Case Inlet facts for kids
Case Inlet is a long, narrow arm of water located in the southern part of Puget Sound in the state of Washington, United States. It stretches between Key Peninsula to the east and Harstine Island to the west. Think of it like a finger of the sea reaching inland.
Case Inlet is an important natural feature in the region. Its northern tip, known as North Bay, gets very close to another body of water called Hood Canal. This closeness helps form the narrow strip of land known as the isthmus of Kitsap Peninsula. An isthmus is a thin piece of land that connects two larger land areas.
Case Inlet also acts as a natural border, separating Pierce County from Mason County. At its southern end, Case Inlet connects to Nisqually Reach, which is another part of the southern Puget Sound. You can also find Herron Island located within Case Inlet itself.
How Case Inlet Got Its Name
Case Inlet was named a long time ago by a man named Charles Wilkes. He was the leader of a big journey called the Wilkes Expedition, which took place between 1838 and 1842. Wilkes named this water body to honor one of his officers, Augustus L. Case.
Boats and Travel in the Past
From the 1870s to the 1920s, getting around the communities along Case Inlet was quite different from today. People relied on a group of special boats called steamboats. These boats used steam power to move and were very important for transportation. They helped people travel and move goods from one place to another before cars and good roads were common.
