Pacific Northwest - Washington

San Juan Island

A Karen Brown Recommendation

CITY, Washington, United States

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San Juan Island, once home to fruit growers and farmers, is today the busiest and most populated of all the San Juans. Because it covers only 55 square miles, driving the entire island in a day is entirely doable; but you’ll want to move at a slower pace so you can linger as you go. Here are some of the highlights, listed roughly in a clockwise direction from Friday Harbor, the island’s primary commercial center, home to just over 2,000 residents; and the hub for restaurants, small museums, shops, galleries, and parks. Now that you are in prime orca territory, The Whale Museum is a delightful must, not because it’s elaborate, but because it offers an informative and heartfelt presentation designed to educate us about whales and the marine ecosystem upon which they depend for survival. This the best place to inquire about whale-watching tours. (62 First Street N in Friday Harbor; open daily from 9 am to 5 pm, Memorial Day to Labor Day, and from 10 am to 5 pm the rest of the year; 360-378-4710 or 800-946-7227; www.whale-museum.org.) The San Juan Historical Museum holds the unique title of “most northwestern museum in the continental United States.” Located on the homestead of early settler James King, it is actually a small complex of island buildings, some of which have been relocated to this spot. See an original farmhouse, the first county jail, a 19th-century log cabin, a barn, a milk house, and a carriage house. You’ll appreciate the museum if you are keen to know more about local history, or if you happen to be tracing your genealogy back to the islands. (405 Price Street in Friday Harbor; open Tuesday and Thursday, from 10 am to 2 pm, October to April; and Thursday to Saturday, from 1 to 4 pm, May to September; 360-378-3949.) American Camp (San Juan Island National Historic Park) at the most southeastern point on the island was the American military settlement during the “Pig War” of 1859–72. At the time, there was considerable disagreement about who owned the San Juan Islands: was it the U.S. or Britain? Tensions came to a head in 1859, when an American farmer shot a pig rooting uninvited in his potato patch. As it turned out, the pig belonged to the very British Hudson’s Bay Company. Believe it or not, the U.S. Infantry was dispatched to San Juan Island, as were several British warships. After an initial standoff involving no fighting, joint occupation was agreed upon and lasted until 1872, when Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany, invited to serve as arbiter, decided in favor of the Americans. Today, American Camp is headquarters to the island’s National Historic Park. In a building at the entrance, you can view a brief slide show about the Pig War and pick up a brochure for a self-guided walking tour of the grounds. Several original structures still stand, including a campsite and an officers’ quarters. Along Griffin Bay to the north, a trail guides you through woods above several lagoons. From the trail, you’ll see beautiful broad beaches, and perhaps, a pod of orcas making its seasonal migration. Easily one of the loveliest spots on the island is the drive along West Side Road. Take it to the tiny Lime Kiln Point State Park, perhaps better known now as Whale Watching Park. Poised along De Haro Strait, this section of parkside water is known to be a favorite cruising spot for pods of orcas and minkes who spend their summers in these waters. Park the car and walk along the cliffs and by the tidepools. You are likelier to see whales in summer months, if you time your visit for late afternoon/early evening. This is the time of year when most sightings are documented. The Lime Kiln Lighthouse is now a whale research station. It uses underwater microphones to monitor and study the communications between whales. Near the northwestern corner of the island, just off W. Valley Road, you’ll discover English Camp (San Juan Island National Historic Park), the other side of the Pig War story. Here you’ll be able to wander past a handful of clapboard buildings and even a formal British garden overlooking Garrison Bay. In the Barracks, photographs tell the story of the early days of the conflict. Check out the English Camp Cemetery, where soldiers, who thankfully never had to fight, lie buried. (Open daily from dawn to dusk.) Roche Harbor at the north end of the island now stands on the spot first occupied by a Hudson’s Bay Company post. When the U.S./Canadian boundary was settled, it became the Roche Harbor Lime Quarries and changed hands several times until it was purchased by John McMillan in 1886. McMillan was responsible for making this harbor a key port of entry, complete with customs office, and managed what became the largest lime production company in the entire Northwest. It’s that sense of history that brings visitors to this bustling resort community today; with its tailored lawns, cobblestone waterfront, historic hotel, restaurants, and shops. The relatively new San Juan Vineyards will be fun to watch as it grows. The only commercial vineyard and winery on the island, it was established in 1996 by three island friends with a dream. The very first harvest was in October of 2000, but it yielded unexpectedly little due to the many island birds who got to the fruit first! Hence, only a very limited bottling of its first estate wine, Madeleine Angevine, was made available in June of 2001. A netting system was installed to protect the 2001 crop, with very successful results. Consider stopping by the vineyard to see how they’re doing and report back. A tasting room and gift shop occupy what was Schoolhouse Number 22 on the property, originally built in 1896. (2000 Roche Harbor Road; open from noon to 6 pm seasonally; 360-378-WINE; www.sanjuanvineyards.com.)

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