Menu
Menu
Menu
We of the Orcas Island Historical Museums acknowledge that we are residing on the ancestral and unceded territories of Indigenous peoples, who have been here since
time immemorial.These ancient peoples include the Lummi and related Samish tribes in
the Northwest part of our state. We honor and support their ongoing relationship with this land, its waterways, and fishing rights. We honor their ancestors as we acknowledge their descendants, now and in times to come.
The Orcas Island Historical Society was founded in 1951 and the first museum was housed at the personal residence of William Langell, located on what is now the Village Green. The original collection was made up of objects of island heritage donated and on loan from islanders. With a growing collection and lack of space the historical society knew they needed a dedicated museum facility. Their budget was small – made up of personal donations and bake sale revenue – and acquisition of construction of a new building would take considerable time and resources. The society found a creative solution – build a museum to house historical artifacts out of historical artifacts. The six original homesteader cabins that make up the museum building are donations that have been formally accessioned into the museum collection. They were all painstakingly disassembled, moved from their original locations, and reassembled on site here in Eastsound. An expansion completed in 2007 added a gallery hallway – which now houses the museum shop – administrative offices, and expanded collections storage and archives.
In 1905, Robert Moran purchased the first parcel of what will soon become Rosario Mansion and Moran State Park. The park was accepted by Washington State in 1921, encompassing thousands of acres of forest, lakes, and Mt. Constitution.
Orcas industry started to move away from orchards, and turns toward fisheries and canneries. Dance Halls become all the rage, and all-night dances are frequently thrown at multiple locations around the island.
The Islands were serviced by the “Mosquito Fleet”, a massive collection of privately-operated steamer ships. At the end of the 1940s, the Black Ball Line is the only ferry service in the Puget Sound.
Commercial aviation landed on Orcas. Island Airways began service on Orcas Island in 1946, utilizing Lester Cowden’s field (present day OrcaSong Farm) before the Orcas Island Airport opened later the same year.
In 1951, the Washington State Ferry system was created as an extension of the state highway system. OPALCO’s submarine cables were also installed in 1951, which connected the islands to Columbia River hydroelectric power and rose to meet the increasing energy demands of both year-round residents and summertime visitors.
Orcas became a prime destination for vacationers, and the local economy shifts to tourism-based.
The new Templin’s Center opened in town, along with Ray’s Pharmacy.
The new Orcas Island High School broke ground.
Madrona Point, a historic and traditional burial ground, was returned to Lummi Nation after over 100 years, and lengthy court proceedings.
Elwha ferry ran aground in Grindstone Harbor, inspiring local musicians and even bartenders to pay tribute to the famous “Elwha On the Rocks”. The Hundred-Year Storm of 1989 cut off electricity for Islanders, some for up to several weeks.
The Fifty-Year storm of 1990 (which occurred the winter following The Hundred-Year Storm) trapped Islanders with banks of snow and thousands of felled trees.
In 1990, San Juan County voters approved funding for the Conservation Land Bank. Since its creation, the San Juan County Land Bank has protected more than 5,000 acres of conservation land and over 10 miles of shoreline.
In 2006, Turtleback Mountain Preserve opened to the public managed by the San Juan County Conservation Land Bank.
The Orcas Island Historical Museum, after fifty years of running the Historical Day Parade on the 4th of July, passed the torch to other community members. It was at the time renamed the Orcas Island Community Parade.
Our mission is to educate, inspire, connect and involve our community and visitors in the stewardship of our unique island history. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay in touch!
© 2024 Orcas Island Historical Museum. All rights reserved. Created by udooku
Michelle grew up in Whatcom County and has lived on Orcas Island since 2020. In the spring of 2022, she joined the Museums as a weekly docent. Within a year, Michelle decided to bite the bullet and become a full-time staff member. She now works as the Program Administrator, and is currently working on revitalizing the Oral History Project and designing new exhibits.
An Orcas resident since 2017, Debbie has family ties to what feels like half of Olga and beyond. She teases she knows more of her husband’s family history than he does. Debbie is our museum admin, but also bookkeeper for many island businesses, and treasurer to several non-profits beyond the park.
Nancy has lived on Orcas since 2020 coming here as an empty nester with her avid sailor husband. Nancy is New Mexico born, raised in Singapore and then has had many other stints up and down the West Coast. She has over 30 years in the non-profit industry always working in the areas of arts, culture, literature and heritage. She has a BA degree in Economics from Scripps College and a MA in Urban Planning from UCLA with an emphasis on the history of the built environmen.