It was a simmering afternoon when I started walking the Pratt Loop Trail. Over the hedge, I saw the stars and stripes flying by the blockhouse at the Sunnyside Cemetery. I thought about what it meant to different people, during different periods in our nation’s history. The past, the present, and the future are all so evident on this walk.
A field of golden grain swayed with the wind on my left. Swallows circled over it swooping and gliding. A sparrow sang from the hedgerow on my right. As I approached the barn and its surrounding shade, I heard other birds calling. A cedar waxwing foraged for berries at the edge of the clearing. I circled the Pratt sheep barn, passed the map and the shed, and entered the woods. It felt air-conditioned, so cool and shady. Chickadees dangled from elderberry limbs. A nuthatch called in the woods. Then, by a log bench, I popped out into the warm sun again. Two locals approached with their friendly dogs with tongues hanging out. After a quick rub behind their ears, we passed on, into the forest with the plaintive call of the Swainsons thrush.
Between the branches I caught glimpses of the Jacob and Sarah Ebey cabin across the fields. They were the parents of Isaac Ebey, Whidbey’s first white settler. Imagine, walking from Missouri on the Oregon Trail, roughly 2,000 miles of prairie, steep mountain passes, treacherous river crossings, carrying precious few of your belongings, to arrive here, in this new place and make a new home. The natives looked on, perhaps offering canoe passage, coming to harvest camas, or berries, or fish, as they had for thousands of years. Cultures colliding, sometimes in cooperation, sometimes in conflict. So much rich history is still evident on this short walk.
-
For more information about Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve visit the NPS website here.
Emerging from the forest, and crossing the field, I watched the ferry arriving from Port Townsend, a trip Isaac Ebey used to make in a row boat, to work at the customs office on the other side. Just below, on the prairie, the Ferry house, where passengers took shelter, has stood for well over a century. Mount Rainier rose ghost-like on the horizon.
This trail connects with the Ridge Trail that leads to Ebey’s Bluff, but I turned inland toward the historic cabin and the blockhouse. The sign on the door said, “The Ebey’s house is closed. Sorry we missed you.” Federal funding for Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve has been cut. All the staff are due to leave by the end of September.
The Reserve is managed by a partnership between the Town of Coupeville, Island County, Washington State Parks and the National Park Service. It is made up of 17,500 acres on central Whidbey, including historic downtown Coupeville, Fort Casey and Fort Ebey State Parks, Camp Casey, Pacific Rim Institute, the Admiralty Inlet Preserve, Rhododendron County Park and the Ebey’s Bluff Trail. Though Federal funds have been cut, we hope the other partners will be able to continue to offer access and preserve this historic landscape as intended when the Reserve was established in 1978.
Frank Pratt, Jr. arrived on Whidbey in 1908 and wanted to preserve the history and beauty of Ebey’s Prairie. He purchased large tracts of land including the Ferry house, the Jenne Farm and the Ebey cabin and blockhouse. After his death, his son, Ron Pratt, took steps to preserve what his father had acquired. When he died in 1999, most of the land was given to non-profit organizations including the Nature Conservancy. The local Lion’s Club and Whidbey Partners in Preservation along with the Michigan Volunteers have worked to preserve these historic structures in recent years. We appreciate all the efforts of the philanthropists, staff, and volunteers who have preserved this landscape and made it accessible to the public. Future generations who value the beauty and history of this place will also appreciate your work.
To hear more about the Pratt Family and their contribution to the Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve, attend a free program by historian Lee James at the Pratt Barn on Thursday, July 17th at 3pm. Park at the trailhead at 162 Cemetery Road. Then walk the Pratt Loop Trail out of the north end of the parking area and follow the hedge row to the barn.
Directions
Directions: From Highway 20 in Coupeville, take Sherman Road south to Cemetery Road and drive slowly and carefully to the very end.
By Bus and Bike: Take fare free Island Transit Route 1 or Route 6 bus to Sherman Road. Take the bike path from there west (away from Coupeville) to the Spur Trail at the edge of the woods. The Spur Trail will connect with the Pratt Loop Trail at the Pratt Sheep Barn about a mile from the bus stop. Bikes are not allowed on the Spur Trail. There is a bike rack where the Spur Trail and the Kettles Bike Path meet. For a bus schedule click here. Two bikes fit on a bus bike rack. Be careful crossing the highway.
Trail Conditions: The Pratt Loop Trail is almost level on old farm roads, dirt trail and mowed field. There are roots in places, a bench at the half way point and vault restrooms at the trailhead and at the Pratt Sheep Barn.
Originally published at Hiking Close to Home.