Purdy, WA Road Trips

The area was settled in the 1880s. Isaac Hawk purchased the land from the Washington Territorial Government. Horace Knapp purchased 19 acres (77,000 m2) of this land from Hawk in 1884 for the price of $23.75. These acres were made into the town of Purdy (with lots and blocks). In 1885, Josephine Fuller, the first white woman in the area, married Horace Knapp. In 1886, the mill in Purdy secured the first contract to provide lumber for nearby Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton. This put Purdy on the map. The mill's success also brought conveniences to the area like a grocery store, and a post office. There was a long chute along present-day 144th Street that brought the logs down the hill to the water.

Purdy Sand Spit (an unimproved waterfront public area that runs right along SR 302). It's 7.5 acre area includes a boat launch. A great place to see water fowl such as sea gulls and blue heron. An occasional seal can be spotted too. "The Spit" as it is called by locals, divides Burley Lagoon from Henderson Bay. It's a popular spot due to its easy beach access, just steps away from the parking spots along SR 302. More of a gravel spit rather than sand this beach is none the less full of sea shells. Every variety of clam can oyster shell can be found easily, moon snails and sand dollars can be found with a little more looking.

Enjoy the fabulous Purdy Spit where beach access is easy. Beachcomb or sunbathe on this mile long stretch of beach that includes a public boat launch. The Purdy Spit and Henderson Bay are popular with jet skiers and wind surfers as well. Purdy does offer a long sand and gravel beach along the spit. Oysters, clams and moon snails are common sites and seals, otters and eagles are not uncommon. Be warned that sea shells and driftwood are considered part of the natural environment and should not be removed, however the often rocky and wild shores are havens for creating and revealing beach glass and anything artificial found is fair game for removal. Be respectful of private property and gentle with sea creatures. Keep a wide distance away from nesting birds, seals and other shore animals and always put back anything removed from the shoreline. The Kitsap Audubon Society has been actively meeting since 1972 and has a broad coalition of birders actively tracking and sharing sightings since then. They also maintain an active website with updates of the latest sightings, suggestions on areas for birders and even a regular newsletter. They also developed a checklist of birds likely to be seen birds in the area. The state Audubon society developed 'The Great Audubon Birding Trail' which includes key migration flyways. Flyways are major north-south routes of travel for migratory birds and likely areas to see birds along the route extending from Alaska to Patagonia.

Purdy is located north of Gig Harbor and has two exits off of highway 16. Both exits loop back onto highway 16 making Purdy a convenient place to stop on your way through the area. The Purdy Sand Spit is an unimproved waterfront public area that runs right along SR 302. It's 7.5 acre area includes a boat launch. Bremerton-Kitsap Airporter, ☏ +1 360-876-1737. provides scheduled ground transportation to and from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to various locations on the Kitsap Peninsula.

Pierce Transit, ☏ +1 253 581-8000, toll-free: +1-800-562-8109. operates local routes on buses that run on natural gas and connect with other regional transit systems. Pierce transit can also be tracked with a free smartphone app from One Bus Away that provides easy access to real-time transit information for the Puget Sound region and beyond. adult $2 youth .75 and is part of the regional Orca payment system..