Editing Gig Harbor, Washington

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Gig Harbor, Washington
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| nickname           = The Maritime City, The Harbor
| motto              = 
| image_skyline      = Gig_Harbor.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = 
| image_map          = Pierce_County_Washington_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Gig_Harbor_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Gig Harbor, Washington
<!-- Location -------->
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Washington (state)|Washington]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Washington|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Pierce County, Washington|Pierce]]
<!-- Government ------>
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = [[Strong Mayor]]
| leader_title       = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name        = 
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = 
<!-- Area -------->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_53.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 15.85
| area_land_km2      = 15.29
| area_water_km2     = 0.56
| area_total_sq_mi   = 6.12
| area_land_sq_mi    = 5.90
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.22
<!-- Population ------>
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = <ref name="2020 Census (City)"/>
| population_total   = 12029
| population_density_km2 = 701.05
| population_density_sq_mi = 1815.83
<!-- General information -->
| timezone           = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific (PST)]]
| utc_offset         = −8
| timezone_DST       = PDT
| utc_offset_DST     = −7
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 108
| coordinates        = {{Coord|47|20|45|N|122|36|31|W|region:US-WA_type:city|display=inline,title}}
<!-- Area/postal codes and others -->
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP Code]]s
| postal_code        = 98329, 98332, 98335
| area_code          = [[Area code 253|253]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 53-26735
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2410588<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2410588}}</ref>
| website            = {{URL|http://www.cityofgigharbor.net/|cityofgigharbor.net}}
| footnotes          = 
| native_name        = txʷaalqəɬ
| native_name_lang   = lut
}}

'''Gig Harbor''' ({{Langx|lut|txʷaalqəɬ}}) is the name of both a bay on [[Puget Sound]] and a city on its shore in [[Pierce County, Washington|Pierce County]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]]. The population was 12,029 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="2020 Census (City)">{{cite web|title=2020 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US5326735 |work=American FactFinder |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=May 16, 2022}}</ref>

Gig Harbor bills itself as "the Maritime City" and maintains a strong connection to its maritime heritage. Due to its close access to several state and city parks, and historic waterfront that includes boutiques and fine dining, it has become a popular tourist destination. Gig Harbor is located along [[Washington State Route 16|State Route 16]], about {{Convert|6|mi|km|abbr=on}} from its origin at [[Interstate 5 in Washington|Interstate 5]], over the [[Tacoma Narrows Bridge]].<ref>{{Cite web |url= http://www.cityofgigharbor.net/maps/ |title=City of Gig Harbor Geographic Maps }}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Boats in Gig Harbor.jpg|thumb|Boats in Gig Harbor]]

The S'Homamish or Homamish ({{Langx|lut|sxʷəbabš}}), an ancestral band of the modern-day [[Puyallup people|Puyallup]] people, have inhabited Gig Harbor, known in Lushootseed as {{Langx|lut|txʷaalqəɬ|label=none}}, meaning "place where game exists"<ref>{{cite news |last=Hutchinson |first=Chase |date=March 1, 2021 |title=Estuary has new name, honoring tribe; you'll need to watch a video to pronounce it. |work=[[The News Tribune]] |url=https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/community/gateway/g-news/article249532025.html |accessdate=April 25, 2023}}</ref> for millennia. There was a Puyallup settlement at the mouth of the harbor that included six houses, and a large longhouse. This village existed until the late 19th century, with the longhouse finally being torn down by settlers in 1915.<ref name="HistoryLink">{{cite web |last=Kershner |first=Jim |date=December 29, 2012 |title=Gig Harbor — Thumbnail History |url=https://www.historylink.org/File/10271 |accessdate=April 23, 2023 |work=[[HistoryLink]]}}</ref><ref name="Bridge-History">{{cite web |title=Crossing the Narrows: Idea & dream, prehistory to 1937 |url=https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/TNBHistory/crossing.htm |publisher=[[Washington State Department of Transportation]] |accessdate=April 23, 2023}}</ref>  The band was later relocated to the [[Puyallup Indian Reservation]].

During a heavy storm in 1840, Captain [[Charles Wilkes]] brought the [[captain's gig]] (small boat) into the [[harbor]] for protection. Later, with the publication of Wilkes' 1841 map of the [[Oregon Territory]], the sheltered bay was named in English as Gig Harbor by George Sinclair for his boat.

In 1867, fisherman Samuel Jerisich came to the Gig Harbor area, along with many other immigrants from Sweden, Norway, and Croatia. The town was [[plat]]ted in 1888 by Alfred M. Burnham, the owner of a local [[general store]] and native of [[Albert Lea, Minnesota]], where he advertised opportunities in Gig Harbor.<ref name="HistoryLink"/><ref name=majors>{{Cite book| last = Majors | first = Harry M. | title = Exploring Washington | publisher = Van Winkle Publishing Co | year = 1975 | page = 81 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CoWrPQAACAAJ| isbn = 978-0-918664-00-6}}</ref>

Commercial fishing, boat building, and logging dominated the economy of the Gig Harbor area, which developed two business districts in the 1920s on opposite sides of the harbor.<ref name="HistoryLink"/> Transportation between Gig Harbor and Tacoma was primarily handled by the "[[Puget Sound mosquito fleet|Mosquito fleet]]", a network of mostly-passenger steamships that traversed various points on Puget Sound. Automobiles were required to drive {{convert|107|mi|km}} through Olympia to reach Tacoma; the [[Washington Navigation Company]] later launched a Point Defiance–Gig Harbor ferry service in 1927 that could carry 80 vehicles.<ref name="Bridge-History"/><ref name="HL-Ferry">{{cite web |last=Chase |first=Katie |date=October 24, 2016 |title=Skansie Shipbuilding Company of Gig Harbor launches the new ferry Defiance on January 16, 1927. |url=https://www.historylink.org/file/20171 |work=HistoryLink |accessdate=April 23, 2023}}</ref> The [[Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940)|first Tacoma Narrows Bridge]] was completed in July 1940 to replace the ferry crossing, but collapsed a few months later.<ref name="HistoryLink"/> The ferry service was restored until the modern-day [[Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1950)|westbound bridge]] was completed in 1950.<ref name="HL-Ferry"/> A [[Tacoma Narrows Bridge (2007)|third bridge]] opened in 2007 to carry eastbound traffic on the expanded [[Washington State Route 16|State Route 16]] freeway.<ref name="HistoryLink"/>

Gig Harbor was officially incorporated as a town on July 12, 1946, after a previous attempt in September 1945 was rejected by 13 votes. The town had 803 residents in 1950, but soon grew due to the ease of access afforded by the replacement bridge that turned Gig Harbor into a [[bedroom community]] for Tacoma workers.<ref name="HistoryLink"/><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/TNBhistory/Connections/connections2.htm|title=Tacoma Narrows Bridge|access-date=October 15, 2017|archive-date=April 7, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100407211244/http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/TNBhistory/Connections/connections2.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> Gig Harbor was re-incorporated as a city in 1981.<ref name="HistoryLink"/> By the 1980s and 1990s, substantial residential and retail development had pushed the city's boundaries west to State Route 16, which had been upgraded to a partial freeway. The downtown area shifted towards tourism to compensate for lost business and attract new development.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}} The city's historic boat building industry declined, but its facilities remain preserved as historic landmarks.<ref name="HistoryLink"/> A fleet of commercial fishing boats is based in Gig Harbor and make annual trips to Alaska for the summer season to harvest salmon.<ref>{{cite news |last=Webster |first=Kerry |date=September 23, 2021 |title=Record Alaska salmon catches buoy Gig Harbor fishing fleet with 'best season' in years |url=https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/community/gateway/g-news/article254270273.html |work=[[The News Tribune]] |accessdate=April 23, 2023}}</ref>

===Skansie shipyard===
In 1905, the Skansie brothers were the first in the area to build a gasoline-powered fishing boat. They did so at first by refitting boats with a gasoline-powered engine. Usually the motors were quite small, between 6 and 8 horsepower; the Skansie brothers originally used a 7-horsepower engine.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.historylink.org/File/20170|title=Skansie Shipbuilding Company (Gig Harbor)}}</ref> Although these were powerboats, neither masts nor a turntable to hoist in the nets were used. This work was all done by hand. However, with the introduction of a motor, the boats were not able to go as far as Alaska. Skansie shipyards built fishing vessels from the late 1910s to the early 1950s.

==Geography==
{{see also|Raft Island|Puget Sound}}
According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|5.96|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|5.95|sqmi|sqkm|2}} are land and {{convert|0.01|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web |title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=December 19, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121220045823/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=December 20, 2012 }}</ref>

===Climate===
{{climate chart
| Gig Harbor
|35|47|5.38
|36|50|4.44
|39|55|4.18
|42|60|2.87
|47|66|2.01
|52|71|1.58
|55|76|0.86
|55|77|0.83
|51|71|1.42
|45|61|3.39
|40|52|6.10
|35|47|5.89
|units = imperial
|float = right
|clear = both }}
Gig Harbor has a [[marine west coast]] climate: Warm and dry summers, transitional springs and autumns, and cool and wet winters, with occasional snow. The annual high and low temperatures of Gig Harbor are {{convert|59.3|and|44.8|F|C}}, respectively, making for an average of {{convert|52.05|F|C}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/gig-harbor/washington/united-states/uswa0664|title=Climate Gig Harbor - Washington}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 321
|1950= 803
|1960= 1094
|1970= 1657
|1980= 2429
|1990= 3236
|2000= 6465
|2010= 7126
|2020= 12029
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=November 25, 2021}}</ref><br>2020 Census<ref name="2020 Census (City)"/>
}}

[[File:Gig Harbor aerial.jpg|thumb|upright|Aerial view, looking northwest, of the harbor and town of Gig Harbor, with Henderson Bay in background]]
[[File:Gig Harbor BA.JPG|thumb|right|Entering Gig Harbor]]

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]],<ref name="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 19, 2012}}</ref> 7,126 people, 3,291 households, and 1,937 families resided in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1197.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. The 3,560 housing units averaged {{convert|598.3|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The [[Race (U.S. Census)|racial makeup]] of the city was 90.2% White, 1.2% African American, 0.6% Native American, 2.4% Asian, 0.5% Pacific Islander, 1.4% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 5.8% of the population.

Of the 3,291 households, 22.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.1% were not families. About 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.12 and the average family size was 2.69.

The median age in the city was 48.1 years; 18% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were 18 to 24; 21% were 25 to 44; 29% were 45 to 64; and 25% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46% male and 54% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]], 6,465 people, 2,880 households, and 1,765 families resided in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1,485.2|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. The 3,085 housing units averaged {{convert|708.7|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the city was 94.2% White, 1.1% African American, 0.6% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 0.5% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.0% of the population.

Of the 2,880 households, 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.7% were not families. Around 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.75.

In the city, the population was distributed as 20.3% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 23.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $43,456, and for a family was $57,587. Males had a median income of $46,250 versus $28,487 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $28,318. About 3.5% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 7.8% of those under the age of 18 and 4.1% of those ages 65 or older.

==Government==

At the state level, Gig Harbor is part of the [[Washington's 26th legislative district|26th legislative district]], which encompasses all of peninsular Pierce County and southeastern Kitsap County, including Bremerton and Port Orchard.<ref>{{cite map |date=February 2022 |title=Adopted Legislative District 26 |url=https://rdcext.blob.core.windows.net/public/2-Individual%20Districts/2022%20Legislative%20District%20Maps/Reduced%20LD%20PDFs/2022%20Adopted%20Legislative%20District%2026.pdf |publisher=[[Washington State Redistricting Commission]] |accessdate=April 23, 2023}}</ref> It is represented in the [[Washington State Legislature]] by senator [[Deborah Krishnadasan]] and representatives [[Adison Richards]] and [[Michelle Caldier]].<ref>{{cite web |title=All Members, Districts, and Counties |url=https://app.leg.wa.gov/Rosters/MembersByDistrictAndCounties |accessdate=March 19, 2025 |publisher=[[Washington State Legislature]]}}</ref> At the federal level, Gig Harbor is part of the [[Washington's 6th congressional district|6th congressional district]] and is represented by representative [[Emily Randall]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Monares |first=Freddy |date=2024-11-06 |title=Emily Randall will represent WA's 6th congressional district |url=https://www.knkx.org/politics/2024-11-06/emily-randall-drew-macewen-wa-6th-congressional-district-results |access-date=2025-03-19 |website=KNKX Public Radio |language=en}}</ref>

==Education==
The [[Peninsula School District]] is the district covering the city of Gig Harbor and the peninsula. It has three high schools: [[Gig Harbor High School]], [[Peninsula High School (Washington)|Peninsula High School]], and [[Henderson Bay Alternative High School]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Schools – Peninsula School District |url=https://www.psd401.net/about-us/schools |publisher=Peninsula School District |access-date=May 2, 2023}}</ref> Tacoma Community College opened a satellite campus in Gig Harbor in 1992, and operates a branch serving Washington Corrections Center for Women, also in Gig Harbor.<ref>{{cite news |last=Webster |first=Kerry |date=September 11, 2019 |title=New dean at TCC Gig Harbor started her education there |url=https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/community/gateway/article234897837.html |work=The News Tribune |accessdate=August 11, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Gross |first=Ashley |date=December 16, 2019 |title=Washington experiments with giving women in prison limited access to the internet |url=https://www.knkx.org/post/washington-experiments-giving-women-prison-limited-access-internet |publisher=KNKX |accessdate=August 11, 2021}}</ref>

== Newspaper ==
The [[Peninsula Gateway|''Peninsula Gateway'']] is a weekly newspaper published in Gig Harbor since 1917.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2012-04-24 |title=Charles Edward Trombley and The Peninsula Gateway |url=https://harborhistorymuseum.blogspot.com/2012/04/charles-edward-trombley-and-peninsula.html |access-date=2025-02-15 |website=Harbor History Museum Blog}}</ref> It has been owned by [[McClatchy]], publisher of the [[The News Tribune|''News Tribune'']] and co-owner of [[The Seattle Times|''The Seattle Times'']], since 1995.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 22, 1995 |title=Weekly sold to McClatchy |work=The Peninsula Clarion |location=Kenai, Alaska |pages=3 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Christophe Bisciglia]] — founder of [[Cloudera]]
* [[Marian Call]] — singer-songwriter 
* [[Jini Dellaccio]] — photographer 
* [[Jay Faerber]] — [[Book illustration|illustrated book]] writer<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jayfaerber.blogspot.com/|title=JAY FAERBER'S BLOG|website=jayfaerber.blogspot.com}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=April 2022}}
* [[Freddie Goodwin]] — former [[Manchester United]] soccer player and alumnus of the [[Busby Babes]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Marshall |first1=Adam |last2=Bostock |first2=Adam |date=February 22, 2016 |title=Former Manchester United player Freddie Goodwin passes away |url=http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Club-News/2016/Feb/former-manchester-united-player-freddie-goodwin-passes-away.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160223000134/http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Club-News/2016/Feb/former-manchester-united-player-freddie-goodwin-passes-away.aspx |archive-date=February 23, 2016 |website=manutd.com}}</ref>
* [[Tally Hall (soccer)|Tally Hall]] — soccer goalie
* [[Nevin Harrison]] — American sprint canoeist<ref>{{Cite news |last=Vertuno |first=Jim |date=July 4, 2021 |title=Teen from Gig Harbor canoe club headed to Toyko |url=https://www.kitsapsun.com/story/sports/2021/07/04/nevin-harrison-gig-harbor-seattle-canoe-sprint-tokyo-olympics/7860077002/ |work=Kitsap Sun |access-date=April 19, 2023}}</ref>
* [[Scott Hatteberg]] — baseball player, played by [[Chris Pratt]] in ''[[Moneyball (film)|Moneyball]]''
* [[Doris Brown Heritage]] — athlete 
* [[Charles W. Johnson (jurist)|Charles W. Johnson]] — Associate Chief Justice of the [[Washington Supreme Court]]
* [[Kevin Johnson (executive)|Kevin Johnson]] — former chief executive officer (CEO) of [[Starbucks]]
* [[Casey Kasem]] — actor, television and radio voiceover
* [[Dave Krusen]] — drummer, Rock Hall of Fame member
* [[Josh Lucas]] — actor
* [[Howard McLeod]] — medical scientist
* [[Bob Mortimer (evangelist)|Bob Mortimer]] — evangelist
* [[Onision]] — YouTuber, lived in Gig Harbor
* [[Kenneth Pinyan]] — former Boeing engineer and bestiality practitioner
* [[Cory Procter]] — former NFL football player
* [[Christopher Rufo]] — conservative activist, senior fellow at the [[Manhattan Institute]]<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Wallace-Wells|first=Benjamin|date=June 18, 2021|title=How a Conservative Activist Invented the Conflict Over Critical Race Theory|url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-inquiry/how-a-conservative-activist-invented-the-conflict-over-critical-race-theory|access-date=June 19, 2021|magazine=The New Yorker|language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[Austin Seferian-Jenkins]] — NFL football player
* [[Paul Skansi]] — NFL football player
* [[Kyle Stanley]] — professional golfer 
* [[Keith Weller]] — former soccer player

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Gig Harbor, Washington}}
{{wikivoyage|Gig Harbor}}
* [http://www.cityofgigharbor.net/ Official city website]
* [http://www.gigharborguide.com/ City of Gig Harbor's Official Visitor Website]
* [http://www.gigharborchamber.com/ Gig Harbor - Peninsula Area Chamber of Commerce]

{{Pierce County, Washington}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Gig Harbor, Washington| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Pierce County, Washington]]
[[Category:Cities in the Seattle metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Cities in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Populated places on Puget Sound]]