Belfair, Washington

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Belfair
Belfair WA, September 2015.jpg
State Route 3 through Belfair
USA Washington location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Belfair
Location of Belfair, in Washington State
Coordinates: 47°27′02″N122°49′33″W / 47.45056°N 122.82583°W / 47.45056; -122.82583
CountryUnited States
State Washington
County Mason
Area
  Total44.9 sq mi (116 km2)
Population
 (2010)
  Total3,931
  Density88/sq mi (34/km2)
Time zone Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
ZIP code
98528 [1]
Area code 360
GNIS feature ID1516383 [2]

Belfair is a census-designated place in Mason County, Washington, United States. Located at the mouth of the Union River at Hood Canal, it serves as the commercial center of northern Mason County. The population of the surrounding area grows in the summertime, as the Canal and the Olympic Peninsula are popular with tourists. The population was 3,931 as of the 2010 census.

Contents

History

Belfair was originally referred to as Clifton, as were several other towns in the state. To avoid confusion, it was renamed in 1925 by Mrs. Murray, then postmaster, who submitted the name Belfair from a book that she was then reading.[ citation needed ]

Geography

Belfair is located on an isthmus connecting the Kitsap and Olympic Peninsula. It receives an average rainfall of 60 inches (1,500 mm) yearly and has a growing season of 212 days with final spring frost around April 20 usually.

Mason Lake is 8 miles (13 km) southwest of Belfair.

Parks and recreation

Belfair serves as a gateway town for the Hood Canal region, and is the last town with services before visitors reach Tahuya State Forest.

The Theler Wetlands have walking trails meandering through 135 acres (0.55 km2) of tidal wetlands, offering boardwalks and well-groomed paths with views of Hood Canal, Union River, and a tidal estuary. Other nature trails can be found near Belfair Elementary.

Arts and culture

Belfair is home to "The Taste of Hood Canal", an annual event falling on the second Saturday in August. This festival features local artists, foods, a classic car show and is sponsored by the North Mason Rotary Club.

Belfair is also home to the Mary E. Theler Community Center.

Infrastructure

Health care

Belfair is the regional service hub for northern Mason County. Harrison Hospital operates an urgent care facility in Belfair, and local doctor offices are in the area along with other professional services. The area has local and chain restaurants, along with two major grocery stores. Local shopping includes gift stores. Timberland Regional Library has a local branch in Belfair. Several public golf courses are nearby, including McCormick Woods, Gold Mountain, Alderbrook, Trophy Lake, Horseshoe Lake, and Lakeland Village.

Roads

Washington State Route 3 is the main road leading into Belfair, from Bremerton and Gorst in the north, and Allyn in the south. Washington State Route 106 also starts at the south end of Belfair, leading toward Union, the next town along the south shore of Hood Canal. Washington State Route 300 begins in Belfair and runs along the north shore of Hood Canal, providing access to Tahuya and Dewatto Bay.

Education

Belfair has two high schools (North Mason High School and James A. Taylor High School, an alternative school), a middle school (Hawkins Middle School), two elementary schools (Sand Hill Elementary and Belfair Elementary), and a co-op preschool.

Notable people

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Lilliwaup is a small unincorporated community in Mason County, Washington, United States. It is located on the west shore of Hood Canal at the mouth of Lilliwaup Creek. U.S. Route 101 passes through the town.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington State Route 106</span> Highway in Washington

State Route 106 (SR 106) is a Washington state highway in Mason County, extending 20.09 miles (32.33 km) from U.S. Route 101 (US 101) in Skokomish to SR 3 south of Belfair. The road was once a section of State Road 21 in 1915, which later became State Road 14 in 1923 and Primary State Highway 14 (PSH 14) in 1937 and PSH 21 in 1955. PSH 21 became SR 106 in 1964 and since, the Washington State Department of Transportation has arranged and completed minor projects to improve the roadway.

Eldon is an unincorporated community in Mason County, Washington, United States. Eldon is located along U.S. Route 101 on the scenic Hood Canal north of Lilliwaup and south of Brinnon. Eldon features a small store and several recreational areas and businesses catering to travelers and locals such as some Airbnb's. Some of the stores and Airbnb's include Eldon House (Airbnb), Eldon Store, and the Hama Hama Oyster Company (Restaurant).

Hoodsport is a census-designated place (CDP) in Mason County, Washington, United States. The population was 376 at the 2010 census. Hoodsport is located along the Hood Canal, at the intersection of U.S. Route 101 and State Route 119. Lake Cushman is 5 miles (8.0 km) up the road on State Route 119. Hoodsport is the gateway to the Staircase area of the Olympic National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mason Lake</span>

Mason Lake is a natural elongated lake south of Belfair, Washington, United States in Mason County. Named for Charles H. Mason, the first secretary of Washington Territory, the lake is on the isthmus of the Kitsap Peninsula between the Hood Canal and Pickering Passage of the Case Inlet. The smaller Benson Lake is to its eastern side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington State Route 300</span>

State Route 300 (SR 300) is a short state highway in Mason County, in the U.S. state of Washington. It extends 3.35 miles (5.39 km) from Belfair State Park to SR 3 in the community of Belfair. The route serves as a connector from Belfair State Park to Belfair and SR 3. The highway was Secondary State Highway 21C (SSH 21C) from 1957 until 1964.

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The Tahuya River is a stream in the U.S. state of Washington. It originates at Tahuya Lake in western Kitsap Peninsula and flows south, emptying into Hood Canal near the Great Bend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belfair State Park</span> State park in the U.S. state of Washington

Belfair State Park is a public recreation area located on Hood Canal three miles (4.8 km) southwest of Belfair in Mason County, Washington. The state park consists of 94 acres (38 ha) of tidal flats, wetlands, and beaches with a 3,720-foot (1,130 m) shoreline. Park activities include camping, fishing, swimming, clam digging, crabbing, birdwatching, and field sports.

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South Puget Sound is the southern reaches of Puget Sound in Southwest Washington, in the United States' Pacific Northwest. It is one of five major basins encompassing the entire Sound, and the shallowest basin, with a mean depth of 37 meters (121 ft). Exact definitions of the region vary: the state's Department of Fish and Wildlife counts all of Puget Sound south of the Tacoma Narrows for fishing regulatory purposes. The same agency counts Mason, Jefferson, Kitsap, Pierce and Thurston Counties for wildlife management. The state's Department of Ecology defines a similar area south of Colvos Passage.

References

  1. "Belfair WA ZIP Code". zipdatamaps.com. 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  2. "Belfair". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.