Restoration Point is a conspicuous point of land on the southern end of Bainbridge Island, about 7 miles (11 km) east-northeast of Bremerton and 7 miles (11 km) west-southwest of Seattle, Washington. The point is an ancient wave-eroded platform that was instantaneously uplifted 23 feet (7 m) by an earthquake about 1,100 years ago. Decatur Reef is a submerged extension of the point.
In 1792, English explorer Captain George Vancouver spent several days with his ship HMS Discovery anchored off Restoration Point while boat parties surveyed other parts of Puget Sound. Vancouver named Restoration Point on May 29, the anniversary of the English Restoration, in honor of King Charles II. Decatur Reef is named after the U.S. Navy sloop of war USS Decatur that provided support to settlers during the Battle of Seattle on 26 January 1856. Decatur had run aground on rocks at Restoration Point in December 1855 and had she not righted herself with the incoming tide, the fate of Seattle might have turned out very differently.
Restoration Point was once a nearly level platform of soil and beach grasses, and in 1896, the Country Club of Seattle made this into a gold course. It was built along a strip of land between the beach and a bluff where some rustic yet stately homes would eventually be constructed. Today, there are 18 houses, mostly owned by fourth-generation descendants of the founders of the development. The golf course and other amenities are owned in common by the 18 families. Read more here and here. Explore more of Restoration Point here:
