My last post, titled Hodgepodge Travel, outlined a recent trip my husband and I took to the Pacific Northwest. Continuing with the theme, this week’s pictures are a hodgepodge assortment of doors that caught my fancy along the way.
The Seattle Center Armory was built in 1939 to house the 146th Field Artillery. The building was incorporated into the footprint of the 1962 World’s Fair, when it was reconfigured into a food and shopping mall.
The U.S. Courthouse at Union Square in Tacoma, Washington began its life in the early 1900s as the city’s rail station. In the early 1990s, the abandoned Union Station was completely renovated and reconfigured into a federal courthouse. Its magnificent Beaux-Arts architecture was maintained and the light-filled rotunda houses a “stunning collection” of glass art by Tacoma native Dale Chihuly (I had to put the description in quotes since, unfortunately, we were there on a Sunday when the courthouse was closed).
I’m pretty sure this tunnel door is in Idaho. The Hiawatha Trail, a 13-mile bike path, was built along an old railroad route. The trail goes through eight tunnels – including one that is a dark 1.6 miles long – and travels over seven high trestles. The portion of the trail we rode begins in Montana and soon (somewhere in the middle of a tunnel) transitions into Idaho.
We found this spaceship docked in a parking lot in Wallace, Idaho. We could find no evidence of recent occupation by spacemen.
Maybe not technically a door, but certainly a gate qualifies? This historic headgate, located in Post Falls, Idaho, was part of a system that provided water power for the region’s first commercial lumber mill as well as irrigation water to the Spokane Valley. The headgate was raised and lowered to control the flow of water.
Not historically significant, but I just loved the teal patina of these doors found at the Barrister Winery in downtown Spokane.
The British Columbia Parliament Buildings, located in Victoria, B.C., overlook Victoria’s Inner Harbour. The impressive buildings, constructed in the late 1800s, were designed in the Baroque and Romanesque Revival styles. They are open to the public and offer free guided tours, but we arrive too late to take advantage of them. Fortunately, they left the lights on for us.
Thursday Doors is a link-up of fellow door addicts aficionados generously hosted by Norm Frampton. Head over to his blog to view all the amazing doors he and others have posted.
Retirementally Challenged 
I’m on my way to the Pacific Northwest now. Thanks for the preview!
Have fun! I think most of the smoke is gone and it should be beautiful.
Love the architecture of the courthouse in Tacoma and my favorite is the teal patina textured doors.Thise are great! So fun to see the layers of colors and overall weathering.
Peta
I love the patina of time too. I have some more to share next week (shameless plug 🙂 ).
Love the spaceship, glad you didn’t get snatched up and carted off to outer space!
Finding these silly roadside delights makes me so happy. Why not put a spaceship in your parking lot?
Very cool! You’re inspiring me to travel there!
It’s really a beautiful part of the country! I hope you go.
Very interesting from the gold eagles to the red spaceship. 🙂
Thank you!
Great photos, Janis. My favourite is of the doors at the Barrister Winery. That teal patina is just gorgeous!
Those doors were so lovely, as was the winery. I really like re-purposed old buildings that maintain the beauty of the past.
I recognized the Armory doors, right away. What a magnificent collection you brought ut today. I’d love to ride that bike trail. I may have to add it to a list of things to see in my retirement.
I wish we had more time to ride the other parts of the trail too. The beauty of this particular ride is that it’s all downhill… there is still a lot of peddling needed but there are many opportunities to enjoy the amazing scenery. Definitely put it on your list!
Gosh, the armory has a hint of “Third Reich meets Art Deco” about it…
Yikes! I didn’t think so at first, but you have a point… it’s rather imposing.
Janis – your doors are such a nice memento of the trip. It must have been fun to collect the memories by category and not by location. And a gate/door to a tunnel – I would have tried to speed through that one before I got stuck inside. 🙂
Everyone had a headlight on their bike so at least you could see the trail right in front of you. Without it, it would have been pitch black. It was a little creepy… but fun!
omg – the tunnel!! I had to take a side trip to research the Hiawatha Trail. It is now on my New Things list.
How much of the 15 mile trail did you do? … and the trestles? It looks AMAZING.
You would absolutely love it! We did that whole trail, but there are other portions of the trail that we didn’t have time for this trip. The trestles were incredible and the views spectacular.
It’s the description of the trestles that sealed the deal for me, but your photo of the tunnel with the small dot of light in the distance is what initially captured my attention.
I recognized the BC Legislature right away – it’s just one of those iconically Canadian postcard places. The insdie is supposed to be wonderful as well. I hope to visit one day.
Love the eagles on the armory entrance too 🙂
I love Thursday Doors! Yours are perfect! I have been to the headgate in Post Falls, ID. It’s a lovely area!
That part of the country is gorgeous. I could really seeing myself living there, If only it didn’t snow…
Some of Hans’ family lives in that area…very close to Spokane where many family also lives. It does get cold!!
Have you ridden the Hiawatha Trail? If not, I hope you do next time you are in that area… you’d love it!
No, but that sounds fun!!
Fantastic, all of them, but I like the spaceship for sheer quirkiness.
I love the weird and wonderful stuff we find on our journeys. That’s the same town that claimed to be The Center of the Universe (and who am I to question them?).
Well, I’m sure they’ve done all the calculations and are 100% correct!
You saw some interesting things in Tacoma, but the courthouse … stunning!
It was so beautiful! My only regret was not being able to get inside since it was the weekend. Next time…
Great set of doors, the courthouse in Tacoma is fantastic, and the winery doors in Spokane.
Thank you! I love that the courthouse began its life as a railroad station.
Most of these doors are certainly impressive! I’m happy to read that you are having an interesting and exciting summer with lots of travels – and happy home comings. 🙂 I just saw a four-month sit in the Seattle area, where we would love to spend some time. Unfortunately, it is over the wet, chilly winter…
Four months in Seattle in the winter might not be your best bet weather-wise… that’s probably why they are leaving 🙂 How great is it that you can look around and decide where you’d like to stay for a while! SoCal in the winter isn’t bad…
Keeping an eye out for SoCal, Southern New Mexico, Arizona or Mexico for the winter. Tough trying to do these sits during the best season, since – you are right – people usually leave when it gets too cold (Canada), too wet (Pacific Northwest) or too hot and humid (summer in Mexico). We have a bit more flexibility to wait for something interesting with the van now. 🙂
Thanks for sharing. Sometimes we are so busy looking at a large building we miss the more interesting details.
I think you’ve hit on one of the reasons Norm’s Thursday Doors link-ups are so popular. It encourages us to pay attention to the details… and some of them are gems.
Such great photos, Janis. I especially like the one of the spaceship! I am very sad that I was away while you were on Vancouver Island. We will have to make up for it in California in October/November!!
Such great photos, Janis. I especially like the one of the spaceship! I am very sad that I was away while you were on Vancouver Island. We will have to make up for it in California in October/November!!
I’m sorry that a meet-up didn’t work out, but I have a feeling I’ll be back in the area one day. You live in such a beautiful part of the world. I’m looking forward to the bloggy gathering in the fall!
Your room is ready whenever you decide to come back!
Very cool collection of doors (or… semi-doors)! That biking trail looks wonderful, but I would agree that the tunnel would be rather anxiety-producing! Love the architecture and those teal doors!
The tunnel was fun… maybe I just don’t have enough sense to be anxious about biking through a pitch-black, 1.6 mile tunnel, with an uneven surface and having water constantly dripping on our heads from cracks in the ceiling above. 😄 What, me worry? No way.
OMG I can not believe that you cycled through that dark tunnel. You are far braver than I
Isn’t that funny, I didn’t have a bit of hesitation or concern (except that it was kind of cold). I guess we all have our fears, but long, dark, drippy tunnels aren’t mine.
You’re so lucky to get to travel. I wish I could also do it too, unfortunately I have motion sickness.
I’m sorry that you suffer from motion sickness. It must impact you in other ways also.