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About Us

A Brief History of A Harbor View Inn

A Harbor View Inn, a Washington bed and breakfast, was built in 1905 by Dr. Wilson B. Paine. The 30-room estate was the first house built high up on a hill overlooking the Wishkah River, the Chehalis River, Grays Harbor, and the town of Aberdeen. Each original room of the house has a water view, as do all five guestrooms of our Washington inn.

The four-story house was built to accommodate the Paine family and their servants. Mrs. Paine grew up in Massachusetts and was used to a Victorian household. The servants lived on the first floor of the house, which had four bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen, and work area. Mr. and Mrs. Paine and their two daughters, Josephine and Winnifred, lived on the second and third floors. The second floor contained a grand ballroom staircase, his and hers parlors, a huge dining room, breakfast room, butler's pantry, a small kitchen, and an entry way. The third floor had five bedrooms and a sitting area, along with two bathrooms.

As there were no utilities on the hillside at this time, the servants kept fires going in the fireplaces, brought water from the hillside springs, and cooked on wood stoves.

The house was divided up into a duplex in 1923 after a fire had destroyed part of the harbor-side of the house. The home was rebuilt at this time for the youngest daughter, Winniefred and her husband, Lester O'Dey, to live on one side, while the parents lived on the other side. Not many structural changes have taken place in the house since 1923.

While remaining historical, the home has undergone many upgrades that allow our Washington Coast lodging accommodations to offer guests all the comforts of home. At A Harbor View Inn you will enjoy a mix of historical charm of the Victorian era, while relishing the amenities of today. Guests enjoy a full breakfast each morning on the sun porch overlooking the harbor, and they have use of the guest living room, dining room and guest kitchen. While staying with us at A Harbor View, guests will also delight in a walking tour of the homes in this historic neighborhood.