1917 Pierce-Arrow 48-B-4 Runabout at the summit of Hurricane Ridge in Olympic Nat'l Park

The beautiful scenery and cool weather of the Pacific Northwest were a welcome relief to many Pierce-Arrow Society members escaping the heat wave in the central parts of the Country.  Fifty-two Pierce-Arrows, and over 250 Pierce-Arrow Society members attended the 41st Annual Meet in Silverdale, Washington.

A good turn-out from the Northern & Southern California Regions, in addition to cars from the host Pacific Northwest Region, added to the unusually large turn-out of Pierce-Arrows that had already arrived by Wednesday afternoon.

The meet began Wednesday evening with a welcome party on the hotel patio overlooking Puget Sound. PAS Members renewed old friendships and made new ones with the many members attending their first Annual Meet.

PAS members were up early Thursday morning for the 200 mile tour to Olympic National Park. The tour took us over the Hood Canal Bridge, a floating concrete base bridge that opens to allow ship and submarine traffic to pass. We continued on our trip to Olympic National Park and began an 18 mile climb to the summit of Hurricane Ridge. Although the sky had been overcast when we left the hotel, the sun was out and the sky was blue when we reached the summit! The return trip to the hotel provided a side-trip to the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge. When we arrived back at the hotel, a swap meet and silent auction were taking place in the area of the parking lot reserved for Pierce-Arrows.  

1924 Series 33 Runabout on the Friday tour

The driving tours continued again on Friday with a trip to a nearby car collection, followed by a lunch stop in Port Townsend. After browsing the shops of Port Townsend, we returned to Silverdale with side trips to Poulsbo and the Naval Undersea Museum. Many PAS members took the opportunity to go to the Bremerton waterfront Friday night for a free concert. A few Pierce-Arrows were prominently displayed on the wharf as the band played. The evening was capped off by a fireworks display over the water behind the hotel. I think this may be the first Pierce-Arrow Society Annual Meet to have fireworks!!!

1930 Model B Sedan on the show field

Saturday morning found the parking lot busy with actvity getting the Pierce-Arrows ready for the Annual Car Show and Judging.  The show was held on a grass area surrounded by trees a short drive from the hotel.  A hamburger lunch was provided in tents near the show field.

The meet came to an end Saturday night with the awards banquet at the hotel. The brief meeting of the Pierce-Arrow Society was followed by the presentation of awards to the show winning cars and an invitation to attend next year's meet. Then it was time to say farewell to our many Pierce-Arrow Society friends until we meet again next year.

Bob Koch and his meet committee from the Pacific Northwest Region deserve a big thank-you for all their work in preparing for the meet.

If you missed the fun we had at this year's meet, make your plans now to attend the 42nd Annual Meet, July 13-18, 1999, in Bartlett, New Hampshire.   The New England meet committee is finalizing plans for the next great Pierce-Arrow Society Annual Meet.