It seems a tad ironic that a location built to ward off enemy advances is now a favored venue for friendly retreats. But that's exactly what meeting and event planners have discovered at Fort Worden State Park.
Located on the northeast tip of the Olympic Peninsula in the charming seaport of Port Townsend, Wash., Fort Worden encompasses 434 picturesque acres and two miles of expansive shoreline. Originally built in the 1890s as a United States Army installation to protect the entrance of Puget Sound, it was acquired in 1955 by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. It has since become a popular spot for corporate retreats, family celebrations and community events. Even Hollywood has recognized its star quality-the grounds and buildings were used as the outdoor sets for the movies An Officer and a Gentleman, Enough and The Ring.
Meeting Venues
Although the meeting venues at Fort Worden are reminiscent of the early 1900s, they're well-equipped for the 21st Century. Updated and refurbished, the fort has more than 68,000 square feet of meeting and event space that can accommodate up to 1,200 guests. "We hold about 350 events each year that range from 30 to 700 people," says Steve Shively, Fort Worden's manager of Conference Programs & Services.
A new addition to the park-the Commons-was recently added to the fort's mix of venues. The Commons features approximately 12,000 square feet of meeting space, and can accommodate banquet groups of up to 550. It was designed to complement the park's historic buildings, but features modern-day amenities like soundproof wall panels and free Wi-Fi in common areas.
Additional venues that are available include the former USO Hall with its raised stage, the Private Barracks, now with four wings of meeting rooms, and Wheeler Theater, with seating for 275 and a 450-square-foot stage. If you'd like to hold one of your meetings closer to the water's edge, reserve the Kitchen Shelter located on the beach. The space includes an outdoor barbeque and fire pit.
One of the fort's most impressive facilities is the McCurdy Pavilion-perhaps best remembered as the location where Richard Gere trades blows with Lou Gossett Jr. in An Officer and a Gentleman. Originally created as a World War II dirigible hangar, it was remodeled into a 1,200-seat, state-of-the-art concert venue and hosts numerous community and regional productions, including the Jazz Port Townsend Festival.
Accommodations and Catering
Fort Worden's overnight accommodations range from dormitories to mansions. Officer's Row, which faces the former parade grounds, features Victorian homes that once housed military officers. The homes offer two- to six-bedroom configurations. For larger groups, the converted barracks serve as dormitorystyle quarters-complete with linen service at no additional charge. And for those groups who prefer to rough it, campgrounds and RV sites are also available.
Meeting planners needn't worry about MREs- or MIAs for that matter-come dinner time. Fort Worden's dining room in the Commons building features family-style meals by Bon Appetit Management Co., led by Catering Coordinator Kathleen Zuelsdorf. Anna Bran of the Institute for Systems Biology coordinated a retreat at the fort and notes, "Kathleen and her team really did an amazing job ... [she] is wonderful to work with." You can even arrange for a beach barbecue or boxed lunches.
Post Meeting
Fort Worden's campus is home to a number of partner businesses and organizations, including the Madrona MindBody Institute and Centrum, a nonprofit center for the arts. "All of our campus partners are very meeting-minded. We work together to see how we can enrich the experiences of guests," says Shively. "The Marine Science Center may come up with a tactile marine tank or the Madrona MindBody Institute will offer a stretch break or inseat back massages."
Guests can even try their hand at furniture making at the onsite Port Townsend School of Woodworking; and for those interested in the park's history, Shively and his team can arrange for docent actors to regale guests with tales of the fort's military days. Group excursions for kayaking, antique shopping or wine tasting can also be arranged, and if your guests want to set off on their own to explore Port Townsend, the park is served by regularly scheduled public transit.
Bran says her group was so enthusiastic about the experience at Fort Worden they didn't hesitate to reenlist, noting her organization's president, the eminent biomedical researcher Leroy Hood, remarked that it was "their best retreat ever."
"We had beautiful weather, the location of Fort Worden is absolutely amazing, and we all ate very well," she says. "We've already booked our dates for the 2010 retreat."
Parking Places
It's only natural that meeting planners would want to incorporate the beauty of the Northwest into their event agendas, and the region's vast network of parks is only too happy to oblige. Here are just a few of the other parks around the region that can accommodate meetings or events.
Alaska
Alaska's parks are truly wild in every sense of the word. But some do offer nearby accommodations and meeting space. Case in point: the Princess Lodge at Denali National Park. Located one mile from the entrance of the park, the lodge operates from May to September (see website for exact dates) and includes 656 rooms and meeting space for up to 60 guests. For reservations, visit www.princesslodges.com.
Idaho
Once a working ranch, Harriman Park is located in eastern Idaho. Event planners can reserve the park's dormitory, which can sleep up to 40 people, as well as the four-bedroom Ranch Manager's House and three-bedroom Cattle Foreman's House. Beginning in the spring of 2010, meeting space and accommodations can be reserved at the Laura Clarke Scovel Education Center, which features 10 twin or queen bedroom suites, a kitchen and a large open conference room that accommodates up to 24 people. Reservations can be made online at www.parksandrecreation.idaho.gov or by phoning 888.922.6743.
British Columbia
Located in the Cascade Mountains, three hours east of Vancouver, B.C, and four-and-a-half hours northeast of Seattle, Manning Park Resort offers year-round recreational activities, as well as meeting space for up to 120. For overnight accommodations, the lodge has 41 rooms, and cabins and chalets are also available for rental. Reservations can be made at 800.330.3321.
Oregon
Located in the Willamette Valley, just east of Salem, is The Conference Center at Silver Falls State Park. The park has two meeting halls-one which can hold up to 30 guests and the other up to 86. For overnight accommodations, the center offers single and duplex cabins and four six-bedroom lodges. Catering is also available. Reservations can be made at 866.575.8875.
Get Connected:
Fort Worden State Park // www.parks.wa.gov/fortworden / Port Townsend, Wash. / 360.344.4435 / fwinfo@parks.wa.gov