The Norwester brings John Wayne to La Conner

La Conner can now boast about being home to a high-status “floating museum,” full of Hollywood glitz and classic glamour.

A boat from movie star history, the Norwester has been turned into a John Wayne museum and will display items owned by the tough-guy actor, antiques and props from his movies.

The 76-foot-long boat was owned by Wayne for about 8 years and was his first yacht. The actor, nicknamed “The Duke,” was an iconic Western cowboy persona, who starred in major Hollywood films before his death in 1979.

After Waterfront Café-owner Guy Vallee heard about Wayne’s yacht, it took seven years before the previous owner, King Graver, was ready to let it go. Vallee said he wouldn’t have gotten the boat without La Conner local Wayne Jones, a boat broker who knew Graver.

The boat is over 80 years old, and Vallee said it’s taken five or six people three months to restore the boat. Jones did the majority of the repair work and said fixing up the roof was the major challenge.

The boat is currently under construction in Anacortes and won’t be moved to its final destination in La Conner until the first week of July. Even with the construction rubble and smell of cleaning chemicals, the boat’s old-fashioned elegance is already shining through, with freshly polished mahogany and handpainted railing.

Vallee has been meticulous about preserving the boat’s originality and classic appearance. The captain’s seat is the same one Wayne used, which Vallee said he almost didn’t keep because he initially thought it had been installed after Wayne’s time. Luckily, he saved the seat, and now visitors will be able to sit where the actor once sat.

The museum will be officially unveiled in a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, July 9 at Gilkey Square. The grand opening will include a visit from actress Kim Darby, who played Mattie Ross in “True Grit” alongside Wayne.

Local artist Bob Williams, who created handcrafted mugs for Wayne’s movies and has met the actor, will be at the opening event. Mayor Ramon Hayes will also attend.

The ceremony will be patriotic, with flags, an honor guard, 21-gun salute and more. Vallee wants to honor the boat’s history — it was used in active naval duty in World War II. An engraved wooden plaque next to a door displays the boat’s years of service.

Collecting authentic John Wayne items is difficult, Vallee said. Expensive, too — the star’s hats can cost over $150,000. He’s had to barter, bribe and beg others to sell items to him. He’s bought items that he wouldn’t use in the museum, in hopes of trading with collectors who have artifacts he wants.

“It’s like American Pickers,” Vallee said, referring to the popular History Channel TV show.

Once people hear he’s opening a museum, they are much more likely to sell, he said. People are glad the items are going to a good home, including Wayne’s wife. After she learned about the museum, she wrote Vallee her thanks in an ornate, gold-decorated letter, which will be displayed next to the painting that prompted her to write in.

The artifacts on board the museum are from 1955 to 1963, reflecting the years Wayne owned the boat. This period spans over 20 movies and includes Wayne’s on-screen guns and clothes. Many of the items came from the Heritage Auction in Texas, one of the world’s largest collectibles sales, Vallee said. Others came from family members of Wayne, including his son Ethan Wayne, who has verified many of the items.

Once onboard, visitors can carefully make their way down the ladder to the sleeping quarters and other below-deck rooms. In the room where Wayne and his wife slept, the bathroom will display his personal toothbrush, alongside his pajamas and electric razor.

Security is no joke, with Vallee hiring the best — the consultant has also worked for Paul Allen and other high-end clients.

Vallee said he expects a large crowd on opening day. Hardcore John Wayne fans may be excited to hear the celebratory toast will be done with a bottle of John Wayne-brand bourbon, served in the decanter and shot glass from “The Shootist,” Wayne’s last movie.

“I’ll be excited to see it there and done,” Jones said of the museum’s completion.

Interested visitors can buy a $14 ticket from the gift shop located near the Waterfront Café, beginning July 1. Vallee says the guided tours will be in groups of 10 every half-hour, and he plans to keep the museum open from noon to 6 p.m. The boat will also be available to rent for wedding ceremonies, which is a popular request at Wayne’s second, larger yacht in California, the Wild Goose.

Part of the proceeds from the boat will go to the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, Vallee said.

“I feel like a big caretaker and this is my responsibility to keep it the way it was—to fill it with memorabilia,” Vallee said. It’s not just about owning something the famous John Wayne once also owned. To him, it’s about working to preserve its legacy. But sometimes, he said, perhaps at 6:30 p.m., he may take a moment to lounge on the yacht’s deck and watch the sun go down.