Days of yore and development of the meager town Hoquiam Castle
Despite popular belief, many small towns have a thriving artist community. Hoquiam, WA, a town of about 10,000 people, is a great example of how many small areas are developing the arts in their society, instead of counting on the larger cities. From theater to woodcutting, this town offers several chanced for the creative spirit to stretch.
The 7th Street Theatre is the center of youth arts and live productions. The theater was originally built in 1928 for $175,000. It produced vaudeville shows and was the first theater in Washington State to be capable of showing “talkies.” The architect designed the theater to resemble an outdoor Spanish Garden. Even the ceiling was painted to look like the sky. The theater opened on Tuesday, July 10, 1928, and entertained the local population for many years.
Unfortunately, the theater closed in 1957 except for special events. Over the next thirty years, multiple attempts were made to revive the theater, to various degrees of success. However, in 1986, the Friends of the 7th Street Theatre and the Grays Harbor Concert Association began working to restore the building. Soon, they permanently joined forces to become the 7th Street Association. The next year it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Now, the theater produces concerts of local artists and presents a classic movie series. Perhaps most important, the 7th Street Kids, a youth group, has presented an annual musical theater show since 1992.
Another example of how Hoquiam has incorporated art into daily life is the town’s Farmers Market. In addition to several types of produce, prepared food and beverages, the Market provides a showcase for many local artists. Most days, a visitor can find oil paintings, woodcarvings, photographs and silkscreen art, for sale or just for observation.
The artists are all from the Grays Harbor area, and their work usually portrays local scenery and life. In fact, the Farmers Market is a vendor co-op; therefore all booth-holding artists actually own a part of the market and, therefore, are vital to the community.
Several other creative crafts are sold at the market. Locally produced candles, botanicals, jewelry and clothing can be found at the co-op. One very popular product in the Northwest is the locally made honey. This confection often incorporates flavors from the surrounding country to make the honey unique and delightful.
This town has many other chances to enjoy the arts. For example, the Polson Museum displays exhibits from local artists. The town also puts on a Bluegrass Music Festival, including showdowns between the musicians. The rest of the surrounding area has even more art galleries and concert halls serving the community.
Small towns across the country are discovering that providing their own artistic entertainment and education allows for greater business in the community, and therefore invests in the future of the town. As Hoquiam, WA shows, a community’s greatest creative resource is its own citizens, and that if the community provides opportunities for local artists, then the talent will stay home.
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