I am often asked by those who come to the islands and are thinking about making it their home, “What do you love best about living on an island?”
From the well of who I have become living here, comes these thoughts: eagles soaring above in the bright sun, Madrona red sunsets, black nights with brilliant starlight, and most of all, the silence that surrounds you. The sounds of civilization evaporate in the moody waters between the island and the continent.
The San Juan Islands were little noticed and sparsely populated, with a fairly even mix of English and American settlers until 1859 when a dispute between two farmers led to what is know as The Pig War. Thankfully no one died in that war except the pig, but it is a fascinating story that few people are aware of. There are four major islands, San Juan, Orcas, Lopez, and Shaw, and each island has it’s own unique settlement stories.
Whidbey Island didn’t start with a war like the San Juan’s. Settled in the mid 1800′s by seafaring captains who were looking for a quiet place to retire, it has a more gentle history of families settling here to farm the land followed by merchants and then in the very early 1900′s, families camping during the summer. Both the San Juans and Whidbey Island retain that characteristic to this day, with a mix of full time residents and second home owners.
To get a sense of island life, view this video of the Holly Farm. This uniquely historic waterfront property was settled on Holmes Harbor in the 1930’s by two rugged families who together created a business from the holly trees that grow so well here. Let me know if you want to know more about the history of this property and possibly make it your home.
