Orcas Island Historical Museums

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The Orcas Island Historical Museums consist of the Historical Museum (located at 181 North Beach Road) and the Crow Valley Schoolhouse Museum (located at 1668 Crow Valley Road). The Historical Museum in Eastsound is out of six historic cabins and one of the most interesting looking structures in Eastsound. Each cabin was donated by local residents and moved to the North Beach Rd location where they were joined together to form the museum. Today, each cabin houses a unique exhibit featuring local history.

Just under a 10 minute drive from Eastsound the Crow Valley Schoolhouse Museum still stands where it was built in 1888. Originally named the Pleasant Valley School, this one-room schoolhouse served the community for thirty years. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987, and donated to the Orcas Island Historical Museum in 2011. The Crow Valley School is one of the finest examples of an intact one room school house in Washington State.

Schools were quite different back in the late 1800s and early 1900s than they are today. At the Crow Valley School, students ranged in grades from first through eighth, and the school year was only about 60 days long depending on the available funding. In its heyday, the school served 47 students, though the average number in attendance throughout the years was less than 30.

Together the Historical Museum and the Crow Valley Schoolhouse Museum offer unique insights into the rich history of Orcas Island. For more information about the museums’ hours and upcoming events visit their website.