• American Camp prairie and Mount Finlayson.

    San Juan Island

    National Historical Park Washington

  • American Camp Visitor Center on Daily Schedule

    The American Camp visitor center will be open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., daily through Friday, June 2. Grounds are open sunrise to 11 p.m. The English Camp visitor center opens June 2. Grounds are open 8 a.m. to sunset. More »

Encampment 2010

Encampment Dance
Mandy Lee
Park visitors in summer duds join re-enactors in period dress for the 2009 Candlelight Ball, the highlight of Encampment and the summer season at English Camp.

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Date: July 5, 2010
Contact: Joshua Boles, (360) 378-2240 ext. 2228
Contact: Mike Vouri, (360) 378-2240 ext. 2227

Re-enactors from throughout the Pacific Northwest and Canada will once again celebrate peace as they gather for the 13th Annual Encampment scheduled July 31 on the English Camp parade ground.

The event is free except where noted. Disabled persons should call the park at (360) 378-2240, ext. 2227/2228/2229 or 378-4409 for special access information.

The highlight of this year’s event will be the Candlelight Ball, scheduled at 8 p.m., in the English Camp barracks. The public is invited to join in the dancing and refreshments that include the traditional cake and punch. Music for contra dancing will be provided by the Pig War Band, led by Michael Cohen. Other activities include recreations of mid-19th century Royal Marine Light Infantry and U.S. Army camp life, demonstrations of music, blacksmithing, spinning and weaving, sewing and cooperage and carpentry, along with the pageantry of period uniforms in scarlet and blue. 

Encampment 2010 commemorates the peaceful joint occupation of San Juan Island by British and American forces from 1859 to 1872, and final settlement of the Northwest Boundary dispute. Throughout the joint occupation the garrisons exchanged visits to celebrate holidays that included Christmas, the Fourth of July and Queen Victoria’s birthday. Typically the men would participate in athletic contests, imbibe in spirits and other refreshments and usually host a dance to which the community was invited.


The Encampment tradition was renewed in 1998 on the occasion of the dedication of English Camp’s 80-foot flagpole, a gift to the park by the people of the United Kingdom. The event drew nearly 600 people to the parade ground, including distinguished guests and officials from both nations.

 
Encampment 2009 Sing in Garden
From left: Janet Oakley, Lee McEnery, Harry Kuheim and John Leyde play and sing in the English Camp garden during Encampment 2009. Making music is one of the principle attractions for participants and visitors alike at the annual event.
Ron Garner
 

Did You Know?

Did You Know?

First Lieutenant James W. Forsyth was Capt. George E. Pickett's second in command on San Juan Island. Forsyth would become a brigadier general in the Civil War and go on to command the 7th Cavalry at the Battle of Wounded Knee Creek in 1890.