Our Restaurants Are Back Open!
Reveille at the Commons:
Open Tuesday through Sunday 9 AM – 2 PM
Coffee, espresso, grab and go sandwiches and some baked goods.
Cablehouse Beach Canteen:
Open 7 days a week, 11 AM – 7 PM
Burgers & fries, fish & chips, drinks, snacks for take-out and outdoor seating.
Taps at the Guardhouse:
Open Thursday through Saturday 12 PM – 8 PM, Sundays 12 PM – 6 PM
Small crafted bar menu, pub snacks and rotation of food trucks.
We hope to see you soon!
We are excited to announce the reopening of Fort Worden’s historic and unique rental accommodations on Saturday, August 1, 2020! We have missed you!
We have adapted our interactions, taken significant precautions and refined our offerings to re-imagine your stay in a safe way.
The following areas are also opening:
• Cablehouse Beach Canteen – open to all guests, campers and visitors for take-out food and beverage and outside dining
• Taps at the Guardhouse – open to all guests, campers and visitors for take-out beverage and outside dining
• The Front Desk on Officer’s Row – temporarily relocated to 15 Pershing Avenue (House 15) across from the Tennis Courts
The following areas are temporarily closed:
• Reveille at the Commons
• The Commons
• All Venue spaces, with the exception of USO
For information about Fort Worden onsite programs and State Park amenities and campsites, please visit our website for direct links to these organizations.
For all current and new reservations, please view our website for accommodation details and contact our In-House Reservations Department at reservations@fortworden.org or call 360-344-4400 ext. 304 for more information. Reservations are required in advance and must be booked on the phone.
Fort Worden places the highest priority on the health and well-being of our employees, guests, visitors and community. From the beginning, Fort Worden has increased its efforts to protect the safety and well-being of all who visit and will remain one of our top priorities. We continue to follow the CDC, Washington state and local health guidelines on gathering, physical distancing and masking mandates. As the situation remains fluid, additional changes may transpire and we will communicate any updates as they arise.
For everyone’s safety, facial coverings are required in all indoor areas and outdoor areas and encourage guests to maintain physical distancing.
As a result of Governor Inslee’s “Stay Home” order issued Monday, March 23, 2020, Fort Worden is operating with minimum workforce. We appreciate your patience as we are working with a limited staff. All messages will be received and responded to by our Sales and Reservations team.
Fort Worden is following the “Safe Start” phased recovery as introduced May 1, 2020 and will continue to do so through the course of this pandemic.
Please know that your leisure travel reservations can still be made or changed by contacting reservations@fortworden.org or calling 360.344.4400 x 304, Monday-Friday between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm PST. We would be happy to review future availability for your stay.
We will continue to keep our guests updated on any changes that may occur and encourage you to visit fortworden.org/blog for the latest communications.
Thank you for your continued support of Fort Worden. We hope to host your future Port Townsend visit as originally planned soon.
Fort Worden is unable to make or honor reservations through May 4, 2020, as a result of Governor Inslee’s “Stay Home” order issued Monday, March 23, 2020 and the temporary closure of Washington State Parks beginning Wednesday, March 25, 2020.
Please know that your leisure travel reservations can still be made or changed for May 5th and beyond by contacting reservations@fortworden.org or calling 360.344.4400 ext. 304 Monday – Friday between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm PST. We would be happy to review future availability for your stay.
We will continue to keep our guests updated on any changes that may occur and encourage you to visit fortworden.org/blog for the latest communications.
We appreciate your patience as we are working with a limited staff and all messages will be received and responded to by our sales and reservations team.
Thank you for your continued support of Fort Worden, and we look forward to hosting you soon.
To our guests and customers:
These are unprecedented times, and our priority is to protect the welfare and wellbeing of our employees, guests, and community. We continue to adjust operations in accordance with Governor Jay Inslee’s directives to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 illness.
Last week, we closed our restaurants, reduced operations across campus, and were offering accommodations for guests who sought to visit and could still do so under the guidelines at that time. With the Governor’s “Stay Home” order issued Monday night and the temporary closure of State Parks beginning on Wednesday, the PDA is now temporarily closed for all public-facing business.
Even though hotel workers are considered among “essential employees” by the Governor, we can’t sustain the Fort’s hospitality operations without vehicle access to the Park. We strongly support the temporary closure of all state parks to help limit opportunities for social gatherings on State Park properties. According to the State Parks’ press release, all restrooms, campground and day use areas will be closed and vehicle access will be prevented. For the latest information about State Parks operations, please visit: parks.state.wa.us/COVID19
With the latest changes we also are now in the process of further reducing, on a temporary basis, the limited number of staff members who are maintaining critical operational functions. We expect to re-evaluate operations in early April based on any changes to the Governor’s orders.
Please check back with us often for updates as we continue to monitor and respond to the situation.
If you have questions regarding your Group Sales Event that has been affected by the closure, please email our team at salesgroup@fortworden.org.
If you have questions about your leisure travel, please email reservations@fortworden.org.
We appreciate your patience as we are working with a limited staff and messages are being forwarded if your contact is not currently working.
We continue to be heartened by people’s commitment to doing the right thing for the sake of the larger community. We thank you for your continued support of Fort Worden, and we look forward to hosting you soon.
Dave Robison
Executive Director, Fort Worden Public Development Authority
To our guests and customers,
We continue to adjust to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic that has affected the entire world in some way. This week we’ve responded to Governor Jay Inslee’s directives on closing restaurants, limiting group gatherings, and social distancing. This means Reveille and Taps at the Guardhouse are temporarily closed. We are heartened by the public’s commitment to these virus containment measures because they will save lives. That’s what is most important.
We also want to let you know that we are still offering hospitality services for guests seeking overnight accommodations. For those who can make it to Fort Worden now for a getaway, please call our reservations desk at 360-344-4400 ext. 304 or email reservations@fortworden.org. For those who can’t, we’re helping them reschedule for later in the year or into 2021.
The 15 Fort Worden partner nonprofit and for-profit businesses that are part of our Lifelong Learning Center are making independent decisions about their operations, many of which are closing temporarily. Those organizations are updating information about their status and program plans on their websites. Fort Worden partner websites can be reached via https://fortworden.org/our-story/onsite-programs/
Meanwhile, Fort Worden Historic State Park remains open. Visitors can still access the beach, bunkers and other park amenities with a Discover Pass or day-use pass. For the latest on state park operations, visit the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission’s website: parks.state.wa.us/covid19.
With heavy hearts we must note that most of our employees are on standby because of the financial loss the pandemic has delivered to the hospitality industry. With standby status, most of those employees can qualify for unemployment benefits almost immediately. And we are covering health insurance premiums through April 30 for employees with those benefits. Our crew that remains is focused on supporting our guests and maintaining critical operations. This decision was so difficult, and we look forward to bringing everyone back as soon as possible. Like the Fort itself, our team is resilient and we will lean on one another to get us through.
All of this demonstrates that the ripple effect of the virus is vast, and it also reminds us of how interconnected we are. So many people here and beyond need support, and our community needs to find creative ways to meet this challenge. We encourage you to consider the Give Jefferson Emergency Funding Campaign. The campaign is raising money for local nonprofits and community-serving government agencies so that they can increase their services to meet basic human needs and address unexpected financial hardships. Donation information is at https://jcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/list/grant
Take care, be safe, and stay healthy.
Dave Robison
Executive Director, Fort Worden Public Development Authority
UPDATE on our RESTAURANTS – MARCH 18, 2020
Both Reveille at the Commons (as of March 20) and Taps at the Guardhouse will be closed until further notice in alignment with executive orders from the Governor.
We thank you for your patronage and look forward to welcoming you back in the future.
UPDATE on MARCH 16, 2020
Effective today, Monday, 3.16.20, Reveille will be open for take-out only and Taps at The Guardhouse is closed until further notice.
We are taking this action in response to Governor Jay Inslee’s state-wide emergency proclamation ordering the temporary shutdown of restaurants, bars, and entertainment and recreation facilities. He stated that restaurants would be allowed to provide take-out.
We will adjust as these orders evolve and are defined and will keep you posted.
In the interim, thank you for your support of Fort Worden.
UPDATE on MARCH 13, 2020
To our valued customers,
In these times of uncertainty, we want you to know that the safety and health of guests and employees are always a top priority. Now more than ever, our business is you.
We understand that with the rapidly changing updates on travel restrictions and cancelled or postponed public events, people vary in what they determine is best for them and their families. We cannot stress enough that we believe in responsible and safe travel. That’s why we are taking the following measures to provide peace of mind:
Enhanced Change Policy
While we offer flexible rates to our guests year-round, we also have implemented an enhanced date change policy during this time. Currently, we are offering a penalty-free date change, based on current availability, through 2020. This policy will be in place until March 31, 2020.
Environmental Cleaning Practices
As always, we are committed to upholding the highest standard of cleanliness. For the overall health of our staff, community, and visitors, we have increased deep cleanings on campus and instruction about best hygiene practices. Our staff are disinfecting high contact areas throughout the day, wearing gloves while cleaning, and washing hands frequently, among other best practices. We’ve made many changes in our dining areas to decrease shared contact points and increase distance among guests. Our strategies include following recommendations from the Washington State Department of Health, Jefferson County Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control to prevent or respond to illness in the workplace should it happen here.
The Fort and surrounding community continue to welcome visitors and events. We are business as usual and cancelation policies apply. As we often like to say, it is a beautiful day at Fort Worden.
As we continue to monitor developments and navigate the challenging circumstances, we want you to know that you can rely on us always to put your health and safety first.
We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Sincerely,
Dave Robison
Executive Director
Dear Fort Worden Community Members,
We wanted to let you know of our plans with staffing and operations to help slow the spread of COVID-19. While we’re told that most people with this virus will experience mild illness, we recognize people’s concerns and the impact the virus can have on certain populations and are taking measures to help maintain a safe community.
As confirmed cases of the infection developed in Seattle, we increased deep cleanings on campus and communications about best hygiene practices. We are now implementing the next stage of our plan with news of Jefferson County’s first confirmed case of COVID-19. Our strategies include following recommendations from the Washington State Department of Health, Jefferson County Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control to prevent or respond to illness in the workplace should it happen here. We also have adjusted practices in our restaurants and dining areas, and on a case-by-case basis are evaluating the events that we provide. With this in mind, the “Crab Boil” at Taps on Sunday, March 8, 2020 will be rescheduled. Stay tuned for more information about this signature spring event and watch for updates on Facebook. Other events and operations are scheduled to continue for the time being.
We are committed to providing you regular updates as we work together to take precautions for the health of our community.
Sincerely,
Dave Robison
There have been over a hundred Christmas celebrations at Fort Worden since its commissioning in 1902. Two that come to mind this holiday season took place in 1917 and 1918. One hundred years ago, our country had been at war for eight months (Congress declared war on Germany April 6, 1917) and by late December the fort was in the midst of a dramatic transformation from a bastion of defense for Puget Sound to an embarkation point for young recruits on their way to Europe.
Recruits were arriving at a pace beyond the post’s capacity to accommodate. The Leader’s daily edition of December 20th reported that no sooner had a contractor announced that his crew had completed a 32-building construction project than the Army offered a contract to build 42 more. In the meantime troops were stationed in tents on Artillery Hill behind the huge gun emplacements. Housing wasn’t the only shortage. Two days after Christmas 490 troops from Iowa arrived wearing “cits” (civilian clothes). The Leader reporting that “owing to a scarcity of uniforms the new arrivals looked somewhat out of place in comparison to the nattily clothed men who had been at the post for weeks or months past.”
Cramped quarters and soldiers in civilian clothes aside, the Leader’s Christmas Eve edition reported that “Christmas was fittingly observed” at the fort that day. A decorated tree was placed in front of 8th Company barracks and the 6th Army Band entertained the soldiers, officers, and their families. The festivities culminated with the delivery of Red Cross packages to all the artillerymen.
The upheaval of 1917 brought significant change to Fort Worden and Christmas that year for many was likely their first away from home. As the troops celebrated, it’s also likely they thought of their ultimate destination and what the year ahead would bring. The Christmas celebration in the coming year would be like no other.
A month after the War ended with the Armistice of November 11, 1918, Fort Worden was being overrun with troops returning from the war, all of them expecting to be home by Christmas. The Leader’s December 24th edition reported a record breaking number of discharges for the day releasing almost five hundred boys back to civilian life. Unfortunately, many of them could not find transportation up sound owing to the shortage of Seattle bound passenger ferries. No longer in the Army, the men filed into town looking for a place to stay. For those still in the ranks at the fort all the companies provided an elaborate dinner. The barracks were festively decorated and the menu was a big change from regular Army fare.
The Christmas’ of 1917 and 1918 for the troops could not have been more different. One was a celebration muted by the foreboding road ahead and the other was filled with the joy of coming home. The fort itself was changed forever. No longer bristling with big guns, many of them removed and shipped to European battlegrounds during the war, the post was transformed into a training station. A hundred years later, the holiday season celebrations continue at the fort in the peaceful surroundings of the park.
When word reached Fort Worden and the town that Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii had been attacked by Japan and that a state of war existed, it was a much different reaction than when the country went to war a short twenty-four years earlier. The surprise attack in the Pacific put this world war much closer to home than the previous one. In 1917, when the U.S. went to war in Europe, the fort and community felt time and distance were on their side. In 1941, there was a strong sense the enemy was already inside the nation’s defensive perimeter.
“There is a good chance Bremerton will be attacked tonight,” declared Brigadier General James H. Cunningham, harbor defenses commander. He was speaking the night after the Pearl Harbor bombing to civil defense volunteers at the fire hall (now the Jefferson County Art & History Museum).
The grim message from the Fort’s commanding officer galvanized the town to action. A community wide blackout was immediately put into place and rigidly enforced. All military personnel were confined to the post, Fort Worden pulled back from the community and went on high alert closing public access and restricting all outbound communications. This included the fort’s weekly publication, the “Salvo,” issuing its last edition on December 19, 1941.
Interestingly, the hard separation between the fort and town came just as the community was preparing to dedicate the new USO Building at the corner of Water and Monroe streets (now the American Legion, Marvin Shields Memorial Post 26). Later in the war, the USO Hall would be a popular dance hangout for troops and townies. In the meantime, the fort expanded its on-site recreational services. Interviewed in 2004, Russell C. Weber of Sequim, a Fort Worden WWII veteran, reminisced, “When we first moved here, we were in pyramid tents at the south end of the parade ground right next to the bowling alley. We had a good time listening to the pins crash while we were trying to sleep.”
Just up from the bowling alley was the newly constructed PX (Post Exchange). Half the 100 foot by 40 foot building housed the PX, restaurant, and soda fountain, and the other half served as the general store. The soda fountain boasted of an eighty foot long “L” shaped counter that could seat 38 patrons. A hobby shop and library were also added and staffed to provide the increasing number of new arrivals with off duty activities available within the confines of the fort.
It would be six months before the initiative in the Pacific would shift from Japan to the U.S., reducing the fear of attack and allowing a relaxation of restrictions between the fort and the town. Today, Fort Worden is again a vital and accessible part of the Port Townsend and Jefferson County communities. Through the mission of the Public Development Authority (PDA), the fort continues to expand its welcome to nonprofit organizations, arts programs, campers, and visitors from around the country and the world. As a concrete and symbolic gesture of its welcoming and expansive nature, Fort Worden remains the only Washington State Park offering vehicle access to parking on the Fort’s campus without a Discover Pass, compliments of the PDA.
