Spring Beach: Vashon's Intriguing, Private Enclave
Vashon Island is home to many unique communities, but few are as captivating—or as private—as Spring Beach . Unlike many of the neighborhoods we've explored, Spring Beach is on a private road, making it largely inaccessible to the general public today. To truly understand its charm, you have to look back at its fascinating origins as a bustling vacation resort. A Destination Only Reachable by Steamer Imagine a time when the only way to reach this spot was by water. Spring Beach was initially developed as a summer vacation destination. Its centerpiece was the magnificent Miramar Lodge , a grand log structure built in 1905. Though it’s a private home now, this building once served as the resort's dining hall, general store, and even the local post office for this planned getaway. Back then, the only visitors making the trek were arriving on the wooden steamer Tourist , which would leave from Point Defiance. In the height of the summer s...