Historical Timeline

HISTORICAL TIMELINE

10,000 B.C. | 1790 - 1847 | 1790's - 1840's | 1850's - 1870's | 1860's - 1890's | 1890's - 1960's | 1950's - Present | 1960's - Present

Years	Period	Events
10,000 B.C.	Native Americans	For over 10,000 years people have lived in the Fidalgo and Guemes Island areas. The most recent native peoples to arrive are the Samish and the Swinomish. The Samish lived mainly on Samish, Guemes and northern Fidalgo Islands, the Swinomish on southern Fidalgo Island, northern Whidbey Island and part of the Skagit River delta. In 1873 the Swinomish Reservation was established on southeastern Fidalgo Island where many of the Swinomish and other native Skagit peoples live today. In 1996, the Samish were officially recognized as a tribe. Their headquarters are located at 2916 Commercial Ave., Anacortes, WA.

1790 - 1847	Exploration	1790: Spanish explorer Carrasco discovered the entrances to present Deception Pass and to Rosario Strait. 1791: Spanish explorer Narvaez of the Eliza Expedition discovered and named Guemes Island and Padilla Bay. 1792: Master Joseph Whidbey of the Vancouver Expedition, sailing for England, discovered Deception Pass and Whidbey Island, which were named by Captain George Vancouver. 1841: American explorer Lieutenant Charles Wilkes explored coastal areas, named Allan Island, Burrows Bay, Mt. Erie and many other sites. 1847: British explorer Captain Henry Kellet restored many Spanish names.

1790's - 1840's	Traders and Trappers	Trappers trapped sea otter, beaver, and many other fur bearing animals, seriously depleting the animal population

1850's - 1870's	Early Settlers	On the small peninsula now called March Point, in an area with few trees which they called Fern Prairie, the first white people who settled on Fidalgo Island established claims. Some came for a short time, then left, some returned, others settled permanently. Their backgrounds included work as hunters, trappers, prospectors, soldiers and surveyors. They became farmers harvesting fruit, hops, cabbage and cauliflower seed, and also raised cattle. The first who came were Enoch Compton, Jack Carr, William Munks, William Bonner, Charles and Robert Beale, Hiram March, James Kavanaugh, Henry Barkhousen, John and Almina Griffin. Carrie White wrote that there were eight white women when she arrived in 1873, including Almina Richards Griffin, first teacher on Fidalgo Island, and Kate Hilton March, married to Hiram March. Of the male settlers who married native women, most notable were Henry Barkhousen, who married Chief Sehome's beautiful daughter Julia, and James Kavanaugh, who married a Swinomish chief's daughter known as Tol Stola. She is affectionately remembered as Grandma Kavanaugh.

1860's - 1890's	Early Anacortes	In c. 1865 Richard and Shadrack Wooten settled along the western shore of northern Fidalgo Bay, at present Anacortes. Around 1870, Mr. Walker, William Griffin and Dr. Deere were the first to settle in the Cap Sante area, then called Rock Point. Later, others settled along the Guemes Channel called Ship Harbor. In 1876 Amos Bowman and wife Annie moved to the eastern area of Ship Harbor. In 1877 Amos Bowman established a post office and named it Anacortes from Annie Curtis, his wife's maiden name. It was Amos Bowman's dream for Anacortes to become the terminus for the transcontinental railroad. In 1890 Anacortes experienced a boom based on the speculation that it would be the railroad terminus. On January 1, 1890 the population was approximately 200. By mid-March it had increased to 2000, streets and buildings were being built, and the price of lots went from $50 per acre to up to $3000 for a corner lot. The first train arrived in Anacortes in August of 1890. Later in 1890, when Anacortes was not selected as the railroad terminus, the town experienced a depression, hundreds of people left, large amounts of money were lost, the tents disappeared and hotels emptied, but the buildings remained, some until the present day. In 1891 Anacortes incorporated as a city, and began the road to economic recovery and a new identity as a fish and lumber town.

1890's - 1960's	Fishing and Lumber	Salmon canning and codfish-curing industries began in the early 1890s. By the early 1900s there were approximately a dozen fish-processing plants employing hundreds of people. Most closed by 1960, but Trident Seafoods, Sugiyo, and Seabear continue today. By 1903 Anacortes had six shingle mills and five sawmills, forming the second major industry of Anacortes. In 1905 the Anacortes Box and Lumber Company began operation; other large mills included the Fidalgo Mill in 1913, Morrison Mill in 1918 and E.K. Wood in 1923. The E.K. Wood Mill, 1923-43, re-named Walton's in 1943-52, was located at the present Skyline Marina. It cut large beams and was the largest mill on Fidalgo Island. The 600 foot-long planing and drying shed still stands. In 1925 the Anacortes Pulp Mill started operation and in the 1930s, community leaders succeeded in starting a cooperatively-owned plywood mill, which continued to operate until c.1990. By the 1950s the box mills had ceased operation, victims of the shift to cardboard paper for boxes. See's Brick Factory, Anacortes Glass Factory, Anacortes Steam Laundry, boat building and repair were some of the other early industries.

1950's - Present	Industry Technology, Retirement and Tourism	Shell and Texaco built refineries on March Point in the late 1950s. In the late 1960s expensive housing developments were built, most notably in the Skyline area. Many retired persons were attracted to the area. Technology-based industries arrived beginning in the late 1980s. Marinas appeared where once there had been mills and canneries. Motels and other tourist-based industries grew.

1960's - Present	Arts and Crafts	Fidalgo and Guemes Islands have developed a reputation as a place with many fine artists. There are several shops in Anacortes and since 1962, during the first weekend of each August, Anacortes hosts the Anacortes Arts Festival. Anacortes Community Theater produces several highly admired plays each year. All age groups are involved in the activities of art and drama. It is an integral part of the area's culture.