Map by Pat Fagerland – From the Oysterville Walking Tour Brochure

A lot can happen in three months. Job descriptions and titles change. Buildings come down and go up. Landscapes and streetscapes morph perceptibly. Even in Oysterville.

Yesterday Nyel and I took a little outing around the ‘northern loop’ which is the area of town between Oysterville Road and Clark Street, bordered on the east by the Cannery and on the west by the Oysterville Guest House and the Teacher’s Cottage. We wanted to see the progress on the Captain Stream House and, I must say, we were sore amazed!

‘Admiral’ Stream House from the back?

Our first view was of the back of the property as seen from Territory Road. All I can say is, “Wow!” It’s not that we hadn’t seen the plans and or didn’t know what the ‘addition’ was going to look like, but seeing it up close and personal was another matter entirely. “More Substantial!” and “A Real House!” and “So Much Bigger!” were phrases that leapt to mind.

“Maybe we’ll have to call it the ‘Admiral Stream House’ now. I think it’s had a promotion!” said I.

Captain Stream House Reinstated!

But when we drove around the block and saw the house from the front, there was the Captain Stream House back again. Like a conjuring trick by illusionist David Copperfield, the little house that we all remember was before us and the wonderful, livable spaces of the addition were hidden from our view. The best of all possible Oysterville worlds! The old and the new perfectly blended.

And, like all things perfect, it will be left to the beholder to determine what makes it so. We returned home from our outing feeling a warm glow in the co-mingling of past and present just up the street. Way to go Martie and Steve and Mack Brothers!