Ohop Valley Barn

Day 103: One of my favorite landmarks, this old barn overlooks a stretch of Ohop Creek which is almost line-straight, its unusual topography the product of an abortive attempt to drain the bottomland for farming. In the early 1900s, settlers here were not concerned with natural runs of salmon and the conditions required to keep them viable. Their thoughts went solely to rending the land dry enough to support the hooves and habits of cattle. They were soon to discover that underlying the surface soil, a thick layer of clay prevented further drainage and consequently, their dreams of a burgeoning agriculture evaporated. In recent years, the Nisqually Land Trust has bought up much of the Ohop, and extensive work has been done to restore the natural meanders. This property is one of the few which remains in private hands. The good news is that the salmon are returning to the creek's lower reaches. Perhaps some day, this area will be added to the Trust's growing list of holdings and restoration projects.