JOYCE — The 8th Annual Great Strait Sale will offer more than 61 miles of garage sales Saturday.
Those who travel on state Highway 112 visiting sale sites between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. also will take a trip back in time as several stops on the route celebrate centennials or other anniversaries.
The highway, a federally designated National Scenic Byway, is well known for not only its tree-lined vistas and miles of beaches with whales, seals, otters, eagles and other wildlife, but also its history.
Sale organizer Sande Balch of the Juan de Fuca Scenic Byway Association said the association this year decided to highlight history along the highway, from Laird’s Corner in Port Angeles in the east to the Makah Museum in Neah Bay in the west, along with the community sales.
Joyce Depot Museum
The museum at the Joyce Depot, which was built in 1915, will mark its 100th anniversary with music, information on area railroad history and free tours.
Museum displays will include railroad memorabilia, photos, artifacts and guided tours with curator Margaret Owens.
The depot, built of Alaskan yellow cedar and completely restored in 2002, is the last remaining log depot from the Milwaukee Railroad line that once ran as far west as Deep Creek.
At noon, the Washington Old Time Fiddlers — made up of Terry, Mike, Ruby and Tom Farris — will perform.
The same day, the Joyce Fire District will honor past volunteers from over 60 years of service to the community.
Firefighters will host a ceremony to honor deceased volunteers at 11 a.m.
A Community Appreciation Day Open House also is planned. It will offer free hot dogs, a fire station tour and children’s activities.
Heading west, the 100th anniversary of the railroad logging boom in Sekiu will be recognized with photo displays at the Clallam Bay Visitor Center.
Sekiu logging boom
This year marks 100 years since a logging boom was placed in the harbor at Sekiu.
A log boom is a barrier placed in a river, designed to collect and or contain floating logs cut from nearby forests. At Sekiu, railroad cars loaded with logs dumped their loads into the water.
The logs were collected in the boom and floated to mills.
Photos will be available for sale from the Friends of the Clallam Bay Library.
Village excavation
In Neah Bay, it is the 45th anniversary of the beginning of the Ozette Village excavation at Cape Alava.
Artifacts from that 11-year dig are on display at the Makah Museum in Neah Bay.
In 1970, archeologists began to excavate six Makah longhouses that had been buried by a landslide around 1560 along the coast near Lake Ozette.
The excavation produced more than 55,000 artifacts, which the tribe has kept on the reservation.
The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. Admission is $5 for adults and $4 for students, seniors and military in uniform. Children 5 and younger are admitted free.
Sales galore
Bargains will remain the main focus of the Great Strait Sale, Balch said.
In past years, the Joyce community has hosted 20-30 sites on sale days with a “pretty good showing” of sales in Clallam Bay and Neah Bay, she added.
Community sales sites are planned at the Joyce Depot Museum, Clallam Bay Visitor Center and Neah Bay Village Market near Washburn’s.
Individual sales will draw visitors through signs along the highway.
In addition to the power tools, children’s clothing and housewares found in an average yard sale, Balch said that many crafts people show up with goods to sell.
Vistors also can expect plenty of local produce.
Fliers with advertised sales and business specials are available at Laird’s Corner Market near the junction of U.S. Highway 101 and state Highway 112 west of Port Angeles, and also on the association website at www.highway112.org.
Fliers also will be available at each sale site Saturday.
