San Juan Island

https://www.nps.gov/sajh/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Juan_Island_National_Historical_Park San Juan Island National Historical Park is located San Juan Island in the state of Washington. The park is made up of the sites of the British and U.S. Army camps during the Pig War, a boundary dispute over the ownership of the island. Both of these camps were set up in 1859 as response to a border controversy triggered by the killing of a pig. The camps were occupied for 12 years, until the islands were awarded to the United States by Kaiser Wilhelm I in an arbitration agreed by the parties in the 1872 Treaty of Washington. The British abandoned their camp in November 1872, while the American camp was disbanded in July 1874. San Juan Island is well known for its splendid vistas, saltwater shores, quiet woodlands, orca whales and one of the last remaining native prairies in the Puget Sound/Northern Straits region. But it was also here in 1859 that the United States and Great Britain nearly went to war over possession of the island, the crisis ignited by the death of a pig. San Juan Island is served by Washington State Ferries, several private cruise and shuttle craft and two air carriers (one of which has both land and seaplane service). The Washington State Ferries terminal is 85 miles north of Seattle and 90 miles south of Vancouver, BC in Anacortes, WA. American Camp Visitor Center The American Camp visitor center is located on Cattle Point Road on the island's southern peninsula. This visitor center opened to the public in June of 2022 and features incredible new exhibits detailing the Coast Salish presence, military history of San Juan Island, and our island's ecology. From Friday Harbor Ferry Terminal: Follow Spring Street up the hill, turn left onto Mullis St. Mullis becomes Cattle Point Rd, follow Cattle Point to American Camp. If arriving by cruise ship, most piers are within walking distance (10-15 minutes). Just walk north, up the hill, past the Plaza Colon to reach Calle Norzagaray. You will see Castillo San Cristóbal from the Plaza Colon and Castillo San Felipe del Morro is a 15 minute walk up Calle Norzagaray from San Cristóbal. The Pan-American pier is English Camp Visitor Center The heart of English Camp is situated on the shoreline located below the main parking area, accessible from West Valley Road. From Friday Harbor Ferry Terminal: follow Spring street up the hill, turn right onto 2nd street. 2nd St becomes Guard St, Guard St become Beaverton Valley Rd. Beaverton Valley Rd becomes West Valley Rd, follow West Valley Rd to English Camp. Sunset at American Camp a sun setting behind historic parade grounds The sun sets on the American Camp parade grounds English Camp Barracks people visiting a historic building Visitors come from all over the world to explore English Camp Encampment a historic cannon being fired Reenactors fire a cannon at Encampment English Camp Formal Garden flowers in bloom The formal garden in bloom Grandma's Cove a sandy beach and blue sky Grandma's Cove is a popular spot for park visitors NPS Geodiversity Atlas—San Juan Island National Historical Park, Washington San Juan Island National Historical Park contains rocks and geologic deposits that record thrust faulting and metamorphism resulting from the tectonic collision between the North American and Farallon Plates during the Cretaceous. The area has also been shaped by Pleistocene glaciation. prairie landscape How to raise your endangered butterfly At San Juan Island National Historic Site, staff are hoping to hatch a survivor. Comparative Ecology of the Native Banana Slug and a Comparably-sized Invasive Slug in Washington State There are two very obvious, large slugs species on San Juan Island: the native banana slug and an invasive European slug. Dr. Erika Iyengar and her students from Muhlenberg College have been studying slugs in San Juan Island National Historical Park for the last four years. Their research is focused on food and habitat preferences for each species and how climate change may impact their future ecology. Invasive slug moving through the grass Butterflies of the North Coast & Cascades A comprehensive list of butterfly species found in Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park Complex, Olympic National Park, and San Juan Island National Historical Park. Brightly colored Milbert's tortoiseshell on the ground North Coast and Cascades Network Exotic Plant Management Team The North Coast and Cascades Network Exotic Plant Management Team (NCCN EPMT) manages a diverse array of exotic plants across the dramatic landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. The team works with partner parks and agencies to augment vegetation management across the network. People loading weed control equipment into the back of a vehicle Moths of the North Coast & Cascades Moths are insects and members of the taxonomic order of Lepidoptera. They and their larvae provide food for other insects, fish, and animals, and they are pollinators for many nocturnally flowering plants. Over the last five years, parks in the North Coast and Cascades Network have conducted Bioblitzes to begin developing species lists of moths in our parks. Scribe moth specimen Fire Communication and Education Grants Enhance Fire Interpretation and Outreach in the National Parks in 2015 and Beyond The 2015 National Park Service Fire Communication and Education Grant Program provided funding for projects, programs, or tasks in twelve parks around the country. A woman studies a small coniferous tree while a younger woman looks on. Bees of the North Coast & Cascades Bees are some of the most abundant and important pollinators in the world – especially in mountainous environments. Despite the importance of bees in our natural environments, many national parks do not know what species live within their boundaries. In 2016, to celebrate the Centennial of the National Park Service, North Coast and Cascades national parks focused on inventories of pollinators, including bees. Macro photo of the metallic blue head of a mason bee Silas Casey In 1859, Silas Casey went to the Washington Territory, where he was sent to reinforce George Pickett's Company D, Ninth Infantry on San Juan Island. Casey brought calm and common sense to the standoff with British forces on the island. Following his return to the east, he was promoted to major general, and he remained in active duty until his retirement in 1868. Grainy image of a collection of white buildings and long picket fence on an open landscape Wildland Fire in Douglas Fir: Western United States Douglas fir is widely distributed throughout the western United States, as well as southern British Columbia and northern Mexico. Douglas fir is able to survive without fire, its abundantly-produced seeds are lightweight and winged, allowing the wind to carry them to new locations where seedlings can be established. Close-up of Douglas fir bark and needles. Early Detection of European Green Crab in Washington’s Salish Sea Crab Team is a project of Washington Sea Grant at the University of Washington that aims to learn about Washington’s inland shorelines and monitor them for invasion by the European green crab. We partner with volunteers, tribes, and agencies to survey habitats that could be affected by the globally-invasive crab, with the goal of detecting it at the earliest possible stage of establishment, increasing our chances of controlling populations and reducing impacts. A brown, orange and red crab in the mud Uniforms for the Caribbean Did you know that employees from across the National Park Service stepped up to help their fellow employees after hurricanes hit the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico? In September of 2017, Hurricane Irma, one of the strongest known hurricanes in the Atlantic, lashed the Caribbean and Florida. It was followed within days by Hurricane Maria, another devastating hurricane that also hit Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, among other places. Boxes line a hallway awaiting shipment to parks in the Caribbean. Photo by Kristine Brunsman 1997–1998 El Niño / 1998–1999 La Niña Wind-driven waves and abnormally high sea levels contributed to hundreds of millions of dollars in flood and storm damage in the San Francisco Bay region, including Point Reyes National Seashore, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and Pinnacles National Monument. In addition to California, the 1997–1998 El Niño and the following 1998–1999 La Niña severely impacted the Pacific Northwest, including many National Park System units. colorful ocean surface mapping image Sandwith Homestead Cultural Landscape The Sandwith Homestead is a 5.2-acre historic site in the northwest of San Juan Island National Historical Park. The site is significant as the location of a late‑nineteenth‑century homestead farm and subsistence orchard, settled and farmed by Isaac Sandwith from 1875 to 1902. Situated on the lower slopes of Young Hill, the Sandwith Homestead consists of the core of the original homestead, including the home site and a remnant fruit orchard, as well as several stone features. Sandwith Homestead How are Landbird Populations Doing in the North Coast and Cascades Network? Landbirds are one of the vital signs monitored in five national parks of the North Coast and Cascades Network. Two recent studies show that for species with discernible trends, most populations are stable or even increasing. A greenish-yellow bird singing from a perch Bat Projects in Parks: North Coast Cascades Network Eleven bat species occur in North Coast Cascades Network Parks. Each species is unique, except that they're all facing threats of some kind in their environments. Learn more about how scientists study bats and what you can do to help. American Camp Cultural Landscape The American Camp cultural landscape is a site in the southeast corner of San Juan Island within the San Juan Island National Historical Park. The site is significant as the location of a United States Army camp during the joint occupation of the island by British and American Troops from 1859 to 1874. The cultural landscape also includes the sites of the Hudson’s Bay Company agricultural outpost, Bellevue Farm, and San Juan Town. American Camp Series: Coastal Geomorphology—Storms of Record Storms can bring about significant coastal change as well as substantial economic damage and loss in the human environment. Read about a few storms of interest that have since made history due to their unique intensity, characteristics, or impacts. aerial view of a major storm along the northwest coast of the united states and canada Data Manager Profile: Kristen Bonebrake Meet Kristen Bonebrake, Data Manager for the North Coast and Cascades Network Inventory & Monitoring Network, and discover the important role that data managers play in protecting the natural resources of our parks! Explore Kristen's journey—from counting roadkill as an intern at Saguaro National Park, to collaborating with bright minds around the country to solve the complex challenges facing our nation's most special places. Kristen kneels on a rock in front of a dramatic snow-capped mountain scene. Podcast 092: Creating Coast Salish Imprints: The Public Art of Susan Point Catherine Cooper speaks with Robert Watt, author of "People Among the People: The Public Art of Susan Point," about his new book, and the importance of Dr. Point’s art in the revitalization of Coast Salish art forms. "Carved house posts—typically more internal elements in a big house than external elements—but certainly totem poles were not a part...[T]he people here, the First Nations here, had their own aesthetic, their own style." Susan Point carving the large spindle whorl Shirley Williams Pacific Northwest Indigenous activist Shirley Williams has been a force in using the ancestral homelands of the San Juan Island National Historical Park as a site for community healing through preservation of the Straits Salish culture. Shirley Williams smiling at the camera next to a painting. Rearing the Rare Island Marble Butterfly at San Juan Island National Historical Park San Juan Island National Historical Park is home to the only remaining population of the federally endangered island marble butterfly (Euchloe ausonides insulanus). This pollinator is one of the rarest butterflies in North America, and appears fuzzy with marbled green, yellow, white, and black wings that have a span smaller than 2 inches. Harney Re-Examined Part II: Harney's Treatment of Native Americans In the second part of "Harney Re-Examined" we explore General William Harney's treatment of Native Americans early in his career. Black and white lithograph of mounted horseman attacking native americans in a narrow hollow Harney Re-Examined Part IV: Harney and the Hanging of the San Patricio Brigade This article examines Harney's role in the Mexican-American War and his mass execution of the San Patricio Brigade watercolor painting of 20 men being hanged on a mass scaffold in front of a fortress Harney Re-Examined Part III: Harney and the Pig War This article re-examines William Harney's treatment of Native Americans and involvement in The Pig War Harney Re-Examined: The Early Years of General William Harney This article re-examines the early life and career of General William Harney Small Park, Big Resources: The Dunes, Lagoons, and Prairies of American Camp What do a butterfly species that occurs nowhere else in the world, a rare moth species, and beautiful and unique ecosystems have in common? They all occur in San Juan Island National Historical Park. Although the park is small, it contains some of the last examples of sand dune, lagoon, and native prairie habitats in the region. Learn more about these vital habitats and the plants and animals they contain. White butterfly perched on a fine yellow flowering plant Series: Women's History in the Pacific West - Columbia-Pacific Northwest Collection Biographies of women from parks in Washington, Oregon Idaho and far western Montana Map of Washington, Oregon and Idaho Series: Harney Re-Examined: A New Look at a Forgotten Figure "This monster, Harney" was how a contemporary newspaper described General William Harney. While in uniform, William Harney massacred Native American civilians, murdered a young enslaved mother, killed multiple dogs, was court martialed four times, and nearly start a war with the UK. Today he is largely forgotten but his name adorns a river, a school, a lake, a county, a park, streets, a hot springs, and many other places. This article series asks, who was Harney? three negative style photographs of a man in a us military uniform with his hand to his chest Travel Blog: San Juan Island National Historical Park Writing Prompt: Travel Blog written by Audrey Nelson for "A Day in the Life of a Fellow" Article Series. Audrey is a NPS Workforce Management Fellow, in partnership with Northwest Youth Corps South Beach Outside Science (inside parks): Island Marble Butterfly What happens to a rare butterfly when their favorite plants lose habitat? They move to a national park of course! Follow us to San Juan Island National Historic Park where we study the Island Marble butterfly. island marble butterfly on a flower Conserving the Island Marble, One Poke in the Rear at a Time JULY 2023 – Saani Borge, a Mosaics in Science intern at San Juan Island National Historical Park, is responsible for a new generation of Very Hungry Caterpillars. Island marble caterpillars, to be precise—an endangered species found only on San Juan Island. As they mature and transform from tiny orange eggs to voracious larvae, scientists working with the captive rearing program coax them gently toward adulthood, and a brighter future for their species. A young woman in a lab cupping a yellow-flowered plant in her hands. Written in the Water: Four Parks Wrap Up Phase I of New Genetic Census SEPTEMBER 2023 – Over two years, teams at four parks in the North Coast & Cascades Network hiked hundreds of miles to collect samples of environmental DNA (eDNA) from park waters. These delicate samples promise to greatly expand our understanding of aquatic ecosystems, answering important questions about threatened species, emerging pathogens, ecological invaders, and more. What's next for this project? A hand holds a paper sample envelope in front of a forest stream. Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park System To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation. A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera. Anna Pike Rosler Homestead Anna Pike Rosler, a Tsimshian woman, and her German immigrant husband built a farmhouse on San Juan Island in the 1890s. The farmhouse, and a stunning elm tree that Rosler planted next to it, have stood for over five generations, a testament to the enduring legacy created by the combination of two cultures and the love between Anna and Christopher. Anna’s unbending will kept the home and encompassing lands in the family. Dated black and white portrait of seated woman and young girl standing in front of house Series: Home and Homelands Exhibition: Work What does it take to build a home? These women lived and breathed hard work, building their homes in difficult circumstances. Several were settlers who benefitted from stolen Indigenous lands. Some shared their knowledge of the land. They all had pride in their work. They all put their hands in the soil to claim resources and build homes. Whether wielding a kapa beater to create cloth or planting a tree to sustain a family for generations, these women created futures for their communities. Thick white paper peeled back to reveal collage of women.