Lummi Island, one of the
San Juan
Islands
, lies at the southwest corner of Whatcom County,
Washington
, USA
, between the mainland part of the county and
offshore San Juan County
. The
Lummi Indian
Reservation is situated on a peninsula east of the island, but
does not include Lummi Island. The island has a land area of 23.97
km² (9.255 sq mi) and had a population of 822 as of the
2000 census. The population
nearly doubles in summer when property owners from both Canada and
the U. S. arrive for summer fun and relaxation. The island is
accessible by a 22 car ferry, the "Whatcom Chief" run by the
county. It is 6 minute passage from Gooseberry point on the
mainland to the island. On the island there is one general store,
two restaurants, several bed and breakfasts, a small library, post
office, fire station, one church, a Boys & Girls club and a
vintage 1919 elementary school. The Beach Store Cafe is a popular
local hangout with a small bar and serves seafood and traditional
cafe fare. The Willows Inn serves more expensive fare with seasonal
treats from island farms and fishers. The historic Lummi Island
Congregational Church sets next to its quiet, wooded cemetery.
Lummi Island is best known for its unique reefnet salmon fishery,
eclectic population of artists, picturesque seascapes and rural
setting. Its narrow, scenic and winding roads are popular with
bicyclers. A popular trail to Lummi Mountain takes hikers through
the Baker Preserve to stunning high views of the San Juan and Gulf
Islands. Hikers on the trail are required to obtain a free permit
issued by the Lummi Island Heritage Trust.
The island was originally called
Sa nam a o ("High
Mountain") and
Skallaham by the native Indians. In 1792
Spanish explorers dubbed it
Isla de Pacheco, and it was
later known as McLoughlin Island. In 1853, the
U.S. National Geodetic Survey
charted the island as
Lummi, naming it after the tribe. It
is believed the name comes from
luminara, referring to the
bonfires the Spanish saw upon arrival and whence the tribe also
took their name, though there are also theories that it is derived
from a native word or phrase.
Events
The island hosts the annual Lummi Island Reefnet Festival and a
weekly farmers market in the spring and summer.
Lummi Island is also home to a large number of artists who, on
Memorial Day,
Labor Day, and the first weekend of December,
conduct studio tours.
References
- Island Vacation Rentals: Lummi
Island History
- Friends of Island Library: A Very
Brief History of Lummi Island and the Islanders, 1998