Eaglemount RockeriesAnna (1904-2002) & Wayne Wolfer (1902-1976)
Extant
1822 State Route 20, Port Townsend, Washington, 98368, United States
1948 to present
The site is free and open to the public every day from 10am until dusk.
About the Artist/Site
School teacher and motel co-owner Anna Wolfer began creating sculptures in 1948, when she decided that the pond on her property needed a little stone building as a centerpiece. The motel grounds soon were dotted with Anna’s rock-encrusted buildings, ranging from castles, villages, farms, to scenes around the world, and the moon. The rockery became a family endeavor with all of the Wolfer’s contributing to the project. Anna’s husband Wayne Wolfer built wooden structures to house the life-size concrete figures in Anna’s pioneer town, while the couple’s daughter Phyllis carved a 20-foot-tall wooden totem pole to accompany her mother’s ‘Indian Village’. Son Richard was responsible for engineering the map of Washington, sculpted on the ground in relief. A pamphlet advertising the motel also credits a son-in-law, a daughter-in-law, a nephew, and a granddaughter for their efforts in helping Anna decorate the rockery. Highlights of the life-size vignettes include “Scotty’s mine”, “Whiskey Bill the Moonshiner”, a blacksmith shop, and a stone jail.
The Eaglemount Rockeries advertised a variety of services for visitors during the Wolfers’ time as proprietors. Aside from the motel and sculptures, the area included a service station, souvenir shop, groceries, and picnic grounds. A point of pride for the Wolfers’ was the ideal location of the rockery. Located on Discovery Bay on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state, postcards for the motel tout the beautiful views of nature that surround the property, describing the spot as “enchanting” and “lovely.” Schen Callahan purchased the rockery in 2003, maintaining the motel and property as a peaceful, quiet destination with great views of the Washington landscape. The rockery is open to the public for free, self-guided tours during the day.
~Nikki Ranney, 2023
Source: Eaglemountrockerycottagesmotel - Vacation Rental, Motel, Nightly and Weekly Rentals
Contributors
Materials
cement, paint, stones, wood
SPACES Archives Holdings
1 folder: clippings, correspondence, pamphlets, images
Related Documents
Map & Site Information
1822 State Route 20
Port Townsend, Washington, 98368
us
Latitude/Longitude: 47.992152 / -122.8521458
Nearby Environments
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Comments
schen callahan March 27, 2023
Love what you did about the place.