fbpx
Wikipedia

Camano Island

Camano Island /kəˈmn/ is a large island in Possession Sound, a section of Puget Sound. It is part of Island County, Washington, and is located between Whidbey Island and the mainland (Snohomish County) by the Saratoga Passage to the west and Port Susan and Davis Slough to the east. The island has one road connection to the mainland, via State Route 532 over the Camano Gateway Bridge at the northeast end of the island, connecting to the city of Stanwood.

Camano Island, Washington
The island's western beach at Cama Beach State Park
Location within Island County and Washington
Coordinates: 48°11′10″N 122°30′28″W / 48.186239°N 122.507697°W / 48.186239; -122.507697
CountryUnited States
StateWashington
CountyIsland
WaterbodyPuget Sound
Named forJacinto Caamaño
Area
 • Total94.9 sq mi (245.9 km2)
 • Land39.8 sq mi (103.0 km2)
 • Water55.2 sq mi (142.9 km2)
Dimensions
 • Length15.6 mi (25.1 km)
 • Width0.75–6.6 mi (1.21–10.62 km)
Elevation
52 ft (16 m)
Population
 • Total17,356
 • Density436.31/sq mi (168.59/km2)
Time zoneUTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code
98282
FIPS code53-09365
GNIS feature ID1503722[2]

The island has a total area of 39.77 square miles (103.0 km2), making it one of the largest in the state of Washington. It has a year-round population of 15,661 as of the 2010 census. The population peaks at over 17,000 during the summer months due to part-time residents with vacation homes on the island. It is an unincorporated area with several small communities and shares civic facilities with nearby Stanwood, including its school district, and post office.

Camano Island is home to two state parks, Cama Beach and Camano Island State Park, and several county and local parks.

Etymology and name edit

One recorded name of Camano Island in Lushootseed, collected by ethnologist Colin E. Tweddell, is ʔəw̓alus.[3] This name has also been given as the name for Camano City,[clarification needed] rather than the whole island.[4] However, other sources agree with Tweddell that dəxʷxʷit̕xʷit̕əb or ʔəw̓ʔəw̓alus is the name of Camano City.[3]

In English, the island was named for 18th century Spanish explorer Jacinto Caamaño.[5] American explorer Charles Wilkes, during the Wilkes Expedition of 1838–1842, named it Macdonough Island in honor of Thomas Macdonough for his victory of the Battle of Lake Champlain during the War of 1812. Following this theme, Wilkes named the body of water between Camano and Whidbey Island after Macdonough's flagship the Saratoga. When Henry Kellett reorganized the official British Admiralty charts in 1847, he removed Wilkes' name Macdonough and bestowed the name Camano, which the Spanish explorer Francisco de Eliza had originally given to Admiralty Inlet in 1790. Wilkes' name Saratoga Passage was retained.[6]

The island was known as Perry Island after the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott between several Indigenous peoples and the United States. The island was also called Crow Island during the early 20th century.[7]

History edit

19th century edit

Prior to American settlement, Camano Island was within the territory of both the Kikiallus and the Snohomish peoples. The Kikiallus controlled the northern parts of the island around Utsalady, while the Snohomish controlled the areas of the island south of Point Demock (Lushootseed: duʔdukʷšəd).[8][9][10] Other tribes also used the island, such as the Lower Skagit, Stillaguamish, Snoqualmie,[11] and Sauk-Suiattle.[12] In fact, the island may have been a "free-use" area where usage of the island was not strictly restricted like other places.[13]

Prior to the population decline due to smallpox, there were likely many villages all along the island,[9] and the Kikiallus were said to have 6 villages.[14] Artifacts and human remains attributed to an old village were discovered by archaelologists at Cama Beach which were dated to 1,600 years before present.[15] By the beginning of the 19th century, there were two known villages: a Kikiallus village at Utsalady (Lushootseed: ʔəcəladiʔ),[16][8][17] and a Snohomish village at Camano Head (Lushootseed: x̌ʷuyšəd).[18][19]

Around 1820, a major landslide occurred at Camano Head. The landslide completely demolished the village there, and created a tidal wave which wiped out another Snohomish village on Hat Island, and almost destroyed the main village of Hibulb. Hundreds of people were killed, and it was worsened by the fact that it was clamming season, and many of the visitors to the village were crushed or drowned. After this catastrophic event, the site of Camano Head was never used as a village, although it did continue to be used for clamming seasonally.[20]

Camano Island continued to be under the Snohomish and Kikiallus until 1855, when, under the Treaty of Point Elliot, they ceded control of most of their lands, including Camano Island, to the United States. White settlement on the island began in the 1850s and it was included in the newly-established Island County in 1853.[21] The first major settlement on the island was at Utsalady (originally spelled Utsaladdy), which would be home to several sawmills.[22][23] The first sawmill on the island was constructed by Thomas Cranney in 1858 and a school district was organized in 1862 to serve 17 students in a one-room schoolhouse.[24]

Cranney's sawmill at Utsalady was seized by the federal government in 1876 due to his bankruptcy and sold the following year to the Puget Mill Company, which enlarged it to handle 75,000 board feet per day.[25] A plat for Utsalady was filed in 1891, with the town boasting three stores, two hotels, a telegraph line, and daily steamship service to Coupeville.[25] The area had a large population of Chinese and Norwegian immigrants who worked at the mill until the former were expelled by anti-Chinese riots in the 1880s.[26] By the 1880 census, there were 112 residents in Utsalady and 74 Coast Salish peoples in other settlements on Camano Island.[27] Following the Panic of 1893, the Utsalady sawmill was closed and left 125 residents unemployed,[25] but five shingle mills were later opened to capitalize on the island's timber.[28][29]

20th century edit

Camano Island was identified as an ideal location for farming and vacation homes during the early 20th century, as logging had cleared the island's old-growth forests.[30] A cable ferry connecting the island's north end to Stanwood was replaced by a bridge in 1909.[31] The first resort settlements on Camano Island at Utsalady, Juniper Beach, and Madrona beach were established in the 1920s, but were later dwarfed by larger resorts like Cama Beach (opened in 1936).[32] During the Prohibition era, Camano Island was used as a major transiting point for rumrunners due to its remoteness and proximity to Canadian waters.[33][34] The Juniper Beach area was also home to a new oyster farm that was established in 1930 and helped sustain the island during the Great Depression.[35]

In 1943, the Puget Mill Company began developing its plots into residential subdivisions, ushering in the arrival of permanent summer homes on the island.[23] The Stillaguamish River bridge to Stanwood was replaced in July 1950 by the Mark Clark Bridge and the island's roads were also improved by the state government.[36] A new state park was established in 1948 and opened the following year after a day-long event in which 800 residents cleared the land to prepare for park development.[36] In the 1950s, the island received its own post office, having previously been part of the Stanwood post office's delivery area, an organized fire department, and telephone service.[37] Major population growth in the 1960s and early 1970s caused strain on the island's infrastructure, requiring the creation of a new planning office and a satellite county courthouse.[38]

Geography edit

Camano Island is located within the Puget Sound, separated from the mainland of Snohomish County by Port Susan and Davis Slough. It lies east of the Saratoga Passage, which separates it from the larger Whidbey Island, and is south of Skagit Bay.[39] The northern entrance to Camano Island is located 55 miles (89 km) north of Seattle. The island itself is 15.6 miles (25.1 km) long and has a width of 0.75 to 6.6 miles (1.21 to 10.62 km),[citation needed] with 52 miles (84 km) of shoreline.[40]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Camano CDP has a total area of 94.9 square miles (245.9 km2), of which, 39.8 square miles (103.0 km2) of it is land and 55.2 square miles (142.9 km2) of it (58.11%) is water.[citation needed] Approximately 83 percent of the shoreline around the island is privately owned.[41]

The island has a wide array of native and migratory birds, including bald eagles and herons.[42] Migrating gray whales travel annually through the Saratoga Passage in March and April, making them visible from Camano Island.[43]

During the Last Ice Age the island, sound and land surrounding the sound was covered by a mile thick sheet of ice. As temperatures rose the glacier receded, carving the island and leaving behind deposits of glacial till.[44]

Communities edit

  • Utsalady
  • Terry's Corner (including new town center)
  • Buena Vista
  • Madrona Beach
  • Sunset Beach
  • Juniper Beach
  • Lona Beach
  • Rockaway Beach
  • Maple Grove Beach
  • Livingston Bay
  • Iverson Beach
  • Tillicum Beach
  • Tyee Beach
  • Camaloch

Parks and recreation edit

The state parks system has two properties on Camano Island: Camano Island State Park and Cama Beach State Park, both located on the west side of the island. Camano Island State Park, near Elger Bay, was opened in 1949 after a one-day volunteer effort with 500 local residents to prepare the property.[45] It has 6,700 feet (2,000 m) of shoreline, camping areas, and hiking trails on 244 acres (99 ha) of land.[46] Cama Beach State Park opened in 2008 at the site of a former beach resort, which was restored with beachside cabins and hiking trails.[47]

Camano Island also has 13 local parks maintained by the Island County government.[48] The largest park, Camano Ridge, includes 400 acres (160 ha) of inland protected forestland and hiking trails that were transferred from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources in 2003.[49] At the north end of the island is Iverson Preserve, a 120 acres (49 ha) beach and estuary with fishing and boat access.[50] Barnum Point County Park on Port Susan was opened in August 2019 with 167 acres (68 ha) of waterfront space, acquired with $750,000 in private donations through a local land trust.[41]

Demographics edit

Estimated population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1860 58—    
1870 157+10.47%
1880 186+1.71%
1895 200+0.48%
1900 460+18.13%
1910 678+3.96%
1920 910+2.99%
1930 679−2.89%
1940 876+2.58%
1950 1,160+2.85%
1960 1,395+1.86%
1970 2,600+6.42%
1980 5,080+6.93%
1990 7,329+3.73%
2000 13,347+6.18%
2010 15,661+1.61%
2020 17,356+1.03%
Source: Kimball & Dean (1994)[51]
United States Census Bureau[52]

Camano Island has a large seasonal population of snowbirds and other part-time residents, which brings the summer population of the island to an estimated 17,000.[citation needed] The retiree population on the island began arriving in the mid-20th century, including residents from outside of Washington state.[53] Based on per capita income, one of the more reliable measures of affluence, Camano ranks 99th of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked.[citation needed]

2000 census edit

As of the 2000 census, there were 13,347 people, 5,357 households, and 4,028 families residing in the Camano Island CDP. The population density was 335.6 people per square mile (129.6/km2). There were 6,709 housing units at an average density of 168.7/sq mi (65.1/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 95.6% White, 0.3% African American, 0.8% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.1% of the population.[54]

There were 5,357 households, out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.0% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.8% were non-families. 20.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.86.[54]

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 24.1% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.[54]

The median income for a household in the CDP was $54,262, and the median income for a family was $60,013. Males had a median income of $47,309 versus $31,250 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $24,362. About 4.4% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those age 65 or over.[54]

Government edit

Camano Island is part of Island County, despite its only road connection leading to Snohomish County, and has no incorporated communities. The island's residents have previously proposed incorporating as a city or joining Snohomish County to increase access to services, but to no result.[55] Island County maintains a small government campus on Camano Island that opened in the 1970s to house the county sheriff and other offices.[56] The original campus was replaced by the Island County Administration Building, which opened in late 2020.[57][58]

The island shares several of its services with neighboring Stanwood, including the Stanwood-Camano School District.[59] The school district has two elementary schools on Camano Island, opened in the 2000s, while older students attend classes at Stanwood's schools.[60] Sno-Isle Libraries, which serves Island and Snohomish counties, opened a public library inside a temporary space on Camano Island as part of a pilot program that began in 2007.[61] A permanent library at Terry's Corner opened in August 2015 after voters on the island approved a $2.3 million bond measure to remodel a former restaurant.[62]

Culture edit

Events edit

  • The Port Susan Snow Goose & Birding Festival (February)[63]
  • The Camano Island Mother's Day Art Studio Tour (May)[64]
  • The Spring Art Show (June)[65]
  • Art by the Bay, The Stanwood–Camano Festival of Art and Music (July)[66]
  • The Stanwood Camano Community Fair (August) [67]
  • The Harvest Jubilee (September)[68]

Notable people edit

Infrastructure edit

Transportation edit

Camano Island is connected to mainland Washington by State Route 532, which travels from the north end of the island to Stanwood via two bridges over the Davis Slough and Stillaguamish River.[78] The island has several connecting roads that travel along the west and east edges to various neighborhoods and the two state parks.[79] Island Transit operates free bus services connecting Camano Island to Stanwood, with onward connections to Mount Vernon, Amtrak Cascades, and Everett.[80]

Ferry connections to Coupeville and Everett existed historically, but the routes are no longer active. Local residents rejected a car ferry in 1999.[81] A passenger-only Camano–Whidbey ferry has been proposed and studied by Island County.[82]

Utilities edit

Camano Island's electricity is provided by the Snohomish County Public Utility District, a public agency based in Everett.[83] The island's electrical supply is delivered through a set of two high-voltage transmission lines that cross from Stanwood to a substation in northern Camano; the second transmission line was constructed in 2023.[84] Tap water is sourced from groundwater wells on the island that are maintained by community cooperatives and small companies rather than a large operator.[85][86]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "2020 Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  2. ^ "Camano". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  3. ^ a b Tweddell 1953, p. 142.
  4. ^ Bates, Hess & Hilbert 1994, p. 13.
  5. ^ Meany, Edmond S. (1923). Origin of Washington Geographic Names. University of Washington Press. p. 33. OCLC 1963675. Retrieved February 22, 2020 – via HathiTrust.
  6. ^ Phillips, James W. (1971). Washington State Place Names. University of Washington Press. ISBN 0-295-95158-3.
  7. ^ "Area History". Camano Island Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  8. ^ a b Sampson, Martin J. (1972). Indians of Skagit County (6 ed.). La Conner: Skagit County Historical Society.
  9. ^ a b Tweddell, Colin E. (August 1953). A Historical and Ethnological Study of the Snohomish Indian People: A Report Specifically Covering Their Aboriginal and Continued Existence, and Their Effective Occupation of a Definable Territory. Coast Salish and Western Washington Indians. Vol. II. New York & London: Garland Publishing (published 1974). pp. 132–133.
  10. ^ Bates, Dawn; Hess, Thom; Hilbert, Vi (1994). Lushootseed Dictionary. Seattle: University of Washington Press. p. 84. ISBN 978-0-295-97323-4. OCLC 29877333.
  11. ^ Tweddell 1953, p. 95.
  12. ^ Kimball, Arthur; Dean, John (1994). Camano Island: Life and Times in Island Paradise. Stanwood/Camano News Printing. p. 5. OCLC 33143673.
  13. ^ Hollenbeck, Jan L. (1987). A Cultural Resource Overview: Prehistory, Ethnography, and History: Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Portland: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region. p. 151. OCLC 892024380 – via The Internet Archive.
  14. ^ Kimball & Dean 1994, p. 8.
  15. ^ Thompson, Lynn (June 12, 2008). . The Seattle Times. p. A1. Archived from the original on June 1, 2019. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  16. ^ Bates, Hess & Hilbert 1994, p. 10.
  17. ^ Smith, Marian W. (1941). "The Coast Salish of Puget Sound". American Anthropologist. 43 (2): 197–211 – via JSTOR.
  18. ^ Tweddell 1953, p. 158-159.
  19. ^ Bates, Hess & Hilbert 1994, p. 274.
  20. ^ Tweddell 1953, p. 66-69.
  21. ^ "Camano Island State Park". Washington State Parks. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  22. ^ Kimball & Dean (1994), p. 11
  23. ^ a b McDonald, Lucile (May 10, 1959). "Camano Island: Area of Summer Resorts". The Seattle Times. pp. 2–3.
  24. ^ Kimball & Dean (1994), pp. 12–16
  25. ^ a b c Kimball & Dean (1994), pp. 19–20
  26. ^ Kimball & Dean (1994), p. 31
  27. ^ Kimball & Dean (1994), p. 37
  28. ^ Kimball & Dean (1994), p. 43
  29. ^ Prasse, Karen; Stanwood Area Historical Society (2006). Camano Island. Images of America. Arcadia Publishing. pp. 46–49. ISBN 0-7385-3135-9. OCLC 71248462 – via Google Books.
  30. ^ Kimball & Dean (1994), p. 47
  31. ^ Essex, Alice (1971). The Stanwood Story, Volume I. Stanwood Camano News. pp. 51–56. OCLC 36113496.
  32. ^ Kimball & Dean (1994), pp. 57–60
  33. ^ Kimball & Dean (1994), pp. 63–64
  34. ^ Cameron, David A.; LeWarne, Charles P.; May, M. Allan; O'Donnell, Jack C.; O'Donnell, Lawrence E. (2005). Snohomish County: An Illustrated History. Index, Washington: Kelcema Books LLC. p. 215. ISBN 978-0-9766700-0-1. OCLC 62728798.
  35. ^ Kimball & Dean (1994), pp. 65–66
  36. ^ a b Kimball & Dean (1994), pp. 75–76
  37. ^ Kimball & Dean (1994), pp. 79–80
  38. ^ Kimball & Dean (1994), pp. 91–94
  39. ^ "Chapter 6: East Whidbey/Camano Island Shorelines" (PDF). Island County Shoreline Master Program Update: Shoreline Inventory and Characterization (Report). Island County. March 2012. pp. 1, 44, 58. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  40. ^ Stripling, Sherry (March 27, 2005). "Island Life: Camano's shifting sands". The Seattle Times. p. K6. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  41. ^ a b Sanders, Julia-Grace (September 9, 2019). "Camano Island's newest park offers expanded waterfront access". The Everett Herald. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  42. ^ Doughton, Sandi (August 27, 2016). "Nature lovers scramble to save wild beach on Camano Island". The Seattle Times. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  43. ^ Pailthorp, Bellamy (June 9, 2021). "A Group Of Gray Whales Survives Die-Off With An Annual Detour To Puget Sound". NPR. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  44. ^ . Washington State Parks. Archived from the original on March 19, 2010. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  45. ^ Prasse, Karen (July 5, 2008). "Stanwood and Camano Island residents build a park in one day on July 27, 1949". HistoryLink. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  46. ^ "Camano Island State Park". Washington State Parks. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  47. ^ True, Kathryn (June 12, 2008). "Launching a new era at Cama Beach State Park". The Seattle Times. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  48. ^ "Island County Parks: Camano Island". Island County Parks. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  49. ^ Jennings, Mary (June 4, 2019). "Local residents seek name change for Camano Ridge Park". Stanwood Camano News. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  50. ^ Bray, Kari (January 6, 2016). "Meeting planned on future of Iverson Preserve park on Camano". The Everett Herald. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  51. ^ Kimball & Dean (1994), p. 126
  52. ^ "Community Facts: Camano CDP, Washington". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 26, 2019.[permanent dead link]
  53. ^ Scott Freeburn, Nancy (June 2, 1963). "Camano—Where the Old Grow Young". The Seattle Times. pp. 10–11.
  54. ^ a b c d "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  55. ^ Caldwell, Evan (November 16, 2017). "Camano's route to clout may be the tiny, historic Port of Mabana". Stanwood Camano News. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  56. ^ Bray, Kari (July 16, 2018). "New government building being designed for Camano Island". The Everett Herald. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  57. ^ Wendel, Peggy (July 30, 2019). "Camano to break ground on new county admin building". Stanwood Camano News. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  58. ^ Caldwell, Evan (December 21, 2020). "Ribbon cut on new Camano administration building". Stanwood Camano News. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  59. ^ Bray, Kari (May 23, 2018). "Work begins on new Stanwood high school". The Everett Herald. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  60. ^ Slager, Melissa (November 6, 2005). "Stanwood schools ponder tax". The Everett Herald. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  61. ^ Pesznecker, Scott (May 29, 2008). "Camano Island library a hit in first year". The Everett Herald. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  62. ^ Bray, Kari (June 6, 2015). "New Camano library set to open this summer". The Everett Herald. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  63. ^ . Snowgoosefest. Archived from the original on April 6, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  64. ^ "The Camano Island Mother's Day Art Studio Tour". Camanoarts.org. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  65. ^ . Stanwoodcamanoarts.org. Archived from the original on March 31, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  66. ^ . Artbythebay.org. Archived from the original on August 1, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  67. ^ "Stanwood-Camano Community Fair". Stanwoodcamanofair.org. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  68. ^ . Harvestjubilee.org. Archived from the original on September 22, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  69. ^ "Gen. Mark Clark 'Might' Run For Senate, Say Republicans". The Seattle Times. June 7, 1950. p. 19.
  70. ^ Fiege, Gale (November 1, 2013). Written at Stanwood, Washington. "Camano artist returns from Russia with paintings". Longview Daily News. Longview, Washington. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  71. ^ Lacitis, Erik (December 14, 2011). "Dark portrait emerges of Barefoot Bandit's life". The Seattle Times. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  72. ^ Cornfield, Jerry (November 28, 2012). "Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen was a major voice for county transit". The Everett Herald. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  73. ^ O'Sullivan, Joseph (September 4, 2018). "Beyond Seattle, legislative candidates try to woo voters with plans to ease housing costs". The Seattle Times. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  74. ^ Fiege, Gale (June 6, 2019). "Local theater helped propel Camano Island native to stardom". The Everett Herald. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  75. ^ Patrick, Linnea (November 19, 2017). "Back When: The life and death of Dr. Minor". Peninsula Daily News. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  76. ^ Barber, Mike (May 25, 2001). "Before the U.S. entered WWII, the Flying Tigers were already in the fight". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. p. A1. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  77. ^ Bray, Kari (February 22, 2016). "Malbana Schoolhouse on Camano added to heritage register". The Everett Herald. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
  78. ^ Fiege, Gale (August 12, 2010). "Drivers, your bridge to Camano Island awaits". The Everett Herald. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  79. ^ McQuaide, Mike (February 2, 2011). . The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on April 8, 2019. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  80. ^ "Island Transit votes to keep its free rides". The Everett Herald. June 30, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  81. ^ Schmidt, Carol (February 2, 2019). "News Files: Camano said 'no' in 1999 for the third time to car ferry service". Stanwood Camano News. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  82. ^ Whalen, Nathan (July 18, 2008). "Ferry to Camano idea revived". Whidbey News-Times. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  83. ^ "Quick facts". Snohomish County Public Utility District. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  84. ^ Hansen, Jordan (May 31, 2023). "To keep Camano lights on, PUD builds a new power line". The Everett Herald. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  85. ^ Loy, Isabella (July 24, 2023). "Hydrogeologist gives update on Camano's groundwater". Stanwood Camano News. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  86. ^ Environmental Working Group (May 16, 2012). "233 Water Systems in Island County, Washington". The New York Times. Retrieved September 18, 2023.

External links edit

  • Camano Island Chamber of Commerce

camano, island, confused, with, kamano, island, camino, island, large, island, possession, sound, section, puget, sound, part, island, county, washington, located, between, whidbey, island, mainland, snohomish, county, saratoga, passage, west, port, susan, dav. Not to be confused with Kamano Island or Camino Island Camano Island k e ˈ m eɪ n oʊ is a large island in Possession Sound a section of Puget Sound It is part of Island County Washington and is located between Whidbey Island and the mainland Snohomish County by the Saratoga Passage to the west and Port Susan and Davis Slough to the east The island has one road connection to the mainland via State Route 532 over the Camano Gateway Bridge at the northeast end of the island connecting to the city of Stanwood Camano Island WashingtonCDPThe island s western beach at Cama Beach State ParkLocation within Island County and WashingtonCoordinates 48 11 10 N 122 30 28 W 48 186239 N 122 507697 W 48 186239 122 507697CountryUnited StatesStateWashingtonCountyIslandWaterbodyPuget SoundNamed forJacinto CaamanoArea Total94 9 sq mi 245 9 km2 Land39 8 sq mi 103 0 km2 Water55 2 sq mi 142 9 km2 Dimensions Length15 6 mi 25 1 km Width0 75 6 6 mi 1 21 10 62 km Elevation52 ft 16 m Population 2020 1 Total17 356 Density436 31 sq mi 168 59 km2 Time zoneUTC 8 Pacific PST Summer DST UTC 7 PDT ZIP code98282FIPS code53 09365GNIS feature ID1503722 2 The island has a total area of 39 77 square miles 103 0 km2 making it one of the largest in the state of Washington It has a year round population of 15 661 as of the 2010 census The population peaks at over 17 000 during the summer months due to part time residents with vacation homes on the island It is an unincorporated area with several small communities and shares civic facilities with nearby Stanwood including its school district and post office Camano Island is home to two state parks Cama Beach and Camano Island State Park and several county and local parks Contents 1 Etymology and name 2 History 2 1 19th century 2 2 20th century 3 Geography 3 1 Communities 3 2 Parks and recreation 4 Demographics 4 1 2000 census 5 Government 6 Culture 6 1 Events 6 2 Notable people 7 Infrastructure 7 1 Transportation 7 2 Utilities 8 See also 9 References 10 External linksEtymology and name editOne recorded name of Camano Island in Lushootseed collected by ethnologist Colin E Tweddell is ʔew alus 3 This name has also been given as the name for Camano City clarification needed rather than the whole island 4 However other sources agree with Tweddell that dexʷxʷit xʷit eb or ʔew ʔew alus is the name of Camano City 3 In English the island was named for 18th century Spanish explorer Jacinto Caamano 5 American explorer Charles Wilkes during the Wilkes Expedition of 1838 1842 named it Macdonough Island in honor of Thomas Macdonough for his victory of the Battle of Lake Champlain during the War of 1812 Following this theme Wilkes named the body of water between Camano and Whidbey Island after Macdonough s flagship the Saratoga When Henry Kellett reorganized the official British Admiralty charts in 1847 he removed Wilkes name Macdonough and bestowed the name Camano which the Spanish explorer Francisco de Eliza had originally given to Admiralty Inlet in 1790 Wilkes name Saratoga Passage was retained 6 The island was known as Perry Island after the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott between several Indigenous peoples and the United States The island was also called Crow Island during the early 20th century 7 History edit19th century edit Prior to American settlement Camano Island was within the territory of both the Kikiallus and the Snohomish peoples The Kikiallus controlled the northern parts of the island around Utsalady while the Snohomish controlled the areas of the island south of Point Demock Lushootseed duʔdukʷsed 8 9 10 Other tribes also used the island such as the Lower Skagit Stillaguamish Snoqualmie 11 and Sauk Suiattle 12 In fact the island may have been a free use area where usage of the island was not strictly restricted like other places 13 Prior to the population decline due to smallpox there were likely many villages all along the island 9 and the Kikiallus were said to have 6 villages 14 Artifacts and human remains attributed to an old village were discovered by archaelologists at Cama Beach which were dated to 1 600 years before present 15 By the beginning of the 19th century there were two known villages a Kikiallus village at Utsalady Lushootseed ʔeceladiʔ 16 8 17 and a Snohomish village at Camano Head Lushootseed x ʷuysed 18 19 Around 1820 a major landslide occurred at Camano Head The landslide completely demolished the village there and created a tidal wave which wiped out another Snohomish village on Hat Island and almost destroyed the main village of Hibulb Hundreds of people were killed and it was worsened by the fact that it was clamming season and many of the visitors to the village were crushed or drowned After this catastrophic event the site of Camano Head was never used as a village although it did continue to be used for clamming seasonally 20 Camano Island continued to be under the Snohomish and Kikiallus until 1855 when under the Treaty of Point Elliot they ceded control of most of their lands including Camano Island to the United States White settlement on the island began in the 1850s and it was included in the newly established Island County in 1853 21 The first major settlement on the island was at Utsalady originally spelled Utsaladdy which would be home to several sawmills 22 23 The first sawmill on the island was constructed by Thomas Cranney in 1858 and a school district was organized in 1862 to serve 17 students in a one room schoolhouse 24 Cranney s sawmill at Utsalady was seized by the federal government in 1876 due to his bankruptcy and sold the following year to the Puget Mill Company which enlarged it to handle 75 000 board feet per day 25 A plat for Utsalady was filed in 1891 with the town boasting three stores two hotels a telegraph line and daily steamship service to Coupeville 25 The area had a large population of Chinese and Norwegian immigrants who worked at the mill until the former were expelled by anti Chinese riots in the 1880s 26 By the 1880 census there were 112 residents in Utsalady and 74 Coast Salish peoples in other settlements on Camano Island 27 Following the Panic of 1893 the Utsalady sawmill was closed and left 125 residents unemployed 25 but five shingle mills were later opened to capitalize on the island s timber 28 29 20th century edit Camano Island was identified as an ideal location for farming and vacation homes during the early 20th century as logging had cleared the island s old growth forests 30 A cable ferry connecting the island s north end to Stanwood was replaced by a bridge in 1909 31 The first resort settlements on Camano Island at Utsalady Juniper Beach and Madrona beach were established in the 1920s but were later dwarfed by larger resorts like Cama Beach opened in 1936 32 During the Prohibition era Camano Island was used as a major transiting point for rumrunners due to its remoteness and proximity to Canadian waters 33 34 The Juniper Beach area was also home to a new oyster farm that was established in 1930 and helped sustain the island during the Great Depression 35 In 1943 the Puget Mill Company began developing its plots into residential subdivisions ushering in the arrival of permanent summer homes on the island 23 The Stillaguamish River bridge to Stanwood was replaced in July 1950 by the Mark Clark Bridge and the island s roads were also improved by the state government 36 A new state park was established in 1948 and opened the following year after a day long event in which 800 residents cleared the land to prepare for park development 36 In the 1950s the island received its own post office having previously been part of the Stanwood post office s delivery area an organized fire department and telephone service 37 Major population growth in the 1960s and early 1970s caused strain on the island s infrastructure requiring the creation of a new planning office and a satellite county courthouse 38 Geography editCamano Island is located within the Puget Sound separated from the mainland of Snohomish County by Port Susan and Davis Slough It lies east of the Saratoga Passage which separates it from the larger Whidbey Island and is south of Skagit Bay 39 The northern entrance to Camano Island is located 55 miles 89 km north of Seattle The island itself is 15 6 miles 25 1 km long and has a width of 0 75 to 6 6 miles 1 21 to 10 62 km citation needed with 52 miles 84 km of shoreline 40 According to the United States Census Bureau the Camano CDP has a total area of 94 9 square miles 245 9 km2 of which 39 8 square miles 103 0 km2 of it is land and 55 2 square miles 142 9 km2 of it 58 11 is water citation needed Approximately 83 percent of the shoreline around the island is privately owned 41 The island has a wide array of native and migratory birds including bald eagles and herons 42 Migrating gray whales travel annually through the Saratoga Passage in March and April making them visible from Camano Island 43 During the Last Ice Age the island sound and land surrounding the sound was covered by a mile thick sheet of ice As temperatures rose the glacier receded carving the island and leaving behind deposits of glacial till 44 Communities edit Utsalady Terry s Corner including new town center Buena Vista Madrona Beach Sunset Beach Juniper Beach Lona Beach Rockaway Beach Maple Grove Beach Livingston Bay Iverson Beach Tillicum Beach Tyee Beach CamalochParks and recreation edit The state parks system has two properties on Camano Island Camano Island State Park and Cama Beach State Park both located on the west side of the island Camano Island State Park near Elger Bay was opened in 1949 after a one day volunteer effort with 500 local residents to prepare the property 45 It has 6 700 feet 2 000 m of shoreline camping areas and hiking trails on 244 acres 99 ha of land 46 Cama Beach State Park opened in 2008 at the site of a former beach resort which was restored with beachside cabins and hiking trails 47 Camano Island also has 13 local parks maintained by the Island County government 48 The largest park Camano Ridge includes 400 acres 160 ha of inland protected forestland and hiking trails that were transferred from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources in 2003 49 At the north end of the island is Iverson Preserve a 120 acres 49 ha beach and estuary with fishing and boat access 50 Barnum Point County Park on Port Susan was opened in August 2019 with 167 acres 68 ha of waterfront space acquired with 750 000 in private donations through a local land trust 41 Demographics editEstimated populationYearPop p a 186058 1870157 10 47 1880186 1 71 1895200 0 48 1900460 18 13 1910678 3 96 1920910 2 99 1930679 2 89 1940876 2 58 19501 160 2 85 19601 395 1 86 19702 600 6 42 19805 080 6 93 19907 329 3 73 200013 347 6 18 201015 661 1 61 202017 356 1 03 Source Kimball amp Dean 1994 51 United States Census Bureau 52 Camano Island has a large seasonal population of snowbirds and other part time residents which brings the summer population of the island to an estimated 17 000 citation needed The retiree population on the island began arriving in the mid 20th century including residents from outside of Washington state 53 Based on per capita income one of the more reliable measures of affluence Camano ranks 99th of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked citation needed 2000 census edit As of the 2000 census there were 13 347 people 5 357 households and 4 028 families residing in the Camano Island CDP The population density was 335 6 people per square mile 129 6 km2 There were 6 709 housing units at an average density of 168 7 sq mi 65 1 km2 The racial makeup of the CDP was 95 6 White 0 3 African American 0 8 Native American 0 7 Asian 0 3 Pacific Islander 0 6 from other races and 1 8 from two or more races Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2 1 of the population 54 There were 5 357 households out of which 28 8 had children under the age of 18 living with them 66 0 were married couples living together 6 3 had a female householder with no husband present and 24 8 were non families 20 2 of all households were made up of individuals and 8 5 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older The average household size was 2 49 and the average family size was 2 86 54 In the CDP the population was spread out with 24 1 under the age of 18 4 8 from 18 to 24 25 2 from 25 to 44 27 7 from 45 to 64 and 18 3 who were 65 years of age or older The median age was 43 years For every 100 females there were 99 5 males For every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96 9 males 54 The median income for a household in the CDP was 54 262 and the median income for a family was 60 013 Males had a median income of 47 309 versus 31 250 for females The per capita income for the CDP was 24 362 About 4 4 of families and 5 6 of the population were below the poverty line including 6 5 of those under age 18 and 3 3 of those age 65 or over 54 Government editCamano Island is part of Island County despite its only road connection leading to Snohomish County and has no incorporated communities The island s residents have previously proposed incorporating as a city or joining Snohomish County to increase access to services but to no result 55 Island County maintains a small government campus on Camano Island that opened in the 1970s to house the county sheriff and other offices 56 The original campus was replaced by the Island County Administration Building which opened in late 2020 57 58 The island shares several of its services with neighboring Stanwood including the Stanwood Camano School District 59 The school district has two elementary schools on Camano Island opened in the 2000s while older students attend classes at Stanwood s schools 60 Sno Isle Libraries which serves Island and Snohomish counties opened a public library inside a temporary space on Camano Island as part of a pilot program that began in 2007 61 A permanent library at Terry s Corner opened in August 2015 after voters on the island approved a 2 3 million bond measure to remodel a former restaurant 62 Culture editEvents edit The Port Susan Snow Goose amp Birding Festival February 63 The Camano Island Mother s Day Art Studio Tour May 64 The Spring Art Show June 65 Art by the Bay The Stanwood Camano Festival of Art and Music July 66 The Stanwood Camano Community Fair August 67 The Harvest Jubilee September 68 Notable people edit Mark W Clark U S Army general 69 William Corson actor Jack Gunter artist 70 Colton Harris Moore former fugitive known as the Barefoot Bandit 71 Mary Margaret Haugen state senator 72 Dave Hayes state legislator 73 Caitlin Kinnunen actress 74 Thomas T Minor former mayor of Seattle and Port Townsend 75 Robert Neale ace pilot 76 Pearl Anderson Wanamaker state legislator and state superintendent of schools 77 Laurie Z musician Alfred Zeisler film producer director actor and screenwriterInfrastructure editTransportation edit Camano Island is connected to mainland Washington by State Route 532 which travels from the north end of the island to Stanwood via two bridges over the Davis Slough and Stillaguamish River 78 The island has several connecting roads that travel along the west and east edges to various neighborhoods and the two state parks 79 Island Transit operates free bus services connecting Camano Island to Stanwood with onward connections to Mount Vernon Amtrak Cascades and Everett 80 Ferry connections to Coupeville and Everett existed historically but the routes are no longer active Local residents rejected a car ferry in 1999 81 A passenger only Camano Whidbey ferry has been proposed and studied by Island County 82 Utilities edit Camano Island s electricity is provided by the Snohomish County Public Utility District a public agency based in Everett 83 The island s electrical supply is delivered through a set of two high voltage transmission lines that cross from Stanwood to a substation in northern Camano the second transmission line was constructed in 2023 84 Tap water is sourced from groundwater wells on the island that are maintained by community cooperatives and small companies rather than a large operator 85 86 See also editList of islands of Washington state nbsp Islands portal nbsp Pacific Northwest portalReferences edit 2020 Decennial Census United States Census Bureau Retrieved April 13 2022 Camano Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior a b Tweddell 1953 p 142 Bates Hess amp Hilbert 1994 p 13 Meany Edmond S 1923 Origin of Washington Geographic Names University of Washington Press p 33 OCLC 1963675 Retrieved February 22 2020 via HathiTrust Phillips James W 1971 Washington State Place Names University of Washington Press ISBN 0 295 95158 3 Area History Camano Island Chamber of Commerce Retrieved April 13 2015 a b Sampson Martin J 1972 Indians of Skagit County 6 ed La Conner Skagit County Historical Society a b Tweddell Colin E August 1953 A Historical and Ethnological Study of the Snohomish Indian People A Report Specifically Covering Their Aboriginal and Continued Existence and Their Effective Occupation of a Definable Territory Coast Salish and Western Washington Indians Vol II New York amp London Garland Publishing published 1974 pp 132 133 Bates Dawn Hess Thom Hilbert Vi 1994 Lushootseed Dictionary Seattle University of Washington Press p 84 ISBN 978 0 295 97323 4 OCLC 29877333 Tweddell 1953 p 95 Kimball Arthur Dean John 1994 Camano Island Life and Times in Island Paradise Stanwood Camano News Printing p 5 OCLC 33143673 Hollenbeck Jan L 1987 A Cultural Resource Overview Prehistory Ethnography and History Mt Baker Snoqualmie National Forest Portland US Department of Agriculture Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region p 151 OCLC 892024380 via The Internet Archive Kimball amp Dean 1994 p 8 Thompson Lynn June 12 2008 Newest state park beach cabins conflict The Seattle Times p A1 Archived from the original on June 1 2019 Retrieved February 22 2020 Bates Hess amp Hilbert 1994 p 10 Smith Marian W 1941 The Coast Salish of Puget Sound American Anthropologist 43 2 197 211 via JSTOR Tweddell 1953 p 158 159 Bates Hess amp Hilbert 1994 p 274 Tweddell 1953 p 66 69 Camano Island State Park Washington State Parks Retrieved February 21 2016 Kimball amp Dean 1994 p 11 a b McDonald Lucile May 10 1959 Camano Island Area of Summer Resorts The Seattle Times pp 2 3 Kimball amp Dean 1994 pp 12 16 a b c Kimball amp Dean 1994 pp 19 20 Kimball amp Dean 1994 p 31 Kimball amp Dean 1994 p 37 Kimball amp Dean 1994 p 43 Prasse Karen Stanwood Area Historical Society 2006 Camano Island Images of America Arcadia Publishing pp 46 49 ISBN 0 7385 3135 9 OCLC 71248462 via Google Books Kimball amp Dean 1994 p 47 Essex Alice 1971 The Stanwood Story Volume I Stanwood Camano News pp 51 56 OCLC 36113496 Kimball amp Dean 1994 pp 57 60 Kimball amp Dean 1994 pp 63 64 Cameron David A LeWarne Charles P May M Allan O Donnell Jack C O Donnell Lawrence E 2005 Snohomish County An Illustrated History Index Washington Kelcema Books LLC p 215 ISBN 978 0 9766700 0 1 OCLC 62728798 Kimball amp Dean 1994 pp 65 66 a b Kimball amp Dean 1994 pp 75 76 Kimball amp Dean 1994 pp 79 80 Kimball amp Dean 1994 pp 91 94 Chapter 6 East Whidbey Camano Island Shorelines PDF Island County Shoreline Master Program Update Shoreline Inventory and Characterization Report Island County March 2012 pp 1 44 58 Retrieved February 22 2020 Stripling Sherry March 27 2005 Island Life Camano s shifting sands The Seattle Times p K6 Retrieved February 22 2020 a b Sanders Julia Grace September 9 2019 Camano Island s newest park offers expanded waterfront access The Everett Herald Retrieved February 22 2020 Doughton Sandi August 27 2016 Nature lovers scramble to save wild beach on Camano Island The Seattle Times Retrieved February 22 2020 Pailthorp Bellamy June 9 2021 A Group Of Gray Whales Survives Die Off With An Annual Detour To Puget Sound NPR Retrieved June 29 2021 Camano Island State Park Wildlife and Environmental Features Washington State Parks Archived from the original on March 19 2010 Retrieved August 19 2014 Prasse Karen July 5 2008 Stanwood and Camano Island residents build a park in one day on July 27 1949 HistoryLink Retrieved February 22 2020 Camano Island State Park Washington State Parks Retrieved February 22 2020 True Kathryn June 12 2008 Launching a new era at Cama Beach State Park The Seattle Times Retrieved February 22 2020 Island County Parks Camano Island Island County Parks Retrieved February 22 2020 Jennings Mary June 4 2019 Local residents seek name change for Camano Ridge Park Stanwood Camano News Retrieved February 22 2020 Bray Kari January 6 2016 Meeting planned on future of Iverson Preserve park on Camano The Everett Herald Retrieved February 22 2020 Kimball amp Dean 1994 p 126 Community Facts Camano CDP Washington United States Census Bureau Retrieved September 26 2019 permanent dead link Scott Freeburn Nancy June 2 1963 Camano Where the Old Grow Young The Seattle Times pp 10 11 a b c d U S Census website United States Census Bureau Retrieved January 31 2008 Caldwell Evan November 16 2017 Camano s route to clout may be the tiny historic Port of Mabana Stanwood Camano News Retrieved February 22 2020 Bray Kari July 16 2018 New government building being designed for Camano Island The Everett Herald Retrieved February 22 2020 Wendel Peggy July 30 2019 Camano to break ground on new county admin building Stanwood Camano News Retrieved February 22 2020 Caldwell Evan December 21 2020 Ribbon cut on new Camano administration building Stanwood Camano News Retrieved June 29 2021 Bray Kari May 23 2018 Work begins on new Stanwood high school The Everett Herald Retrieved February 22 2020 Slager Melissa November 6 2005 Stanwood schools ponder tax The Everett Herald Retrieved February 22 2020 Pesznecker Scott May 29 2008 Camano Island library a hit in first year The Everett Herald Retrieved February 22 2020 Bray Kari June 6 2015 New Camano library set to open this summer The Everett Herald Retrieved February 22 2020 Port Susan Snow Goose amp Birding Festival Snowgoosefest Archived from the original on April 6 2015 Retrieved April 29 2015 The Camano Island Mother s Day Art Studio Tour Camanoarts org Retrieved April 29 2015 The Spring Art Show Stanwoodcamanoarts org Archived from the original on March 31 2015 Retrieved April 29 2015 Art by the Bay Artbythebay org Archived from the original on August 1 2015 Retrieved April 29 2015 Stanwood Camano Community Fair Stanwoodcamanofair org Retrieved April 29 2015 Harvest Jubilee Harvestjubilee org Archived from the original on September 22 2021 Retrieved April 29 2015 Gen Mark Clark Might Run For Senate Say Republicans The Seattle Times June 7 1950 p 19 Fiege Gale November 1 2013 Written at Stanwood Washington Camano artist returns from Russia with paintings Longview Daily News Longview Washington Retrieved December 29 2022 Lacitis Erik December 14 2011 Dark portrait emerges of Barefoot Bandit s life The Seattle Times Retrieved February 22 2020 Cornfield Jerry November 28 2012 Sen Mary Margaret Haugen was a major voice for county transit The Everett Herald Retrieved February 22 2020 O Sullivan Joseph September 4 2018 Beyond Seattle legislative candidates try to woo voters with plans to ease housing costs The Seattle Times Retrieved February 22 2020 Fiege Gale June 6 2019 Local theater helped propel Camano Island native to stardom The Everett Herald Retrieved February 22 2020 Patrick Linnea November 19 2017 Back When The life and death of Dr Minor Peninsula Daily News Retrieved February 22 2020 Barber Mike May 25 2001 Before the U S entered WWII the Flying Tigers were already in the fight Seattle Post Intelligencer p A1 Retrieved February 22 2020 Bray Kari February 22 2016 Malbana Schoolhouse on Camano added to heritage register The Everett Herald Retrieved March 17 2022 Fiege Gale August 12 2010 Drivers your bridge to Camano Island awaits The Everett Herald Retrieved April 7 2019 McQuaide Mike February 2 2011 A driving tour of Camano Island laid back vibe no ferry ride The Seattle Times Archived from the original on April 8 2019 Retrieved April 7 2019 Island Transit votes to keep its free rides The Everett Herald June 30 2018 Retrieved April 7 2019 Schmidt Carol February 2 2019 News Files Camano said no in 1999 for the third time to car ferry service Stanwood Camano News Retrieved April 7 2019 Whalen Nathan July 18 2008 Ferry to Camano idea revived Whidbey News Times Retrieved April 7 2019 Quick facts Snohomish County Public Utility District Retrieved September 18 2023 Hansen Jordan May 31 2023 To keep Camano lights on PUD builds a new power line The Everett Herald Retrieved September 18 2023 Loy Isabella July 24 2023 Hydrogeologist gives update on Camano s groundwater Stanwood Camano News Retrieved September 18 2023 Environmental Working Group May 16 2012 233 Water Systems in Island County Washington The New York Times Retrieved September 18 2023 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Camano Island Camano Island Chamber of Commerce Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Camano Island amp oldid 1204876357, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.