Wilkinson Farm Park

Have you had the opportunity to visit the Wilkinson Farm lately? It is so great to see the beautiful garden plots, the potting shed, and all the activities surrounding this great resource available to Gig Harbor residents.

It is located at 4118 Rosedale Street in Gig Harbor and is a 16-acre wildlife park with wetlands, holly groves, meadows, a community garden and trails. There are power outlets, a water fountain and a water hose bib available. The historic homestead includes a barn, house and outbuildings that will be stabilized for public access in the future. There are no public restrooms.  However there is on-site parking. 

The Wilkinson family came to Gig Harbor in the 1890s. In 1909, Mr. Wilkinson purchased this property where he operated the Pioneer Dairy for many years.

William and Mary Castle Wilkinson came from the Midwest. When they first arrived in Gig Harbor they lived down on the waterfront in the vicinity of Pioneer and Harborview where their chickens wandered freely in the area.

Wilkinson deep in his pea patch

Once they purchased this acreage on Rosedale however, William started to clear a field and build a small “love tester” shack in the middle of the field. There he, Maria, their three daughters, Dorothy, Helen and Wilma, and their son Vivian lived. 

William's next project the realization of his dream. In 1914, he built a beautiful barn to house his dairy herd. It was constructed of logs from his property and milled into lumber at the C. O. Austin Mill. Once that was completed, he was willing to start on their ‘proper’ house. The barn was near completion when, on the Fourth of July, 1915, the family celebrated with a picnic held for everyone who had helped raise the barn.  Shortly afterwards, William was killed in a fall from its loft.

Building the barn that still stands today

Maria Wilkinson was left to build the family’s last home alone, getting the job completed in the same way that she accomplished the farm and garden work – with the help of her children.

Maria built a neat white house facing Rosedale Street that took shape slowly.  She wanted a simple plan “with no nooks or crannies, something that I can get into,” and she built it easily without professional help.  In addition to what Maria purchased from C. O. Austin Mill, some of the lumber she used came from the original “love tester” shack.  While she and Vivian were tearing down one house to build the new one, the family made do in a tent, and occasionally slept in the barn.

Maria with Dorothy, Helen, Wilma and son Vivian

They finally moved into their new home in September (the year is unknown). It had a roof, but  windows had yet to be installed. After all, Maria and the children still had to maintain the farm. They raised corn and hay for silage to feed enough milking cows to establish a dairy route in Gig Harbor.

Looking southwest.  Note utility poles at right

Maria planted vegetables every spring before her death in 1953, a practice that her daughter, Helen, continued. Helen smiled and commented that “when something was gone, we’d just wait till it came around again.”  Dorothy died in September, 1974.

That is why it is so gratifying to see the Gig Harbor Community Garden continue in Maria Wilkinson’s footsteps.

   

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