San Juan Island National Historical Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids San Juan IslandNational Historical Park |
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IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
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British Camp
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 San Juan Island
National Historical Park Location in Washington (state)
San Juan Island
National Historical Park Location in the United States
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| Location | San Juan County, Washington, USA |
| Nearest city | Friday Harbor, Washington |
| Area | 2,072 acres (8.39 km2) |
| Authorized | September 9, 1966 |
| Visitors | 266,717 (in 2011) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | San Juan Island National Historical Park |
| Designated: | November 5, 1961 |
| Designated: | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference #: | 66000369 |
San Juan Island National Historical Park is a special place in Washington. It's managed by the National Park Service. This park protects the sites of two old army camps. One was for the British, and the other for the U.S. Army. These camps were set up during a strange event called the Pig War.
The Pig War was a disagreement over who owned San Juan Island. It started in 1859 because a pig was killed! Both sides sent soldiers to the island. They stayed there for 12 years. Finally, in 1872, Kaiser Wilhelm I helped settle the dispute. He decided the island belonged to the United States. The British left their camp in November 1872. The American camp closed down in July 1874.
The camp sites were recognized as important historical places in 1961. The park itself was created in 1966. It helps us remember this unique time in history.
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Exploring San Juan Island's Past
San Juan Island is part of the San Juan Islands group. It's located in Puget Sound. These islands are between Vancouver Island in Canada and the main part of Washington state. After the Oregon Treaty in 1846, the border between the U.S. and Great Britain was mostly set. But the exact line through these islands was still unclear.
Both countries believed the islands were theirs. American settlers started living on San Juan Island. The British Hudson's Bay Company even started a farm there. This disagreement eventually led to the Pig War.
What Caused the Pig War?
In 1859, an American farmer shot a pig. This pig belonged to the British Hudson's Bay Company. This small event quickly grew into a big international problem. American settlers asked for military help. So, the U.S. Army set up a camp. The British responded by sending their Royal Navy ships.
Luckily, leaders on both sides stayed calm. They agreed that both armies would keep camps on the island. They would wait for a diplomatic solution. From 1860 to 1872, British Royal Marines stayed at their camp.
Peaceful Occupation and Resolution
The time the soldiers spent on the island was peaceful. They even built a road connecting the two camps. People in the nearby village of San Juan traded with both armies. In 1871, the U.S. and Great Britain signed the Treaty of Washington. This treaty asked the German Kaiser to decide who owned the islands.
The Kaiser made his decision the next year. He said the border was the Haro Strait. This meant the San Juan Islands belonged to the United States.
After the decision, the British quickly left their camp. The American camp became much smaller. The buildings and supplies were sold or left behind. In 1876, a farmer named William Crook settled at the British camp site. His family later donated their land to the state. The state also bought land around the American camp. These lands became the national park in 1966.
Visiting British Camp
The British Camp is on Garrison Bay. This is on the northwestern side of the island. Today, the British flag, called the Union Jack, still flies there. Park rangers raise and lower it every day. This is one of the few places in the U.S. where American government workers regularly fly another country's flag.
Some buildings from the British time are still there. These include a commissary (where food was stored), barracks (where soldiers slept), a blockhouse (a small fort), and a hospital. The hospital building was moved away for a while. But the park later bought it back and returned it to its original spot.
Visiting American Camp
The American Camp is on the southernmost part of the island. It's partly on the land where the Hudson's Bay Company farm used to be. The park also includes the old site of San Juan village. This village was abandoned after the border dispute ended. It burned down completely in 1890.
Two buildings from the American military time still stand at the camp. One is an officers' quarters, where the officers lived. The other is the house and work area of the camp laundress.
Images for kids
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American Camp
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Officer's Quarters
