Quilcene is a farming community and has critical conservation programs for fish and wildlife. Established in the late 1800's, dairy and logging have been important mainstays in the economy along with oyster harvesting on Dabob Bay. Established in 1910, it still has several original buildings. Quilcene is home to the areas middle and high school and has a community building as well as several historic homes. The Quilcene National Fish Hatchery has been in operation since 1911 and is over 47 acres with 39 raceways, and ponds. The Big Quilcene and Little Quilcene Rivers also supply the City of Port Townsend with drinking water and water for the Port Townsend Mill operations. The gravity water systems was originally built in 1928 and is a 30 mile pipeline. The water comes from a 37,361 acre watershed in the Olympic Mountains.

Brinnon obtained a post office in 1891 which finally gave the area it current  official name on a map.  The Brinnon history site explains that  O'Wota "Kate" Brinnon, wife of Ewell Brinnon for whom the community is named, was of royal blood. Mrs. Brinnon was the sister of Chief Chetzamoka, daughter to Lach-ka-him and Qua-tum-a-low, leaders of the S'Klallam nation. It has a rich cultural history Logging, clams and fishing attracted a handful of early homesteaders.