Years after emerging from its cobbled nest, a salmon returns to that same spot. Hundreds of river miles, thousands in the ocean, 9 dams, out and back, and all the perils in between. Paired now with another, preparing their own nest, a redd, to spawn the next generation. Back, in their home stream. Homestream Park is dedicated to the rivers and fish of the Methow Valley, and to the native people, past and present, who have called this place home for time immemorial.

Located on 2 acres of riverfront just downstream from the town of Winthrop, WA, the park includes a trail with benches along the river, inspiring sculptures by Indigenous artist Smoker Marchand, a tipi, and a public gathering area with shelters, picnic tables, interpretive signs, and a magical kid’s lookout topped with wooden osprey carved by Bruce Morrison. The land is being restored to its natural riparian and floodplain condition. Homestream Park held its grand opening on October 13, 2019 with hundreds of people gathering for a “Coming Home” celebration honoring the returning salmon and the people of the Methow. Join us in early October for our annual “Coming Home Celebration!”

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Cathy and Phil Davis Announce the Gift of Homestream Park to the Methow Valley Interpretive Center

Winthrop, WA – Homestream Park, a beautiful public space nestled along the banks of the Methow River, played host to an unforgettable event – the Coming Home Celebration – on October 8, 2023. This occasion marked a pivotal moment in the park’s history as Cathy and Phil Davis, the park’s founders, made a momentous announcement that resonates throughout the Methow Valley community and beyond.

Homestream Park, which stands as a testament to salmon, the Methow People, public education, and art, has been a place of reverence and celebration since it was created in 2019. From its inspiring sculptures by Indigenous artist Smoker Marchand to the riverside trail adorned with interpretive signage, every aspect of the park invites visitors to connect with the land, the river, and the rich history of the region. Teachers from the local Little Star School regularly bring their students to Homestream Park, seeing it as an outdoor-classroom that enriches the lives of many Methow Valley kids. 

“What does this place mean to our children visiting from Little Star School,” asked Michelle Shaffer, an Early Childhood Teacher at Little Star School. “It is a coming home to the earth. A place to learn about the cycle of life, a place of quiet exploration filled with unexpected wonders of nature. Feeling the ground in their hands, the river between their toes, Homestream Park is a place for Little Star students to visit and revisit the newness of every season. There is magic here. And we the teachers watch and learn through the present-exploring eyes of the child filled with wonder.” 

The Coming Home Celebration was a day filled with joy, camaraderie, and shared experiences. Attendees enjoyed a range of activities and offerings that reflected the essence of the Methow Valley, from sharing a salmon meal to interactive educational activities hosted by the Methow Valley Interpretive Center. The celebration paid tribute to the journey of returning salmon, the Indigenous Methow People who have called this land home for time immemorial, and the coming together of Methow Valley residents.

The highlight of the event was a heartfelt announcement from Cathy and Phil Davis. In the spirit of fostering lasting connections and nurturing the park’s legacy, they revealed their intentions to gift Homestream Park to the Methow Valley Interpretive Center (MVIC). “When Phil first shared the vision for Homestream Park with me, we understood that this place was something we could create only with the blessing and participation of those most deeply tied to the fish, the waters, , and the land, the Methow People. Our intention has always been to shepherd the park’s creation, and then to pass it on to an organization attuned to this vision.  Our friends from the Methow Valley Interpretive Center have been working alongside us since the inception of Homestream Park, and we trust they will steward its future in harmony with what today’s Methow People want, while thinking and caring into the future,” said Cathy Davis, Homestream Park co-founder.

This significant gesture underscores their unwavering commitment to the park’s preservation and their belief in MVIC’s mission to promote cultural awareness, understanding of Indigenous peoples, and appreciation for the natural history of the Methow Valley. 

“I’m so excited to hear of this next evolution for Homestream Park. The Methow Valley Interpretive Center is ready to take this on and we, as a community, can help support them in being good caretakers of this wonderful community park that honors the river, salmon, and the Methow People,” said Sarah Brooks, Executive Director of the Methow Conservancy, which has been involved in Homestream Park from the beginning and will continue to play a significant stewardship role at the park. 

In an equally impactful aspect of the park’s future, Homestream Park will forever remain open to the public and be held ‘in trust’ for the Methow People. Should a formal Methow descendants’ organization be formed that is willing and able to take the land, MVIC has committed to transfer the Park to this organization. This vision ensures that the land remains a cherished heritage site, accessible to future generations while honoring the deep ancestral connections of the Methow People.

Methow descendant Mark Miller who has been instrumental in the development of Homestream Park as we see it today said this, “Homestream Park brings me back to the teachings of our grandparents. Cathy and Phil Davis did not develop a salmon interpretive park for themselves, but rather for their and a community’s grandchildren. The legacy of Homestream will carry on through the education of future grandchildren to understand and protect this fragile environment.”

Alongside this remarkable announcement, Homestream Park’s Coming Home Celebration launched an ambitious fundraising campaign to support the ongoing stewardship of the park. MVIC is committed to raising at least $200,000 before taking over ownership of the park to ensure long-term stewardship and care of this special place.

“Homestream Park is a gift from its visionary founders, Cathy and Phil Davis, to our larger community with a far-reaching goal of enhancing our natural and cultural worlds. Gifts grow through further giving and Cathy and Phil’s intention to gift it to the Methow Valley Interpretive Center embodies this. The stories manifest here, of returning salmon and the return of our native Methow People, carry the power to restore the integrity and fullness of this place. As we at the Interpretive Center humbly accept this offering, we invite the broader Methow Valley community to join in creating a strong endowment to ensure this gathering place will always be cared for with future generations in mind. Your contributions to the Homestream Park Stewardship Fund will pass on a piece of this caring. When you see our children and grandchildren playing and learning here, when Methow descendants gather here among Smoker Marchand’s sculptures, when salmon surge past to spawn at the headwaters; you will know that our gifts keep giving and growing here together,” said Bruce Morrison, Chair of the Methow Valley Interpretive Center’s Board of Directors.

This Stewardship Fund will serve as a cornerstone for ensuring the park’s continued maintenance, preservation, and public accessibility, and will travel along with ownership of Homestream Park into the future.

Phil and Cathy Davis have kick-started the fundraising campaign by donating $100,000 highlighting their support and belief in the enduring value of the park. 

MVIC is calling upon the Methow Valley community to join this campaign. MVIC Executive Director David LaFever notes, “This is our chance to preserve a vital piece of the Methow Valley and its natural beauty, to honor the Methow People, and to create a lasting legacy. The transfer of the park to MVIC, once the fundraising goals are met, signifies a new chapter in the park’s journey. This endeavor embodies the spirit of collaboration, community engagement, and shared stewardship that the Methow Valley community embodies so well.”

MVIC’s Homestream Park Stewardship Campaign is currently accepting donations at www.methowvalleyinterpretivecenter.com/the-homestream-park-stewardship-campaign or by mailing a check to the Methow Valley Interpretive Center (PO Box 771, Twisp, WA 98856).  

As the park continues to flourish and evolve, this announcement speaks to the enduring legacy of Phil and Cathy Davis, who, through their generosity, have ensured that Homestream Park remains a cherished space for generations to come.

For media inquiries, please contact: David LaFever, Executive Director of the Methow Valley Interpretive Center; PH: 509-919-0686 or email mvinterpretivecenter@gmail.com.

For more information about Homestream Park, the Methow Valley Interpretive Center, and the fundraising campaign, visit: www.methowvalleyinterpretivecenter.com

 

Homestream Park, a testament to salmon, the Methow People, public education, and art has been a place of reverence and celebration since it was created in 2019. From its inspiring sculptures by Indigenous artist Smoker Marchand to the riverside trail adorned with interpretive signage, every aspect of the park invites visitors to connect with the land, the river, and the rich history of the region. Teachers from the local Little Star School regularly bring their students to Homestream Park, seeing it as an outdoor classroom that enriches the lives of many Methow Valley kids.

On October 8, 2023, Cathy and Phil Davis, the Park’s founders, made a momentous announcement. In the spirit of fostering lasting connections and nurturing the park’s legacy, they revealed their intentions to gift Homestream Park to the Methow Valley Interpretive Center (MVIC). Join us in securing the park’s enduring legacy as we raise funds for its ongoing stewardship, educational programs and community events. This endowment will stay with the park in-perpetuity.

Reaching our goal of raising $200,000 will ensure long-term stewardship and care of this special place.

Will you be a part of preserving Homestream Park’s legacy for future generations?

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WHAT OUR PARTNERS ARE SAYING

“When Phil first shared the vision for Homestream Park with me, we understood that this place was something we could create only with the blessing and participation of those most deeply tied to the fish, the waters, and the land, the Methow People. Our intention has always been to shepherd the park’s creation, and then to pass it on to an organization attuned to this vision.  Our friends from the Methow Valley Interpretive Center have been working alongside us since the inception of Homestream Park, and we trust they will steward its future in harmony with what today’s Methow People want, while thinking and caring into the future.”

cATHY DAVIS, CO-FOUNDER OF HOMESTREAM PARK

“I’m so excited to hear of this next evolution for Homestream Park. The Methow Valley Interpretive Center is ready to take this on and we, as a community, can help support them in being good caretakers of this wonderful community park that honors the river, salmon, and the Methow People.”

Sarah Brooks, Executive Director of the Methow Conservancy