COUPEVILLE, Wash — The Coupeville Wharf is 119 years old. It's actually older than the town itself, but there are serious concerns that climate change could wash it away.
The iconic wharf is much more than a beautiful landmark.
Michelle Cladusbid and her husband, Tony built their business, Beaver Tales Coffee, in Coupeville because of its deep roots in their Native American heritage.
"We fight to destroy negative stereotypes, increase representation and show people we're a vibrant culture and we're still here," Michelle Cladusbid said.
The bucolic red wharf on the shores of Penn Cove is a reminder of Puget Sound's colorful past. Tribes inhabited these lands and fished the waters for thousands of years. They still take part in traditional canoe races.
But modern times make for problems unimaginable when the wharf was built.
For more than a century the wharf has survived saltwater and storm gusts of up to 80 miles per hour.
But it may not survive climate change.
"It's pretty much a recipe for disaster," said Mary Hogan, project manager at the Port of Coupeville.
A king tide in 2022 let people know just how serious the situation is.
Water came right up to the floorboards of businesses and actually pushed the docks higher than the wharf's landing.
A report by the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation listed the wharf as one of Washington's "most endangered places."
A recent sea level study determined water is expected to overtake the wharf by 2050 if it is not raised about five feet at a cost of at least $5 million.
"It's just 25 years away," Hogan said. "I have a daughter who's 25. That happens fast."
Coupeville is the second oldest city in Washington. The wharf is its biggest tourist attraction. Two thousand people visited the wharf by water, alone, last year.
The town and wharf are inseparable.
"It's the last of its kind," said Vern Olsen, a local historian. "This town is so caught up in history. They look at this as one of the most historic towns in Washington, if not the most historic. A lot of that is because of the wharf."
The wharf's new designation as "endangered" may help it receive grants to keep it above water.
People at the port are now working on finding funding -- knowing time is running out.
To Michelle Cladusbid, the future and the past depend on it.
"I don't think there's an option to fail," Michelle Cladusbid said. "There is such a cultural and historical significance that we cannot let this go."