If you’ve ever driven into Port Townsend to visit, you noticed that there is a sweet stench right at the end of town as you enter the city. Like many of us, you may have asked, “Why does Port Townsend stink?” It’s a question that has been asked many times by many people. As a real estate broker, I’ve had buyers tell me they will not live in Port Townsend, because they could not abide such a smell. So today I will answer the question:
Why Does Port Townsend Stink?
Alas, the old Port Townsend Paper Mill is the answer to the question Why does Port Townsend Stink? Now you know. But let’s qualify this with a little more information. Not all of Port Townsend stinks. It would seem that the primary area is at the end of town when you enter the city and where you pass the street that goes down to the paper mill. There’s an area that must be about a quarter of a mile long where the bad smell lives.
The answer is probably best answered with this simple video.
Having said that, you could live in Port Townsend on the other end of town or in many neighborhoods and never smell the Port Townsend Mill. On the other hand, there are some neighborhoods that are within the “zone,” depending on the direction of the wind. Hopefully your Realtor will be able to let you know the areas of concern.
By the way, for years I drove through the smell and mentally ask myself the question, “why does Port Townsend stink“? Finally, I went down and took this video, so I could not just answer the question for you, but so I could stop asking myself the question. LOL
Last Updated on April 16, 2019 by Chuck Marunde
