KCAA Publishes First Book: History of the Petersen Farm

The Kitsap Community & Agricultural Alliance (KCAA) is proud to announce the publication of our first book, History of the Petersen Farm.

This book marks the beginning of our Barns of Kitsap initiative — a project dedicated to highlighting the historic barns in our community, the farmers who built them, and the agricultural legacy they helped create.

Our first feature spotlights the land we know today as Petersen Farm in Silverdale — which, for time immemorial, served as a winter camping and fishing ground for the Suquamish Tribe of the Puget Sound. Following the Homestead Act of 1862, settlers were granted the opportunity to claim and cultivate land across the United States — often land that had long been inhabited and cared for by Native peoples. By living on and improving their claims for five years, settlers could obtain up to 160 acres each, free and clear. This book tells the story of the three original homesteading families of Silverdale’s Clear Creek Valley — the Holms, Levins, and Scholds — and the generations of farmers who followed.

Researched over the course of nearly a year and authored by KCAA Vice President Karissa Holcombe, History of the Petersen Farm is available now on Amazon. Every purchase helps fund our next Barns of Kitsap feature — ensuring that more of Kitsap’s agricultural history is preserved and shared.

📖 Purchase your copy on Amazon [here], or read the digital version for free [here].

Thank you for supporting local history and agriculture — and stay tuned for our next Barns of Kitsap feature: Walker Meadows Farm in Poulsbo!