local history resources

Local Newspapers:

The Islander [1891-1898] and The San Juan Islander [1898 - 1914]

Early editions of The Islander and The San Juan Islander are provided by Chronicling America. Chronicling America is a Website providing access to information about historic newspapers and select digitized newspaper pages, and is produced by the National Digital Newspaper Program, a partnership between the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Library of Congress (LC). It is a long-term effort to develop an Internet-based, searchable database of U.S. newspapers with descriptive information and select digitization of historic pages.

Washington Digital Newspapers

The Washington Digital Newspapers The program brings together over 400,000 pages from our earliest online Washington Territorial newspaper collection with titles digitized by the state library as part of the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ (IMLS) Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). The state library’s newspaper collection in Olympia, contains more than 6500 newspaper titles and more than 50,000 reels of microfilm. As a rich source of primary materials for teachers, students, genealogists, and professional researchers it’s one of the best “go-to” places to find Washington newspapers.

Historic Barns of the San Juan Islands

The Historic Barns of the San Juan Islands are a visual testimony to the rich history of island farming. Some of the largest structures in the islands, they literally stand out in the landscape. They are treasured by local residents and visitors alike as monuments to the distinctive cultural landscape of the islands. San Juan County barns are a varied lot. In age, the earliest examples date from the mid-1860s, some of the oldest surviving barns in Washington State; on the other end of the spectrum, barns are still being built. The historic barns of the San Juan Islands also vary considerably in regard to size, shape, plan, and function. While most were built as to store hay and house livestock, usually cattle, horses or sheep, barns were also used for poultry, fruit storage, and grain. This site will provide you with information about these barns and their island context.

Orcas Island Historical Museum

The Orcas Island Historical Museum is unique in being the only object-based, interpretive heritage facility for the island, with a permanent collection comprised of approximately 6000 objects, paper documents and photographs.

The Orcas Island Historical Society’s first museum consisted of artifacts displayed on the front porch of a pioneer family’s home. Property for a permanent museum site was eventually obtained in the village of Eastsound, a location the facility continues to occupy today.