The James House has stood proudly on the bluff overlooking Port Townsend Bay for over 120 years. Francis Wilcox James chose this site for his private home as it was the hightest point on the bluff and adjacent to the Custom's House which was being built across the street. He liked being able to stand on the front porch, or his private balcony above, and see all that was happening in this busy seaport village. He was a businessman after all, and it was important that he was current on the events of the town! He could see the beautifully ornate building that he owned with Mr. Hastings on Water Street, as well as all the ships that docked on the water just below The James House. What a site that must have been! There was a tall stair case that lead from Water Street at the foot of the ship dock, up to Washington Street directly across from the Custom's House. The arriving ship's captain would walk up the stair case to register his vessel, his name as Captain, and the contents of the cargo. Those years are long gone, as is the staircase (however you can still see where the staircase was cut into the bluff)....but the leather bound journals that hold the history of those vessels are still housed in the same building across the street from The James House. The original customs house is still owned by the federal government and is the site of our local post office. There is a small museum exhibit inside where you can see some of the original furniture, and many of the journals which stand as a testament to Port Townsend's legacy as the original seaport village in the Pacific Northwest.
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