For Women’s History Month, the Museums would like to highlight the late Rachel Adams.

Born in 1926 in Maine, Rachel graduated from the University of New Hampshire at only 19 years old. She had an accomplished 22-year long military career and worked in various US Army hospitals as a physical therapist, which took her around the world.

Rachel moved full time to Crane Island in 1975 to live with Marilyn Anderson (Andi). They built a home together, managed a small farm, and kept a healthy garden from which they sold produce to their neighbors and Islanders. Andi and Rachel moved from Crane to Mt. Woolard in 2001, to the home where Rachel would live in until her passing in 2012.

Rachel was an active part of Island community and devoted her time to helping others and preserving the environment. Through the 37 years that she lived in the San Juans, Rachel was a prolific volunteer and heavily involved in organizations such as the Orcas Island Library, Orcas Center, San Juan Preservation Trust, Orcas Island Community Foundation, Crane Island Nature Preserve, OPAL, and many, many more.

Remarkably, Rachel kept a daily journal of her life from 1969 (the year she retired from the military) until 2012 – amounting to over 15,000 journal entries. In her writings, she reflects the beauty of her environment – local birds, sea life, and sunsets on the Salish Sea. She describes her neighbors and relationships, social happenings around the Islands, and political events. They’re almost like scrapbooks, containing thousands of photographs, drawings, and articles that Rachel taped into the pages, overlapping both each other and her writing. Her journals capture the peaceful, mundane, joyful excitement of everyday life in the San Juan Islands.

The Orcas Island Library and the Orcas Island Historical Museums has received a joint grant from the Washington State Library (itself receiving funding by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)) to purchase a book scanner specially designed for delicate bound works that are unable to be processed through a flat scanner. This ongoing grant also includes archival supplies and most importantly it funds staff hours to process, file, and transcribe the handwritten journals and photos. These digital scans and transcriptions will then be made available to the public for research and enjoyment.

An excerpt from Rachel Adams’s journals 
March 18, 1976

Open for Business
Library day. Quite windy when we crossed Pole Pass, and later in Eastsound had quite a severe storm. Lots of business in the library and we had to check some new books in besides. Had lunch at the Bungalow but Margrit couldn’t join us. She’s on her way to Switzerland. Ate with Bea Cook and Jo Bush. Returned home and we took the alternator out of the three wheeler. Andi cleaned the brushes and now it is charging the battery again. Went to bed early in case we had to make it early ferry on account of bad weather. Andi has to go to Los Angeles to give a talk.