Roy Vataja named 2015 Harborite of the Year

Ask Roy Vataja almost anything about Aberdeen history and he can give you an answer.

Vataja can talk at length about the events and people that were the foundation of the Grays Harbor we know today — Aberdeen’s founder Samuel Benn, the 1903 Aberdeen fire and the darker side of the community’s history, including the area’s past notoriety for prostitution.

His energetic enthusiasm and knowledge for all things Aberdeen, as well as his volunteerism with the Aberdeen Museum have made Vataja this year’s Harborite of the Year.