Today we may take post offices for granted, but soon after they were first instituted following the Revolutionary War, post offices often became the hubs of civilization on the American frontier. As post offices were few and far between settlers…

Sea and sun bathing at Crescent Beach have been favorite pastimes for Orcas Islanders for generations. Just east of Eastsound, Crescent Beach is located in Ships Bay. Today the beach is part of a 130+ acre conservation area that provides a haven for…

History is felt perhaps nowhere more deeply on Orcas Island than at Madrona Point. Named for the swaths of Madrona trees that line the 30 acre point, the land here is sacred. Used as a burial ground by the Lummi people from time immemorial, Madrona…

The Kangaroo House is one of the oldest continuous lodgings for travelers in the San Juans, having now been in use for over 100 years. Built in 1907, this craftsman style bungalow was originally known as the Aloha House or the Aloha Hotel. It got…

The historical Donohue House is known today as the Golden Tree Inn & Hostel. Built by master carpenter Michael Donohue the house was originally part of his 180 acre homestead. Donohue was a Civil War veteran, he and his family settled on…

Known over the years by many names, including Eastsound Hotel, Eastsound House, Mt. Constitution Inn, and the Beach Hotel, today this charming house is known as the Outlook Inn. Built in the late 1800s by Charles Shattuck, the Inn began its life as…

No story of the islands’ aviation history would be complete without mention of Roy Franklin. Originally a military pilot, Roy returned to Washington State after serving in WWII and soon became an air taxi pilot operating in San Juan County. His taxi…

The little island nestled in Fishing Bay on the southern end of Eastsound has been known by several different names over the years. The most shocking of its titles was “Jap Island.” In fact, the name was even recognized by the U.S. Bureau of Land…

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…

Popeye is a female harbor seal commonly spotted at the Port of Friday Harbor. She’s got one blind, milky eye (hence her name) and she’s become something of a local celebrity. Popeye was originally attracted to the harbor by food scraps dumped by…

Interaction is a contemporary carving created by Musqueam Coast Salish artist Susan A. Point. Located at Friday Harbor’s Fairweather Park, this sculpture “represents a healing chapter in local history.” The sculpture is made from two cedar posts and…

Prohibition took hold in Washington state in 1916, but failed to eliminate the state’s thirst for alcohol. Bootleggers were all too happy to quench the thirst, and smuggling whiskey from Canada became commonplace. Rumrunners operated throughout the…