Stories

photo of numerous people in period dress dancing enthusiastically in a picturesque 19th century building
Contra dancing was enormously popular with soldiers and settlers during the Joint Occupation of San Juan Island. Our park keeps the tradition alive by hosting traditional dances in the historic English Camp Royal Marines Barracks

Kim Karu

 
San Juan Island has been a Coast Salish homeland since time immemorial. In 1853, settler colonialism began under the auspices of the Hudson's Bay Company, a British corporation whose quasi-governmental powers made it a major force in Pacific Northwest colonization. American settlers arrived in 1858, stoking a boundary conflict known as The Pig War, and leading to a 12 year joint occupation by American and British military forces.

This rich history has included diverse people from around the globe. Our park is the place to learn about some of these people such as the Hawaiian shepherds who worked for the Hudson's Bay Company, the redcoated Royal Marines who fought on imperial battlefields in Asia prior to living in San Juan Island, and the African-Americans who sought freedom on Vancouver Island which they pledged to defend against American invaders. Check out these pages to learn about these people who made history on San Juan Island.
 
  • book cover of a book entitled Outpost of Empire featuring a photo of 19th century soldiers
    Outpost of Empire

    Learn more about the history of the Royal Marines who traveled from China to San Juan Island where they lived at English Camp from 1860-1872

  • Black and white photograph of men in british uniform drilling in a field with a uk flag behind them
    The Black Pioneers

    The Black Pioneers were Americans who emigrated to Victoria to escape racism and served as the local militia during The Pig War.

  • Black and white photo of an ornate building with many people passing by
    The Hudson's Bay Company

    The Hudson's Bay Company, a British fur trading corporation, created the first non-native settlement on San Juan Island.

  • Graphically realistic illustration of a man with a beard
    Po`alima (Peter Friday)

    Po`alima (Friday Harbor's namesake) was one of the Hudson's Bay Company's many Hawaiian-born workers who settled in the Pacific Northwest.

  • photo of a small village by a lagoon by the ocean near major sailing ships in front of a large volca
    The Pig War

    The Pig War crisis in 1859 made San Juan Island a site of imperial struggle and international military occupation.

  • watercolor image of a busy farm filled with animals and outbuildings
    1854 Customs Conflict

    A dispute between American officials and British subjects in 1854 anticipated the Pig War between American and British armies 5 years later

Last updated: October 16, 2022

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P.O. Box 429
Friday Harbor, WA 98250

Phone:

360 378-2240

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