it provided the only land access to another state park on McMicken Island–by way of a tombolo, or sand spit, visible during low tide.
Richard and Russell Scott, at Harstine Island
Credit: Curt Doughty
The Scott family had owned the land since 1949 when the family patriarch, Walter Scott, moved to the Island with his wife and five children. Although contracted to log the island, Walter spared significant parts of this parcel and early on considered it an almost mystical place. “My grandfather used to spend hours wandering the canyons on the property, looking up at the huge alders and maples,” says Richard Scott, one of Walter’s grandsons. “He wanted everyone to have a chance to share that experience.”
An unspoiled beach gets protected
As the boat neared the island, the rain stopped and the skies cleared, almost on cue. The passengers moved to the boat’s deck to get a closer look. “Viewing the Scott property from the water made people truly understand why it is so important,” says Nelson Mathews, TPL Project Director and the event’s MC. “Here you don’t see any houses poking through the trees. It’s amazing that the piece was preserved.” Richard Scott agrees. “No one really knows why it never got developed. It’s kind of a miracle.”
The Scott family used the property solely for recreation after Walter’s death in the mid 60s. Then, in 1991, the land was fragmented into fifteen 5-acre tracts and divided among Walter’s heirs. Richard, along with his brother Russell and father Walter Jr, envisioned the property as a state park to honor their grandfather. The brothers approached the parks department, but discussions never ended in a sale. There were so many landowners that it was difficult for all of the family members to reach a consensus.
The property was posted for sale on and off for fifteen years, but never left family ownership. Then, in 2008, the remaining landowners and heirs agreed that it was time to sell and the land was zoned for development.
Visitors exploring the island's serene shoreline.
Credit: Curt Doughty
Richard and Russell saw an opportunity. After a friend introduced the brothers to TPL, they invited staff to walk the land and hear their story. “The property fit right in with our long-term strategy to save the shoreline,” says Nelson. “It provides a chance for people to put their feet in the water and reconnect with the Sound.”
Nelson contacted Washington State Parks, who backed the project 110%. “We were as interested as ever,” says Bill Koss, the state park’s Planning and Program Manager, now retired. “The property still had all the virtues we recognized years ago.”
Richard and Russell purchased the remaining tracts from their family and sold the property to TPL and WSP. Federal and state grants, as well as private donations paid for the acquisition. WSP is currently planning the park’s development.
An end and a beginning
The mood on board shifted as the boat made its way home. Excitement mellowed to reverence, anticipation to inspiration. “This is the end to a long journey,” says Richard. “We were always meant to steward the land, never live on it.”
Although the property includes nearly a mile and a half of protected beach, it represents just a sliver of the Sound’s vulnerable shoreline. More needs to be done, and TPL and its partners are working every day to make that happen. Adds Bill, “It’s projects like these that reaffirm our diligence and commitment to keep working together.”
