Elma News 8.5.15

Tourism dollars, a tax on hotels, RV Parks and travel clubs are the funds that have helped make the Elma Visitor's Center a very active and viable organization. The Flying A station at Third and Main in Elma is well equipped to give visitors and local people information about things to see in this area. Second only to Ocean Shores the tourism dollars are increasing rapidly. We live in a beautiful part of the country and have many things to see in one day, one week or longer. The trip around the peninsula has so much to see, you should spend a week to see Shelton, Hoodsport, Hama Hama and other interesting place as you go along Hood canal to Quilcene, Port Townsend, Sequim and Port Angeles. As you continue west you will experience the beauty of Lake Crescent and can continue out to Neah Bay. As you start south you will be in the famous City of Forks. Clearwater has a correction center, and the Quinault Indian Tribe has much territory and influence as you drive toward Hoquiam and Aberdeen.

Elma has many interesting things to see too. Lamb's Show Horses are just south of Elma. There are two beautiful homes and fabulous homes for the show horses that are housed there. At Porter, a little further south and across the Chehalis River is the Buffalo Ranch owned by Ed and Jill Loggergren. They have a great herd of Bison and have many products from the animals and other memorabilia.

On down the road toward Oakville is the famous Sharon Grange where the Oyster Feed is handled every April. This is the fundraiser that keeps the grange community viable. Continuing down the back road you will come to Dan's Dahlia's. Dan Pearson sells dahlias all over the country from this farm.

If you return to Highway 12 at Oakville and start back to Elma, there is a great entrance to Capital Forest. Recently a grove in Capital Forest was dedicated to Mike Murphy. Mike was a county commissioner for several years in Grays Harbor County. The Pavilion at Grays Harbor Fair has also been named for Mike Murphy. Mike helped Elma to get the Vance Creek Park just south of Highway 12 from Elma.

Another place of beauty in Elma is the new Summit Pacific Medical Center. It has Urgent Care available every day of the week. The hospital has been awarded many awards for personnel in just the last two years. Currently they are constructing a new clinic at McCleary to better serve that community.

Elma is a hub that is almost equidistant from Shelton, Olympia, Centralia and Aberdeen & Hoquiam. We hope that many people came to Elma for the Great Grays Harbor Fair, August 5 to 9.