Guemes Island facts for kids
Guemes Island is a small island in Washington, a state in the United States. It's found in western Skagit County. The island is just north of Fidalgo Island and the city of Anacortes. You can reach Guemes Island by private boat or by a special ferry run by Skagit County.
The island was named after Juan Vicente de Güemes. He was a very important leader, known as a Viceroy, in New Spain (which included Mexico and parts of the U.S. back then). In 1794, he sent out an expedition that helped Spain learn about these islands.
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Island Life
Guemes Island feels very rural and natural. It doesn't have many big stores or busy places.
Some parts of the island's beaches are open to everyone. However, most beach areas are private. The island also has two parks. One is called Schoolhouse Park and is in the middle of the island. The other is Young's Park, which is located on North Beach near The Guemes Island Resort. People often just call the community on the island "Guemes."
Island History
Guemes Island has a long and interesting history.
Native American History
The island is part of the traditional lands of the Samish Nation. For a long time, the Samish people had winter villages on Guemes Island. Their language, Samish language, has a name for the island: Qweng qwengila. This means "many dogs," referring to the special Salish Wool Dogs they used to raise.
Around 1873, the Samish people had to leave their original village. This was because of U.S. government rules that opened up land for new settlers. They started a new village on Guemes Island near Potlatch Beach. But in 1912, their neighbors forced them off the island. This happened because the Samish village was located near the only natural spring on the island.
How the Island Got Its Name
The Spanish explorer José María Narváez officially named the island Isla de Güemes. This happened in 1791 during an expedition led by Francisco de Eliza. The name honored the Viceroy of Mexico, Juan Vicente de Güemes Padilla Horcasitas y Aguayo, 2nd Count of Revillagigedo.
Later, in 1841, an American explorer named Charles Wilkes tried to change the island's name to "Lawrence Island." He wanted to honor an American naval officer named James Lawrence. Wilkes also gave new names to nearby waterways. For example, he called Guemes Channel "Hornet Harbor" after the USS Hornet, a ship Lawrence commanded.
However, these American names didn't last long. In 1847, a British Captain named Henry Kellett updated the British maps. He removed the American names and brought back the older Spanish names or used British names instead.
The "Dog Island" Nickname
In the early 1900s, Guemes Island was also commonly known as "Dog Island." This was because many Salish Wool Dogs lived wild on the island at that time.
Island Population
The information about the population of Guemes Island also includes some nearby islands like Cypress Island, Sinclair Island, and Vendovi Island.
In the year 2000, about 605 people lived in this area. There were 292 households, which are groups of people living together. Most of the people living there were White (95.70%). A small number were African American, Native American, or from other backgrounds. About 1.32% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.
The average age of people living there was 53 years old. This means many adults and older people lived on the islands.
Magnetic Disturbance
If you look at special maps for boats or airplanes, you might see a note about a "magnetic disturbance" near the southeastern tip of Guemes Island. This means that compasses in that area can be affected. They might point slightly off, by as much as 2 degrees, from where they normally should.
See also
In Spanish: Isla Guemes para niños
