History in the San Juan Islands
-- about more than a pig
While no one knows what the future holds for the islands, because of careful preservation efforts it is easy for today's visitors to have a sense of the past.
Abundant supplies of salmon, oysters, clams and berries made the islands appealing to Native American tribes hundreds of years ago. The Lummi and other tribes set up seasonal camps on islands in the San Juans. Often their settlements were raided by tribes from the north, forcing them to flee back to the mainland.
Many of the Spanish names in the county are courtesy of Spanish expeditions in the late1700s -- Lopez Island, De Haro Strait, Rosario Strait, San Juan Island, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Patos ("Duck") Island.
In 1792 British Capt. George Vancouver charted the area. Vancouver Island in British Columbia is named after him.
Americans provided their share of nomenclature. Decatur Island's name honors Commodore Stephen Decatur, a War of 1812 hero.
And then the Pig War. The islands have gotten a lot of mileage out of a war whose only casualty was a pig.
The trouble started after the Oregon Treaty of 1846 which drew the boundary between the U.S. and Canada. It was unclear if the San Juans were part of the U.S. or belonged to the British.
Fourteen years after the treaty, a pig tore up an American squatter's garden. The American, Lyman Cutlar shot the British-owned pig. The long simmering dispute about ownership of the island heated up.
British soldiers set up camp on Garrison Bay. Today visitors can step back in history courtesy of the National Historic Park on San Juan Island. The troops barracks, an English garden, and a cemetery are part of English Camp on the north end of San Juan Island.
American army troops set up camp on the southwest part of San Juan Island. The aptly named American Camp is also part of the National Historic Park. Visitors can view the Redoubt area and the officer's quarters.
No shots were exchanged during the Pig War. Finally Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany settled the dispute. The boundary line through Haro Strait was established Oct. 21, 1872. San Juan Island was belonged to the U.S.
Limestone quarries, salmon canneries and farms dominated the islands starting in the late 1800s. A cannery operated on San Juan Island until the 1990s.
Visitors to the north end of San Juan Island can see lime kilns left over from the Roche Harbor Lime & Cement Co. In its time the company operated the largest lime works west of the Mississippi River. Lime was used in many processes well into the 20th century. Limestone was quarried and crushed. Wood-fired kilns separated the lime, which was put in barrels and shipped out on steamers.
Roche Harbor Resort includes the company store, formal gardens and Hotel de Haro, where President Theodore Roosevelt stayed in 1906.
Three years later, the town of Friday Harbor was incorporated. Visitors to San Juan Historical Museum on Price Street in Friday Harbor can check out the old jail and other historical buildings. Historical preservation is important to many island residents. Friday Harbor has a historical review board to help preserve the town's architecture. More information about the history of Friday Harbor is available on our companion site -- San Juan Islander.
Today, the lime kilns are closed, the salmon cannery is gone, fishing and farming are done on a much smaller scale. Tourism which has played a role in the islands' economy since the late 19th century is its number one industry in the 21st century.
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