When people think of historic landmarks they think of buildings and statues. But one of Grays Harbor’s most famous landmarks was a spruce tree on Damon Point, linked by legend to Captain Robert Gray. Felled by a storm in 1934, its memory lives on.
Legend Linked Lone Tree to Captain Gray
Robert Gray (1755-1806) was a New England ship captain. His first trading visit to the Pacific Northwest coast (1787-1790) was so successful that his sponsors sent him back for a second voyage (1790-1793). The expedition consisted of two ships, the Lady Washington and the Columba Rediviva.
On May 7, 1792, he wrote in his log that they, “Saw an entrance, in the same, which had a very good appearance of a harbor; lowered away the jolly-boat, and went in search of an anchoring place, the ship standing to and fro, with a strong weather current.”
Gray dubbed the place Bullfinch Harbor in honor of one of the Columbia’s owners. The crew, however, started calling it Gray’s Harbor, after their captain.
The name stuck. British rival Captain George Vancouver’s mapping survey labeled it Gray’s Harbor on their October 1792 visit to the harbor. The apostrophe later dropped, becoming known simply as Grays Harbor.
After trading with the Quinault, Gray’s crew sailed south. On May 11, 1792, they became the first non-Natives to enter the Columbia River. Captain Gray named it after his ship.
“Beacon Tree” Helped Sailors
Noticeably absent in all contemporary accounts were any mentions of using a tree for navigation. But generations of sailors who came after Captain Gray used a lone spruce tree at the end of Damon Point as a navigational guide into Grays Harbor. Legend connected the tree to Captain Robert Gray, though no one knew how old the tree really was. People called it the “Beacon Tree” or, more often, the “Lone Tree.”
From 1904 to 1916 Damon Point was home to a small community named Lone Tree. The temporary town housed construction workers for the North Jetty. It had homes, boarding houses, stores and even a post office. The community disbanded after the project was completed.
Daughters of the American Revolution Dedicated Historic Marker in 1911
The legend of the Lone Tree attracted interest. On May 9, 1911, the Robert Gray Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) dedicated a monument, near the tree. The bronze marker was mounted on a large granite boulder.
The ceremony was a major event. Cora A. McDermoth even wrote a poem for the occasion, “The Lone Tree.” It ended with a final wish:
“Long may the burled branches wave,
Time wracks many a joint:
Faithful guide, the mariner’s joy,
Lone tree of ‘Damon’s Point.’”
A clambake and dinner on the jetty followed after.
Lone Tree Fell in Windstorm
But the days of the Lone Tree were coming to a close. On October 21, 1934, the Pacific Northwest was struck by the tail end of a hurricane. 90 mph winds hit the coast. Forests were flattened and wind and tide tossed waves flooded coastal communities.
Half of Hoquiam homes were flooded, while two feet of water covered downtown Hoquiam and Aberdeen streets. Parts of south Aberdeen were under six feet of water. The Olympic Highway flooded between Aberdeen and Montesano.
The storm claimed at least 19 lives. It would be the region’s worst storm on record until the 1962 Columbus Day storm.
As people began cleaning up the damage, they discovered that the Lone Tree had been toppled into the sands.
Preserving the Memory of the Lone Tree
While the Lone Tree was gone, efforts continued to preserve its memory. Wood from the fallen tree was used to make commemorative gavels. The Museum of History & Industry in Seattle has one such gavel, as well as a miniature lighthouse.
The Daughters of the American Revolutionmarker remained on site until the early 1950s when erosion washed the boulder out to sea. The plaque was recovered and moved to the junction of SR 109 and SR 115. In 1967 the marker was relocated near the Ocean Shores Community Club. It was rededicated on May 7, 1967, the 175th anniversary of Captain Gray’s entrance into Grays Harbor.
In 2018 the Robert Gray Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution moved the marker to the Coastal Interpretive Center (1033 Catala Avenue SE). It was rededicated with the help of the Alexander Hamilton Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution on May 7, 2018.
Lone Tree Drive in Ocean Shores is named for the tree.
Descendant Tree in Olympia
After the Lone Tree fell in 1934, a Mrs. H.W. Patton recovered broken branches and cones and sent them to the University of Washington. From these cones, arborists were able to grow saplings. Several descendant trees were planted throughout the state, but the status of many of them is unknown.
The descendant tree in Olympia is clearly marked and easy to visit. Dedicated in 1961 outside the Lord Mansion (211 21st Avenue), then the State Capital Museum, the tree honors Charles Tallmadge Conover, a Seattle journalist, writer and historian. He coined the state’s “Evergreen State” nickname.
Memory of the Lone Tree in Ocean Shores
Today, the memory of the Lone Tree remains strong in Ocean Shores. While Damon Point has been closed to the public since January 2025 due to safety concerns, Ocean Shores has many nature trails where visitors can enjoy the beautiful scenery and imagine the area as it was in 1792, when Captain Robert Gray first set eye on Grays Harbor.
