| Poulsbo, Washington | |
|---|---|
| — City — | |
| Nickname(s): Little Norway | |
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| Coordinates: 47°44′21″N 122°38′21″W / 47.73917°N 122.63917°WCoordinates: 47°44′21″N 122°38′21″W / 47.73917°N 122.63917°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Kitsap |
| Area | |
| - Total | 3.8 sq mi (9.8 km2) |
| - Land | 3.2 sq mi (8.3 km2) |
| - Water | 0.6 sq mi (1.5 km2) |
| Elevation | 30 ft (9 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 6,813 |
| - Density | 2,121.5/sq mi (819.1/km2) |
| Time zone | Pacific (PST) (UTC-8) |
| - Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC-7) |
| ZIP code | 98370 |
| Area code(s) | 360 |
| FIPS code | 53-55995[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1507605[2] |
Poulsbo (pronounced /ˈpɔːlzboʊ/, us dict: pôlz′·bō) is a city on Liberty Bay in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. It is the third largest city in Kitsap County and one of the main suburbs of Seattle in the Kitsap area. The population was 6,813 at the 2000 census.
Poulsbo has a long history as a destination for immigrants from Scandinavia, particularly Norway and Finland. Downtown Poulsbo maintains a Scandinavian theme in its shops and restaurants, and is a popular regional tourist destination. One of its local products is now available worldwide, Poulsbo Bread, originally made in the local bakery. Many visitors arrive by boat; there are three marinas near the town, and the town's harbor is an excellent anchorage.
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Founded by Norwegian immigrant Jorgen Eliason in the 1880s, Poulsbo was settled in its early years by a large number of Norwegian and other Scandinavian immigrants because of its similarities to their native countries. In 1886 I. B. Moe, one of the early Norwegian settlers, suggested that the community should have a post office. Moe suggested the town be named Paulsbo (which translates as "Paul's place"), after the Norwegian village where Moe spent his early years. The community's petition for a post office was granted, and Moe became the first postmaster, but the authorities in Washington D.C. misspelled the town's name, probably because of illegible handwriting, and the community became known as Poulsbo thereafter. Poulsbo was officially incorporated on December 18, 1907.
Until World War II Poulsbo retained Norwegian as a primary language. However, during World War II, the military constructed about 300 residential units to provide housing for workers at the nearby Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, located in Bremerton, Washington. The population of Poulsbo almost tripled over three years, and the diversification of the population led to the dominance of English as the primary language.
Poulsbo is home to many different public schools in the North Kitsap School District. North Kitsap High School, Poulsbo Middle School and Poulsbo Elementary are at the heart of town, while Vinland Elementary, Breidablik Elementary and Pearson Elementary schools lie in the surrounding areas. Private schools include West Sound Academy and Christ the King Academy.
Poulsbo is located on Liberty Bay, a sheltered arm of Puget Sound, at 47°44′21″N 122°38′21″W / 47.739137°N 122.639278°W (47.739137, -122.639278).[3]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.8 square miles (9.8 km2), of which, 3.2 square miles (8.3 km2) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.5 km2) of it (15.53%) is water.
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 6,813 people, 2,845 households, and 1,772 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,121.5 people per square mile (819.5/km2). There were 2,992 housing units at an average density of 931.7/sq mi (359.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 88.10% White, 1.01% African American, 0.97% Native American, 2.99% Asian, 0.43% Pacific Islander, 1.92% from other races, and 4.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.84% of the population. 14.6% were of German, 10.6% Irish, 10.0% English and 9.5% Norwegian ancestry according to Census 2000. 95.3% spoke English and 2.6% Spanish as their first language.
There were 2,845 households out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 86.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and under, there are 78.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,875 and the median income for a family was $51,353. Males had a median income of $40,482 versus $27,899 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,649. 9.1% of the population and 8.2% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 14.1% of those under the age of 18 and 6.0% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. A large number of employed individuals work on the east side of Puget Sound, in Seattle or other King County cities, and commute to work by ferry.
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Hood Canal | Lofall, Port Gamble | Kingston | |
| Bangor |  |
Suquamish, Indianola | ||
 Poulsbo  |
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| Bangor, Silverdale | Liberty Bay, Keyport | Bainbridge Island, Winslow |
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Poulsbo [1] is located on the Kitsap Peninsula in the Puget Sound region of Washington state.
Known as "Little Norway," Poulsbo was settled in 1892 by Norwegian loggers, farmers and fishermen who likened the fjord-cut landscape to their homeland.
Stroll down Front Street with its dozens of quaint and colorful shops offering everything from Scandinavian gifts to fine art, fashions, antiques and much more.
If shopping makes you a bit hungry, feast on handmade European chocolates, baked goods, fresh waffle cones, delicious smoked salmon or gourmet coffee in one of Poulsbo's fine restaurants and cafes.
If the great outdoors is your passion, rent a kayak and paddle scenic Liberty Bay, take a walking tour of the town, or simply relax along the boardwalk and look for seals, herons and eagles.
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