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The area was originally platted in 1886 as Sidney, but the city was re-christened Port Orchard in 1892 and until only a decade ago, had only grew to around 8,500. Then, a new city boundary adjustment made that number grow by 25 percent as Port Orchard annexed the McCormick Woods community and its 2,000 residents. But Mayor Copolla recently stated “Over the next few years, Port Orchard will become a much bigger city,” and “In addition to McCormick Woods, we’re looking over a dozen annexation petitions. Once they are in process, this will change the city dramatically.” The city intends to annex the entire urban growth area — a move that would create the county’s largest city in terms of both area and population. The challenge is to do so without losing the character and charm for which South Kitsap is known for. Just across Sinclair Inlet from Bremerton, Port Orchard can be reached by driving south through Gorst along State Route 16. Or by taking the foot ferry, which has regularly scheduled runs at half-hour intervals from the Bremerton ferry dock, the 15-minute trip to the Port Orchard Marina allows you to travel back 100 years to a time when cars were scarce and bridges nonexistent. In those days, the only way to transit Puget Sound was aboard the privately owned and operated ferries known as the Mosquito Fleet, and the Carlisle II, which still carries passengers today, is one of the last remaining Mosquito boats. As much a floating museum as a mode of transportation, the Carlisle II offers you a close-up view of the aircraft carriers and other naval vessels docked at Naval Station Bremerton along the way. Once there, you’ll want to stroll though the quaint boutiques and antique shops in Port Orchard’s historic downtown business district. Nationally syndicated radio host Delilah Rene, whose show is heard nightly by millions of listeners throughout the country, makes Port Orchard her home and owns three businesses along Bay Street, including a restaurant, a clothing shop and an events center. Rene personally organized, supervised and largely underwrote a weekend-long Paint the Town celebration just last summer during which virtually every downtown structure was given a fresh coat of paint. Not surprisingly, the downtown waterfront area is the focal point for much of what defines Port Orchard. Starting in May, Waterfront Park features live weekly outdoor concerts. Later in the month, it’s the site of the city’s delightfully quirky “Seagull Calling Contest,” which awards prizes to those best able to attract the attention of the Gulls. Prizes are also awarded for costumes and hundreds of visitors attend each year. In late June and early July, Fathoms o’Fun Festival swings into action complete with a carnival, a parade, horseshoe pitching tournament and even a frog jumping contest. The Festival concludes with the region’s most spectacular fireworks display on the Fourth of July. Later in the summer, downtown Port Orchard hosts The Cruz car show, one of the largest and best-attended shows of vintage automobiles in the Puget Sound region.
McCormick Woods is a premier golf course community on the West side of Hwy 16 in Port Orchard. It’s close proximity to Gig Harbor, Bremerton & Silverdale make it a desireable central community in which to call home. The homes wind around an award winning 18-hole public golf course with features that meander throughout the park-like community such as mature landscaping, abundant natural vegetation, miles of hiking trails and lakes.
