Marrowstone, Washington Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Marrowstone, Washington
CDP
Location of Marrowstone, Washington
Marrowstone, Washington Location in Strait of Juan de Fuca Show map of Strait of Juan de Fuca Marrowstone, Washington Location in Washington (state) Show map of Washington (state) Marrowstone, Washington Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Washington
County	Jefferson
Area
• Total	6.3 sq mi (16.4 km²)
• Land	6.3 sq mi (16.4 km²)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km²)
Elevation	16 ft (5 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	995
• Density	157.9/sq mi (60.67/km²)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
FIPS code	53-43762
GNIS feature ID	1852949

Marrowstone is a small, quiet community located on Marrowstone Island in Jefferson County, Washington, United States. It's known as a "census-designated place" (CDP), which means it's a specific area counted by the government for population. In 2020, about 995 people lived here. All homes and businesses on Marrowstone Island use the address "Nordland, Washington", with the ZIP code 98358.

The name "Marrowstone" comes from Marrowstone Point, the northern tip of the island. A British explorer named George Vancouver gave it this name in 1792. He thought the soil there was hard and clay-like, like "marrow-stone."

A Look Back: Marrowstone's History
Exploring Marrowstone's Geography
Marrowstone's Population
Arts and Culture in Marrowstone
- Fun Festivals and Events
Parks and Outdoor Fun
- State Parks to Explore
Images for kids
See also

A Look Back: Marrowstone's History

A post office called Nordland has been open on Marrowstone Island since 1898. The community got its name from Peter Nordby, who originally owned the land where the town was built.

Exploring Marrowstone's Geography

Marrowstone is about 6.3 square miles (16.4 square kilometers) in size, and it's all land. The area has several important land features.

Key Land Features

Marrowstone Point: This is at the very northern end of Marrowstone Island.
Kinney Point: You'll find this at the southern end of the island.
Nodule Point: This point is on the east side, in the middle of the island.
Griffiths Point: Located on the western side of Mystery Bay.
East Beach: A sandy beach at the northern end of East Marrowstone Road.
Scow Bay/Kilisut Harbor: This body of water separates Marrowstone Island from its neighbor, Indian Island. Indian Island is a Navy ammunition depot.

Connecting the Islands

A narrow road connects the southwestern end of Marrowstone Island to the southern end of Indian Island. A short bridge then links the western side of Indian Island to the mainland of Jefferson County.

Roads and Terrain

Flagler Road (SR 116) runs along the western edge of Marrowstone Island. This side of the island is mostly flat and low. East Marrowstone Road follows the eastern edge. This side of the island has many sandy bluffs, except for the area near East Beach.

Marrowstone's Population

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
2010	844	—
2020	995	17.9%
US Decennial Census 2020 Census

In 2010, there were 844 people living in Marrowstone. By 2020, the population had grown to 995 people. This means there were about 133.5 people per square mile (51.5 per square kilometer).

Most people living in Marrowstone are White (96.4%). A small number are Native American (0.4%) or Asian (0.8%). About 2.1% of the population identified as two or more races. Less than 1% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

There were 432 households in 2010. About 10.4% of these households had children under 18. Many households (55.1%) were married couples living together. The average household had 1.95 people, and the average family had 2.37 people.

The population in Marrowstone tends to be older. In 2010, 90.5% of residents were 18 or older, and 36.1% were 65 or older. The average age was 60.5 years.

Arts and Culture in Marrowstone

The Nordland General Store is the only place on Marrowstone to buy groceries. It's a very important spot for the community. On maps, the town of Nordland (which is the address for everyone on Marrowstone) is usually shown right where the store is. It's located across Flagler Road from Mystery Bay, near the center of Marrowstone Island. The store was badly damaged by a fire in November 2020 but thankfully reopened in May 2024.

Fun Festivals and Events

Strawberry Festival: For about 100 years, Marrowstone has held its annual Strawberry Festival every June. Residents and visitors enjoy delicious strawberry shortcake at the Nordland Garden Club Building. The Marrowstone Island Community Association organizes this festival each year.
Tractor Parade: On Memorial Day weekend, island residents bring their tractors to show them off in a parade in front of the Nordland General Store.
Marrowstone Music Festival: The Seattle Youth Symphony used to hold its Marrowstone Music Festival at Fort Flagler on the northern end of Marrowstone Island. This happened from 1958 until 1989. Now, the festival is called Marrowstone Summer Music and is held at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington.
Eleusinian Mysteries Play: The neo-pagan Aquarian Tabernacle Church performs a modern play based on the ancient Greek Eleusinian Mysteries at Fort Flagler every Easter weekend.

Parks and Outdoor Fun

Marrowstone Island has several great parks for outdoor activities.

State Parks to Explore

Fort Flagler: This is a Washington state park that covers 784 acres (314 hectares) at the northern end of Marrowstone Island. It offers amazing views of Port Townsend Bay and Admiralty Inlet, which is the entrance to Puget Sound. Fort Flagler was one of three forts built to protect the entrance to Puget Sound. The other two were Fort Worden (near Port Townsend) and Fort Casey (on Whidbey Island).
Mystery Bay State Park: This state park is also on Marrowstone Island. It's about 10 acres (4 hectares) of land along the shore of Mystery Bay, located about half a mile north of the Nordland General Store. This park is mostly used by people who arrive by boat.
Kinney Point State Park: This park covers 76 acres (31 hectares) at the very south end of the island. You can only reach it by boat, and it's part of the Cascadia Marine Trail, a water trail for kayakers and canoeists.