Seconds. Minutes. Hours. Days. Years. Each reflects moments in time, whether they be quick snapshots or trends of an era. As they pass, they become something unique and something that, while gone, is still extremely tangible: history.

When Poulsbo Historic Society curator Erica Varga approached the Herald a few weeks back, asking us to help the group renew interest in our area’s past, we had one stipulation: We’ve got to cover all of North Kitsap, not just Poulsbo.

This is, after all, the North Kitsap Herald and the history contained within the pages of this paper is indeed the history of the region in which we live. Like the pages of the Herald, our history changes constantly.

It’s a challenge to keep up with and our snapshots are all too often lost in the recesses of our memories until we are reminded of how things once were. With the aim of doing this, the PHS and the Herald Wednesday started a monthly feature “A look back in North Kitsap.”

The snapshots (like the one above) are meant to serve as a path for our readers to access the rich history of the area. Fortunately for us, we are blessed with many longtime residents who help serve as signposts along the way. People who were there when the clay of North Kitsap was still being shaped. People who remember history that many have forgotten and others never knew existed.

Archie Lien and Earl Hanson are among them and just a few of those who will help guide “A look back” on its long and winding tour through our past…

The Tavern used to have live music on Friday and Saturday nights and as Lien recalled, “One gal could sure play the piano … she used to play the pipe organ at those silent films over in Seattle, too. We would have some three or four piece combos, too … swing music, of course, that’s where I come from. There wasn’t that bee-bop music or anything like that.”

It’s popularity stretched far and wide, Hanson agreed.

“We used to come over from Bainbridge Island to go to the Tavern,” said Hanson. “The whole gang of us would plow in there and dance.”

And then some.

While Lien called The Tavern “a very nice family bar where husbands and wives would dance together,” he added with a laugh that: “There might have been a few extracurricular activities with some of those wild gals there … It was really a wonderful little place…”

Wonderful little places and moments in time abound here and each month, the PHS will dig through its vast archives and add another paver to our ever-lengthening path. We thank its members in advance and hope our readers enjoy the new feature as we delve into the history of North Kitsap together, step into the past and look toward the future.