Vashon, Washington facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Vashon, Washington
Census-designated place
Location in King County
Vashon, Washington Location in Washington (state) Show map of Washington (state) Vashon, Washington Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Washington
County	King
Area
• Total	80.8 sq mi (209.3 km²)
• Land	36.9 sq mi (95.6 km²)
• Water	43.9 sq mi (113.6 km²)
Elevation	381 ft (116 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	11,055
• Density	136.80/sq mi (52.819/km²)
Time zone	UTC−8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Codes	98070 & 98013 (Burton)
Area code(s)	206
FIPS code	53-74305
GNIS feature ID	1512758

Vashon is a special area in King County, Washington, United States. It's called a census-designated place (CDP). Vashon covers a large island known as Vashon Island or Vashon–Maury Island. It is the biggest island in Puget Sound south of Admiralty Inlet. In 2020, about 11,055 people lived there. The island is about 95.6 square kilometers (37 square miles) in size.

The island connects to other places by Washington State Ferries. You can travel to West Seattle and the Kitsap Peninsula to the north. To the south, ferries go to Tacoma. There's also a King County Water Taxi that goes to Downtown Seattle. People on Vashon Island have chosen not to build a bridge. This helps keep the island quiet and natural. Vashon Island is also famous for its yearly strawberry festival, sheepdog trials, and farms.

Island History

Vashon Island is located in the middle of southern Puget Sound. It sits between the cities of Seattle and Tacoma, Washington. The island is in an area that can experience earthquakes. This is because of a large underground boundary called the Cascadia Subduction Zone.

Who Lived on Vashon Island First?

For thousands of years, only Native Americans lived on Vashon and Maury Islands. We know people were here as far back as 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. Some of the early groups included the Marpole culture and the Salish. About 500 years ago, the Sqababsh people, also known as the S'Homamish, settled here. They built five main village sites. The Tulalip Indians also lived in villages along the shores.

These tribes thrived because of the rich fishing in Puget Sound. The many waterways also made it easy to travel by canoe.

Early European Settlers

The first non-Native American to explore and map Vashon Island was Captain George Vancouver. He was part of the British Royal Navy. He named the island on May 28, 1792, after his friend James Vashon. Starting in 1824, more explorers and settlers came to Vashon Island.

Maury Island is next to Vashon Island. It was named in 1841 by Lt. Charles Wilkes. He named it after William Lewis Maury, an officer. Maury Island was once separate from Vashon Island. But in 1916, local people built an earth bridge to connect them. This created the area called Portage. After this, the two islands became known as Vashon-Maury Island. Together, they cover almost 37 square miles.

Logging began on the island in 1852. By 1855–1856, the S'Homamish people were moved to Fox Island. European-Americans settled Vashon Island between 1865 and 1890. During this time, fishing and logging were the main jobs.

In 1890, Japanese Americans started growing strawberries to sell. Denichiro Mukai came to the island in 1910. He became famous for a special way of preserving strawberries. This method kept the flavor and moisture, allowing them to be shipped far away. Mukai built his own home, a beautiful garden, and a strong building for his strawberry business. During the best years, ice cream and jam makers bought his strawberries. This became a very important part of the island's economy for 50 years.

In 1892, Vashon College opened in the Burton area. It was one of the top colleges in the region. The college burned down in 1910.

Island Geography

Vashon Island seen from Point Defiance Park

Vashon Island is about 209.3 square kilometers (80.8 square miles) in total. This includes 95.6 square kilometers (36.9 square miles) of land. The rest is water from Puget Sound.

To the west, the Colvos Passage separates Vashon Island from the Kitsap Peninsula. The Dalco Passage separates Vashon Island from Tacoma to the south. Some neighborhoods on Vashon Island include Magnolia Beach and Raeco.

Island Climate

Vashon Island has warm, dry summers. The average monthly temperatures do not go above 71.6°F (22°C). This type of weather is called a warm-summer Mediterranean climate.

Island Population

In 2000, there were 10,123 people living on Vashon Island. By 2020, the population grew to 11,055. Most people living on the island are White (93.61%). About 2.56% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.

The average age on the island in 2000 was 44 years old. About 23.2% of the population was under 18. About 13.1% were 65 or older.

Island Economy

Uptown Vashon

Farming on Vashon

In the past, fruit farms, especially strawberry farms, were a big part of Vashon's economy. But now, more homes are being built, and large commercial farms are rare. Still, many small farms on the island grow fresh organic food, milk, and eggs for local people.

Even with these changes, the island still holds its annual Strawberry Festival every July. In some areas, like Dockton, land was taken from Japanese-American families who farmed strawberries. This happened during World War II when they were moved to other places.

Vashon Island also has local orchards and wineries. Some make perry, which is an alcoholic drink from pear juice. At least three wineries make wines and other drinks using only local ingredients.

Island Businesses

Vashon has lost some of its larger businesses. K2 Sports moved its manufacturing to China. The Seattle's Best Coffee roasting plant closed after Starbucks bought the company. Today, the biggest manufacturer on Vashon is Pacific Research Laboratories. People on the island often call it "The Bone Factory."

Island Transportation

There are no bridges to Vashon Island. So, you can only get there by sea or by air. Most people travel to and from the island using the Washington State Ferry system. Plans for a bridge to Seattle and Kitsap County were discussed in 1959 and again in 1992. But island residents did not want a bridge, so the plans were stopped.

Vashon Municipal Airport is on the northern part of the island. There are no regular flights to this airport.

King County Metro provides bus service along the island every day. During busy times on weekdays, the buses drive onto the ferry to Seattle. Since September 10, 2016, there has been Sunday bus service on the island. This helps people connect to ferry terminals and other places.

Detailed map of Vashon Island, Washington

Ferry Services

The Vashon Highway ends at the Tahlequah Ferry Terminal in the Tahlequah area. From there, the Point Defiance–Tahlequah ferry connects to Tacoma. The northern end of the Vashon Highway is the Heights Dock at Point Vashon. This dock serves ferries to Southworth and Fauntleroy in West Seattle. The King County Ferry District also offers passenger-only service from Heights Dock to Colman Dock in Downtown Seattle on weekdays.

Starting July 1, 2024, the King County Water Taxi added more trips from downtown Seattle to the island. These extra trips run Monday through Friday.

In the past, private companies ran the ferries. One was the Puget Sound Navigation Company. In 1947, a ferry worker strike left Vashon Island without service. So, a group of island residents bought three ferries and ran them themselves. This group was called the King County Ferry District. In 1948, when the private company tried to restart service, island residents stopped their ferry from docking. The ferry district continued until 1951, when Washington State Ferries took over.

Island Schools

Public Schools

The Vashon Island School District provides three public schools:

Chautauqua Elementary School
McMurray Middle School
Vashon Island High School

Private Schools

Vashon also has two private schools:

The Harbor School (for grades 4 to 8). In September 2013, 65 students were enrolled.
Carpe Diem Primary School (for Kindergarten to 3rd grade). In September 2013, 26 students were enrolled.

Arts and Culture on Vashon

The annual studio tour started in the late 1970s. It was created by local potters. In 2018, the group changed its name to Vashon Island Visual Artists. They now hold tours of local artists' studios twice a year. They also offer classes, workshops, and social events for artists. About 300 artists are members. The island also has a choral group called the Vashon Island Chorale, which started in 1989.

On the first Friday of every month, there is a gallery walk. Art galleries in town open for visitors. The Vashon Center for the Arts and local cafés also open during this event. They often show art by local artists like Ann Leda Shapiro.

Island Media

Radio Stations

In 2014, a small media group called Voice of Vashon got a license for a low-power FM radio station. KVSH-FM started broadcasting on 101.9 FM in October 2014. You can also listen to it live online. Voice of Vashon is a non-profit organization. It records and broadcasts community art events. Voice of Vashon also runs a television station, Comcast Channel 21. It has an emergency broadcast system at 1650AM. These stations provide island news, entertainment, and emergency alerts 24/7.

Maury Island is home to many AM transmitters. KIRO 710 has two large towers. KTTH 770 shares towers with KPTR. These stations are owned by Bonneville International.

Another tower was built in 1946 for KEVR 1090AM, which is now KPTR. It shares its site with KTTH. On Vashon Island, radio station KVI 570 has a single tower on a beach called "KVI Beach." KNWN 1000 has a three-tower setup on the northeast side of the island. Both KVI and KNWN are owned by Lotus Communications.

KGNW AM 820 broadcasts from three towers in the center of the island. It is owned by Salem Media Group. KJR 950 shares towers at the KGNW site and is owned by iHeartMedia.

These radio stations chose Vashon and Maury Islands for their transmitters. The soil here is good for sending out radio signals. The surrounding sea water also helps the signals travel far.

Sports and Fun on Vashon

Vashon Island has a Rowing Club. They take part in many events, like the Opening Day celebrations in Seattle. The island also has the Vashon Island Golf & Country Club.

The Vashon Sheepdog Classic happens every year at Misty Isle Farms. You can find local food and crafts there. All the money raised goes to local non-profit groups. In the trials, a dog and its handler work together to herd sheep into certain areas.

Famous People from Vashon

Many interesting people have lived on Vashon Island:

Matt Alber, a musician.
Alex Borstein, an actress known for MADtv and as the voice of Lois Griffin on Family Guy.
Berkeley Breathed, an author who wrote the comic strip Bloom County. He wrote a children's book inspired by a real bicycle stuck in a tree on the island.
Michael Chabon, a writer and Pulitzer Prize winner. His novel Summerland is set on a fictional island like Vashon.
Karen Cushman, a young adult fiction author.
Booth Gardner, a former governor of Washington state.
Amanda Knox, an author and activist.
Betty MacDonald, an author who wrote funny stories about her life. She lived on Vashon and wrote about it in her book Onions in the Stew.
Kaitlin Olson, an actress known for It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. She lived here until she was 8.
John Ratzenberger, who played Clifford Clavin on Cheers. He also voiced characters in many Pixar films. He used to live on Maury Island and still owns land there.

Places to See on Vashon

Historic Buildings

Vashon Island has several buildings and sites listed on the King County Historic Register. These places are important parts of the island's history.

Landmark	Built	Listed	Address
Burton Masonic Hall	1894	1995	23927 Vashon Highway SW
Colvos Store	1923	1987	123rd Ave. SW and Cove Road
Dockton Store and Post Office	1908	1992	25908 99th Avenue SW
Norman Edson Studio	1890s	1985	23825 Vashon Hwy SW
Ferncliff (Wise Mansion)	1923	1982	10350 SW Cowan Rd
Fuller Store	1884	2013	19603 Vashon Hwy SW
Lisabuela School	1925	2011	22029 Wax Orchard Rd SW
Harrington-Beall Greenhouse Company Historic District	c. 1885–1886	1988–1994	18527-31 Beall Road
Judd Creek Bridge	1953	2004	Vashon Highway
Marjesira Inn	1906	1994	25134 Vashon Highway SW
Thomas McNair House	1884	1993	22915 107th Avenue SW
Mukai Agricultural Complex	1926	1993	18005-18017 107th Avenue SW
Captain Thomas W. Phillips House	1925	1992	11312 SW 232nd Street
Schwartz-Bell House	1930	1996	20233 81st Avenue S
Smith-Baldwin House (Fern Cove)	1912	1995	Cedarhurst Road
Helmer and Selma Steen House	1910	1996	10924 SW Cove Road
Vashon Odd Fellows Hall	1912	1985	19704 Vashon Highway SW
Vashon Hardware Store	1890, 1935	1986	17601 Vashon Highway SW

Other Fun Places to Visit

The bike in the tree. This is a bicycle stuck in a tree. People say a child chained it there long ago, and the tree grew around it. It's a popular spot for both locals and tourists.
Point Robinson Lighthouse. This lighthouse has been on Point Robinson Beach since 1885. The current lighthouse has been automatic since 1978.
Fisher Pond. This is a large nature area on Vashon Island, covering 90 acres. It protects land and freshwater.
Jesus Barn Farm. This farm started in 1893. In the 1960s, it became a community farm. Local stories say the word "Jesus" was painted on the barn then.
All-Merciful Saviour Monastery. This is a Russian Orthodox monastery located on Maury Island.