Recent Stories
The Lopez Historical Museum
The Mission of the Lopez Island Historical Society is to collect, preserve, interpret, and share local history to increase awareness and appreciation of this resource for the benefit of future generations. The Lopez museum opened in 1980 and has been…
A Beloved Historic Building, Still in Regular Use - Lopez Center Church
"Of all the historic structures on Lopez Island, none is more beautiful, nor more beloved, than Center Church. Now a candidate for the National Historic Registry, the old building serves as a focal point for the community, and stands as a reminder of…
Arbitration Explained
In 1872 two colonial powers, Great Britain and the United States, peacefully agreed to end - through arbitration - the joint occupation of San Juan Island. Ambiguous language in the 1846 Treaty of Oregon, a boundary agreement between the two…
3. Weeks Point Way
From this vantage point, you can see where Charley dug drain ditches in the 1860s or 1870s. Charley, known at the time as Siwash Charley, is one of the few Indigenous men on island we have record of. (Siwash, from Chinook Jargon, is considered a…
4. Lopez Stores Over Time
In the early 20th century, just about from here, a long pier stretched out into the water, towards the marker you can see in the channel. Steamships, like the Georgia, would deliver passengers and goods to “Lopez” — one of three centers of commerce…
1. Indigenous Peoples of Sx’wálech (Lopez Island)
Indigenous People have lived and stewarded Sx’wálech (Lopez Island) since time immemorial. The earliest evidence of people arriving in the Puget Sound area comes from over 12,500 years ago — a time when these islands were likely still under ice.…
Featured Stories
Listen to the Trees
An old-growth forest – also known as a primary forest or primeval forest – refers to a forest that has reached a significant age without significant disturbance, such as a devastating wildfire or…
Robert's Rules
Before working his way up the Army ranks and rising to unlikely fame as an author, Henry M. Robert played a crucial role at San Juan Island's American Camp. Robert arrived on San Juan Island on August…
The Roslers
In the early days of white settlement in the San Juans, marriages and less formal arrangements between white men and native women were not uncommon. Though some ended sadly, others, like that of Anna…
Take a Tour
Lopez Village Tour
7 Locations ~ Curated by Breton Carter, Lopez Island Historical SocietyEastsound Walking Tour
9 Locations ~ Curated by Clairessa Walker and the Orcas Island Historical MuseumsIsland Histories
A project by Larry Cebula, Eastern Washington UniversitySan Juans Explorer is a digital guide to the history, natural history, and culture of the San Juan Islands. A project of the Public History Program at Eastern Washington University, the geolocated stories on San Juans Explorer were created by EWU students. Initial content will be deployed in the summer of 2018, and the project will grow one student cohort at a time. For questions or complaints, please contact Larry Cebula, at LarryCebula@gmail.com. This site is powered by Omeka + Curatescape, a humanities-centered web and mobile framework available for both Android and iOS devices. Read more About Us