Ebey's Landing

National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve Washington At Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve, past meets present in a working rural landscape. Created by Congress in 1978, the 17,572-acre Reserve integrates historic farms, a seaside town, native and pioneer land use traditions, and ecologically significant areas. A Trust Board manages this national park area through creative conservation and contemporary planned development. ”Almost a Paradise of Nature” Stanley Lovejoy, 1900. Grandson of a sea captain and one of Coupeville’s original settlers, Lovejoy became a ship’s pilot on Puget Sound. Maria Coupe Isaac Neff Ebey Thomas Coupe Whether you’re a resident or visitor, we invite you to join in the adventure as we chart the future while honoring the past. Samuel Black Crockett To the north down along Admiralty Inlet . . . the cultivating land is generally found confined to the valleys of streams with the exception of Whidbey’s Island . . . which is almost a paradise of nature. Good land for cultivation is abundant on this island. . . . I have taken a claim on it and am now living on the same in order to avail myself of the provisions of the Donation Law. If Rebecca, the children, and you all were here, I think I could live and die here content. —Colonel Isaac Ebey’s letter to his brother, 1851 Sam Hancock, mule team, and unidentified Chinese worker. The Hancocks were early settlers here. When settlers like the Ebeys came to central Whidbey Island in the 1850s, they met the Skagit people living in shoreline villages. The Skagit had been here for centuries, living on salmon, bottom fish, shellfish, berries, small game, deer, and waterfowl. They cultivated island prairies by selective burning, transplanting, and mulching to encourage the growth of root crops like bracken fern and camas. Capt. George Vancouver brought Whidbey Island to the attention of Europe and America Chief Charlie Snakelum (1843–1943), pictured with his wife Katie Barlow Skakelum, was a prominent Skagit tribal leader. The couple’s descendants still live in the area. in 1792. White settlers, though, did not arrive in numbers until the Donation Land Law of 1850 offered free land in the Oregon Territory to any U.S. citizen who would homestead the claim. Colonel Isaac Neff Ebey was among the first permanent settlers. Ebey and his friend Samuel Crockett came west from Missouri in search of land. Both filed donation claims on central Whidbey by spring 1851. Ebey’s family soon followed. The simple home of Isaac’s father Jacob and a blockhouse he erected to defend his claim still stand overlooking the prairie that bears the family name. Isaac became a prominent public figure, but his life was cut short in 1857. He was slain by coastal Indians in retaliation for the killing of one of their own tribal members. Fertile farmland was not the only lure. Sea captains and merchants from New England took advantage of Penn Cove’s protected harbor and the stands of tall trees perfect for Chin Toy worked on a Whidbey Island farm owned by Charles Mitchell. Chinese immigrants of the late 1800s and early 1900s often worked seasonally on farms or in fisheries or canneries. shipbuilding. One such seafarer was Capt. Thomas Coupe. In 1852 Coupe claimed 320 acres on Penn Cove, which later became the town of Coupeville. He was soon joined by his wife Maria and their children, who arrived by clipper ship via Cape Horn. Central Whidbey’s successful farming and maritime trade made Coupeville into a busy seaport. In the late 1890s the U.S. Army introduced another layer of history on the landscape with the construction of Fort Casey Military Reservation, part of a three-fort defense system protecting the entrance to Puget Sound. Fort Casey became a social center for the community, hosting ball games, dances, and other events. In the western part of the Reserve is the World War II-era Fort Ebey. An 1854 artist’s rendering depicts Skagit canoes coming ashore on Whidbey Island. For many centuries American Indian groups harvested food from the fertile island prairies. Central Whidbey abounds with place names that honor Ebey, Crockett, Libbey, Smith, Coupe, and many more of the old settlers. Their stewardship of the land continues in new ways by new generations. Front Street in Coupeville, 1890. The town was named for Capt. Thomas Coupe, who built the first frame house here in 1854. Gould Farm and surroundings ca. 1900 (above) and same view today (below). What is a National Historical Reserve? Ebey’s Landing Front Street in Coupeville today. The vistas, woodlands, and fertile prairies of the Reserve are much the same today as they were in the 1800s when New England sea captains came to Penn Cove and farmers to the island prairies. Yet the Reserve is far more than a snapshot of another time. It is a living, working, changing community. Within the 17,000-plus acres are 18 working farms. Farmers grow everything from alfalfa to zucchini, mostly for local markets and community supported agriculture. The Reserve is home-grown. In the 1970s citizens organized to halt a housing development slated for Ebey’s Prairie. The effort became a balancing act—to preserve the cultural landscape with minimum disturbance to private landowners. In 1978 Ebey’s LandEbey’s Landing ing National Historical Reserve was created by Congress to “preserve and protect a rural community which provides an unbroken historic record from . . . 19th century exploration and settlement in Puget Sound to the present time.” The Reserve is the first unit of its kind in the National Park System. Land within the authorized boundary benefits from federal support without a threat to local autonomy. Unlike most units of the National Park System, the Reserve does not have a superintendent. Policy oversight is carried out by the ninemember Trust Board composed of local volunteers and representatives from the Town of Coupeville, Island County, Washington State Parks, and the National Park Service. Congress intended Reserve lands to remain largely under private ownership, although there are also federal, state, and county lands within the boundary. Some of the techniques used to preserve open space, farmland, and historic sites include purchase of scenic easements, land donations, tax incentives, zoning, local design review, and purchase or exchange of development rights. Through ever-evolving strategies like these, Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve is a model for sustainable development, respecting the community’s need to grow and change while protecting a nationally significant historical area. Lavender, cauliflower, kale, potatoes, garlic, carrots, squash, and many other kinds of produce are grown in the Reserve today. Things to See and Do Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve is a different kind of national park. It does not have general operating hours or admission fees. It is always open and you can visit year-round. Places of interest within the Reserve are independently operated. They have varying hours depending upon the season, and some charge a fee. Town of Coupeville At the heart of the Reserve is the wellpreserved seaport town of Coupeville, just off Wash. S. R. 20. To see the colorful Victorian architecture, take the self-guiding walking tour. Explore the shops and eateries along Front Street. Stroll out on the wharf, a reminder that travel and trade were mostly by water in the 1800s. The annual Penn Cove Water Festival celebrates Northwest Coast Indian culture. Blockhouse and Jacob Ebey House Trails The Bluff Trail overlooking Ebey’s Landing has the most wide-ranging views in the Reserve: look north toward the mainland and Mt. Baker; west toward the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountains; south toward Mt. Rainier; and east over historic farmland and prairie. Trailheads are by the parking area at Ebey’s Landing and at the Prairie Overlook near Sunnyside Cemetery. The Kettles Trail, popular with cyclists and walkers, parallels Wash. S. R. 20 south of Penn Cove. Working Farms Many 1800s and 1900s farmsteads are still working farms. Roads, fences, and hedgerows often follow the boundaries of these original Donation Act claims. Some farms are open to the public and sell eggs, Hubbard squash, garlic and other homegrown produce and handmade items. Cabbage field and historic ferry house Racers at Penn Cove Water Festival. Crockett Lake At least 238 species of birds—resident and migratory—have been recorded in this marshy wetland. Look for ducks nesting and raptors on the hunt for prey. In fall, this is a gathering place on the Pacific Flyway for migratory shorebirds. For a Safe Visit No beach fires are permitted within the boundaries of Island County. High tides can be dangerous to beach hikers. Use extreme caution to avoid being trapped by headlands, and watch carefully for beach logs moved by sudden high waves. Please avoid stopping your vehicle in the middle of narrow country roads. Pullouts are provided for wayside exhibits and other viewpoints. Good Stewardship Begins With You Most of the Reserve is private property. Please respect the property rights of the residents of historic homes and farmsteads, and remember to hike only on designated trails. Dogs must be kept on a leash at all times. Please leave driftwood, plants, rocks, and other natural features within the reserve undisturbed for others to enjoy. More Information For information about historic bed-andbreakfasts and other lodging and services, contact the Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce, 360-678-5434, www.central whidbeychamber.com. Camping on Whidbey Island is limited, with sites most readily available in the spring and fall. To find out more about camping at the two state parks within the Reserve, call Fort Casey State Park at 360-678-4519 or Fort Ebey State Park at 360-678-4636. Farmer Dale Sherman. Bald eagle at Crockett Lake. Getting to the Reserve Bluff Trail above Ebey’s Landing Ebey’s Landing is one of over 390 parks in the National Park System. For more information visit www.nps.gov. 10 0 VANCOUVER 20 Mi 1 North UN CA N ITE ADA DS TA TE S VICTORIA Port Angeles 20 9 Whidbey 20 Island Ferry Port Townsend 530 5 525 Clinton Ferry 104 Mukilteo Olympic Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve National Klondike 3 405 16 101 Sea-Tac Airport 101 Tacoma N 8 Olympia National Historical Park 90 410 5 101 LAKE CHELAN NRA SEATTLE Gold Rush Park 12 ROSS LAKE North Cascades National Park Burlington 101 OCEA Admiralty Head Lighthouse 542 Bellingham San Juan Island National Historical Park ST JUA RAIT O F ND E FU CA British Columbi a Washing ton 9 5 IFIC Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve P.O. Box 774 Coupeville, WA 98239 360-678-6084 www.nps.gov/ebla Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve is on Whidbey Island in Puget Sound. The island is easily accessible from the mainland by vehicle via Wash. S. R. 20 from Burlington. The Washington State Ferry system provides year-round foot-passenger, bicycle, and vehicle service to the island from Mukilteo and Port Townsend. In the summer season, ferry lines can be quite long, and travel delays should be expected. Caution: The Port Townsend ferry may be cancelled due to tide or weather conditions. For the ferry schedule, call 1-800-843-3779 or visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries. 0 10 20 Km PA C Bluffs, Blockhouses, Island Prairies, and More Stop at the Island County Historical Museum to learn about the town, Reserve, Coupeville, and central Whidbey Island. Museum hours vary—call 360-678-3310. 7 Mount Rainier National Park Wenatch