September-October, 2021
So much for that bear scare in the last blog post here. This afternoon, my friends and I headed into town for a walk along the main street of this great old western town. And then we drove south of town to see something that we hadn’t known about until just a day or two ago, after a little online research.
Ok, let’s get into town!
Except for the cars and trucks (and the pavement), you’d have thought we were back in the 1800’s during the local gold rush here. Even the saloon (on the right in the photo above) … Three Fingered Jack’s … now there’s a name for you! It’s the oldest legal saloon in Washington State! I’ll drink to that. 🙂
The saloon is named after a local character and meat-cutter named Jack Lemma who, one day, cut off more than just a side of beef or a leg of lamb, and earned his moniker “three fingered Jack”. Best as I can tell, it’s a true story.
Jack’s, as it’s called by the locals, offers fun and family-friendly dining in its relaxed atmosphere. One of the fun things inside is that, in one area of the restaurant/bar, the bar stools have been replaced with horse saddles. I didn’t take photos because there were people sitting on the saddles … maybe next trip. 🙂 But I did get a photo of my favorite sign there …
Outside Three Fingered Jack’s, we mosey-ed on down the wood planked boardwalk. We could almost hear our spurs jingling and jangling as we ambled along.
We visited a number of stores and shops in town. The town of Winthrop looks like an old western town, and lots of it is original. But it also has newer shops (along with the older, original shops). It’s a vibrant small town. There’s one stoplight in town … we actually had to wait for traffic to pass in order to walk across that intersection. It’s a fun town!
Take a look at the Bunkhouse Inn below and its amazing roof. These folks in Winthrop have super imaginations and must have fun keeping their town original and yet making sure it attracts travelers.
Then we headed out of town, to the south, to a new attraction that we knew nothing about. From the website, we couldn’t even tell if it was open or not, but we figured it was worth a try, and not too far away. So off we went.
We pulled in … and parked.
Hmmmm, it doesn’t look like much does it?
It was super! Y’all have heard of “smoke jumping” right? When there’s a wildfire, helicopters and planes take fire fighters up and those fire fighters jump out of those helicopters and planes using parachutes and land in specific spots in order to fight the wildfire. Well, somewhere and some time, that whole idea of smoke jumping had to start, right? Guess what … it started here. Right here in Winthrop, WA.
As shown in the photo of that red hangar above, there wasn’t a soul around when we were here this day, but the building was open, the door was unlocked, and so we went in.
There’s lots of historic stuff here, it was fascinating. AND it’s a working building for smoke jumpers when they are needed.
This building (and others on the property) meant a lot to us. There have been so many wildfires in Washington State in the past several years, horrendous wildfires. Fire fighters and smoke jumpers risk their lives, and sometimes they give their lives for us, for the forests, for the birds and mammals and reptiles, for the earth. They blame no one, their choices are their choices.
The exhibit below, hanging on one wall inside the hangar, speaks volumes. An Eagle with wings spread. But look at the feathers. Nope, not feathers. Those gloves were worn by the very first smoke jumpers in 1939-1940.
I could say more, but it wouldn’t have the impact of being in that building where the people (men and women) suit up and head out and risk life and limb to protect the rest of us. I like to think that probably lots of those folks don’t necessarily think about saving humans as much as they think about saving the forests, the birds, the frogs, the beaver, the salmon, the old growth trees, bears (yes bears!), the owls, the snakes and turtles, the elk and wolves, the eagles … the forest.
If you’re looking for something to donate to, ways to help, please check out the National SmokeJumper Association. On their homepage, obituaries are on the lower right. Please, let’s help them.
And moving on to another subject … next blog post … horses! Grab yer spurs and jingle jangle along. 🙂
Is this the town that has the song about it? Winthrop AZ…with the corner and a girl and a flatbed truck? I’ve been to that Winthrop…but this one looks different…and just as interesting.
That was Winslow Arizona.
Thanks D! Here’s a link to that Winslow, Arizona, song, Take It Easy, by the Eagles. It’s a great driving song …. “don’t let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy …”
But, no, I’m in Winthrop, WA … not Winslow, AZ. 🙂
Fantastic blog post! Hubby and I have donated. We want to keep our forests and wild lands and the animals that live there. The smoke jumpers are critical to that.
Thanks Marge. I agree!
Can’t tell you how much this means to me. I’ve been a back country hiker all my life. I’ve spend months at a time in the wild. And that “wild” wouldn’t exist today but for smoke jumpers today. Why wildfires are more rampant I don’t know, but the people who smoke jump are part of the larger picture, part of what/who is saving this planet. I’ve hiked through the after effects of wildfires and cried the whole way. I seen the dead mammals, deer, elk, fish, birds. Why are we doing this?! thank you Ann … keep on keeping on!
Ok, love that wavy roof too … thanks for the levity. 🙂
Well, thank you for sharing how it feels to walk through the aftermath of a forest fire, Steve. Especially since most forest fires in the past several years were started by careless humans. I just don’t get it, why are people so careless?
I loved that roof. 🙂
That looks like a real old western town, and to know that it IS a real old western town, what fun! I love your idea of your spurs jingle-jangling down that wooden walkway, just like in the movies and in real life too. Three-fingered-Jacks is terrific. That wobbly roof is wonderful. And the smoke-jumper information is amazing. I read everything on that website and I donated too. You show me so much that I will never see. Thank you!
I still have my spurs from when I was a teenager and had a horse. My visit to Winthrop made me think about bringing my spurs next time! 🙂
Thanks for helping out the smoke jumpers, Ruth.
Super blog post. Great info about smoke jumpers (the gloves!). And the other photos are terrific.
Yes, isn’t that glove-eagle absolutely terrific?
Great old west town. Figured all old west towns had to be in the midwest. Not so! Winthrop is a great old west town in the pacific northwest State of Washington.
Indeed. The old west was/is everywhere. 🙂
That was so impactful, taking us along to the exhibit hall for the Smokejumpers…I had no idea. And that’s why your blog is a must-read.
Thanks for the great photos and your words. Fascinating.
Thanks, Robin. Maybe some day you and Mark will get there. The building isn’t big (there’s another building on site that’s larger, but it’s modern so I didn’t take photos there). I realize that I mostly don’t think about things like smoke jumping and people who do all manner of stuff in the world. I love finding things like this and learning, and I love sharing. 🙂
You know, we have been to Winthrop three times and we have never come across this museum and display. Thanks for doing the extra exploring.
I am, therefore I explore. 🙂