Even more exposure for small-town Roslyn

ROSLYN, Kittitas County — From the second-floor window seat in Huckleberry House Bed & Breakfast, there's an expansive view of this once-bustling coal mining town on the edge of the Cascade Mountains. The late-afternoon sun highlighted rooftops and towering church spires. A pair of dogs played tag in the town's main street, undisturbed by the lone pickup heading up the hill.

Day's end, like everything else here this time of year, is slow-paced, without fanfare.This was our second stay at this turn-of-the-century inn, a structural time capsule, reflecting Roslyn's history in its own: from its boardinghouse beginning during the coal-mining heydays; to the late 1970s when the movie industry brought it fame as a house of ill-repute in "The Runner Stumbles"; and now a B&B, catering to the current industry, tourism.

Tourism exploded here in the early 1990s when Roslyn became the fictitious, remote Cicely, Alaska, in television's quirky, Emmy-winning "Northern Exposure." That boom quieted to a buzz, but another tourism jolt is likely on its way: This week nearby Suncadia resort opens a 254-room lodge, and home construction at the sprawling multiuse development continues; both are expected to bring thousands more visitors every year.

Still finding "Exposure"

We found that the 6,400-acre resort, which opened in 2005 with an 18-room inn, so far hasn't done much to shake up this venerable, funky little burg with its 1,000 or so residents.

Locals say there have been a few more folks coming to town for lunch, drinks or a movie. And sometimes there might be some overnight guests who overflow from golf tournaments. But it hasn't been a major source of tourism — not yet, anyway.

To this point, "Northern Exposure" tourism continues to be the steady source of fuel for this old coal-mining town.

For five seasons, the show followed the adventures of a young New York doctor who set up a practice amid an eclectic mix of characters and spawned an international legion of fans whose pilgrimages continue long after the filming has ended. The fan-created Moosefest (www.moosefest.org) continues to draw a loyal contingent of attendees from across the country every summer; the 80 registration slots for this July's event are already filled. With recent DVD releases and network reruns, fan treks are again on an upswing.

"It is amazing the people that walk in because of the show," says Al Kilmek at Cicely's, a gift shop at 112 W. Pennsylvania Ave. (the doctor's office in "Northern Exposure"), its shelves stocked with show memorabilia. Visitors from Spain, Germany, Australia and Japan are among those who've signed the store's guest book.

Fans aside, summer weekends can find this town, 90 minutes from Seattle, overrun with a crush of hikers, campers and car-, music- and heritage-festivalgoers.

Preferring the offseason's slow, steady tourist trickle, we strolled through the heart of town, past weatherworn wood and brick buildings, some more than a century old. We noted a "Jimmy Buffett for President 2004" bumper sticker and "Willie Nelson for President 2008" poster. Locals readily shared their town's stories of generational ties to the mines and anecdotes related to movie and television filming. Even the town's postmaster chatted while waiting on customers.

Visitor Alan Millar from Bend, Ore., said, "The feeling here is really warm. You can walk in anywhere, and it is open arms. The people are so courteous — it's awesome."

History-buff haven

While "Northern Exposure" and two movies, "Joy Ride" (1977) and "The Runner Stumbles" (1979), put Roslyn on the tourist map, it was the discovery of coal in 1885 that led to Roslyn's formation. The boom town peaked in 1910 with a population of 4,000, when 2 million tons of coal were mined annually by the Northwestern Improvement Company.

We picked up free tourist maps highlighting the town's mining history, filming sites and the cemeteries at Roslyn's Administration Building, its somewhat unofficial tourist office, housed in the 1910 Cle Elum State Bank building, 100 E. Pennsylvania Ave.

Across the street, the Northwestern Improvement Company store, once the town's commercial hub, houses a furniture store. The Miners' Memorial in front of the store is a poignant tribute to those who worked in the mines, particularly those killed in mine explosions in 1892 and 1909. A statue of a young miner — the memorial's centerpiece — holds a time capsule to be opened in 2046.

Cars once used to carry workers into the mines and those used to haul coal out are on display outside the Roslyn Museum, 203 W. Pennsylvania Ave. Displays inside include thousands of photos, maps and mining memorabilia of every shape and description.

Up the hill, past the museum, follow Memorial Road to the forested hillside where the Roslyn Cemeteries were begun in the 1880s. Although we were the only visitors that afternoon, the serene 15-acre setting had us whispering as we explored plots that mirror the vast cultural and ethnic makeup of the early-day miners and their families.

The 4.7-mile Coal Mines Trail is a year-round favorite for outdoor enthusiasts and history buffs. It follows the abandoned Burlington Northern railroad line past slag piles and old mines, linking to Roslyn's neighboring towns, Cle Elum and Ronald. If you need trail advice, gear or gear repair, head to Roslyn Cyclery, at 105 N. Second St., two blocks from the city park, one of the trail's access points (see www.roslyncyclery.com).

We found two new retail stores, added since our last visit. In each you wind your way through historic homes, their living spaces turned showrooms for Vintage Vine, a wine and antiques store, 201 W. Washington, and The Kitchen Sink Shop, 102 E. Pennsylvania Ave.

Eateries and entertainment

Built out of locally made bricks in 1889, The Brick Tavern, 100 W. Pennsylvania Ave., with a running-water spittoon stretching the length of its bar, is said to be the oldest operating saloon in Washington. It's an entertainment hub these days, its windows papered with posters promoting events such as its annual Spittoon Boat Races.

A block away, Marko's Place, 106 N. First St., with its ornate black bar, worn-wood floor and pressed tin ceiling, is a local favorite dating back to the 1930s.

Its now-famous mural — thanks to "Northern Exposure" — draws shutterbugs to the Roslyn Café, 201 W. Pennsylvania Ave., but its hearty lunches, Friday and Saturday night dinners and Sunday brunch are what bring us back (www.roslyncafe.com).

While our visit didn't mesh with the weekend taproom hours at the Roslyn Brewing Company (www.roslynbrewery.com) just across the street, we found its brews at most places in town.

In addition to sandwiches, microbrews and espresso, Lefties Deli and Cafe, 107 W. Pennsylvania Ave., offers free Wi-Fi to customers.

Not to be missed

As a newspaper reporter assigned here 30 years ago, I happened upon the unpretentious meat market in an area of Roslyn that locals still refer to as "Duck Town," so named for its one-time proliferation of poultry farms. Carek's Meat Market, 510 S. A St., an institution since 1913, continues to open at 10 a.m. seven days a week and still produces a pepperoni and a selection of flavored beef jerky to make your mouth water.

The Roslyn Theatre, 101 W. Dakota, is in a century-old, two-story, dark-wood frame building that once housed a pharmacy and funeral home (see www.roslyntheatre.com). When you enter from a side door, it seems like a private home.

Kitty Boy, the house cat, greeted us inside for a head scratch before ticket purchases could take place. There are 76 seats downstairs or, for a $1 more, 15 loge seats upstairs where you can almost touch the pressed-tin ceiling when you stand.

Surround-sound, and first- and second-run movies daily, yet, the real draw is the popcorn. It's drenched with real butter slow-melted in a crockpot. You can season to taste.

Locals, we're told, like theirs with a nutritional brewer's yeast — we'll try that next time.

Jackie Smith is a freelance writer who lives in Kirkland.