Friday Harbor and the San Juan Islands have long been recognized as one of the premier vacation destinations in Washington. For a relatively small island, San Juan Island offers a diverse topography ranging from pebbly beaches to mountain meadows and lush valleys. It is truly one of nature's playgrounds. The wildlife includes such exciting creatures as Orca Whales, harbor seals, minke whales, porpoises, to sea otters. It's not uncommon to see fox, wild turkey, rabbit or our small black tail deer, and raccoon. The birds are lovely. Bald eagles, great blue herons, trumpeter swans, hawks, peregrine falcons, ospreys, woodpeckers, hummingbirds, cormorants, sea gulls and many more. There are no poisonous snakes, no lions, tigers or bears, so hiking and exploring is safe and fun.

Information on Friday Harbor

 San Juan Island is a filled with the miracles of Nature and is a haven for those who love the outdoors. There is so much to do that you'll have to return several times to sample it all. There are many places to hike, most leading to beautiful views. Bicyclists love the choices in terrain. Sailing, kayaking, fishing, whale watching, water skiing, scuba diving, and just "hanging out on the water" are very popular here.
    Bird watchers have a blast and gardeners will find a treasure trove of natural fauna and flora to admire. There are beaches galore (well, I guess you'd expect that considering it's an island), but each one has it's own "feel" and look. If you think a Great White might come into cold waters (he won't - you've just watched Jaws too many times), you can play in a lake instead of the sound.
    There are activities for almost any physical skill level or age. I personally find picnicking and collecting pretty shells on the beach a great sport. If you are the "shop 'til you drop" type, you'll think you've entered wonderland! There are scores of beautiful items created by talented, local artists. Bring your camera and relaxed clothes, because "Islanders" don't tend to dress up. Do bring a jacket or sweater because it cools off after dark.





 

Some more information on Friday Harbor can be found at the following websites:
FridayHarbor.org
 HistoricFridayHarbor.org

Friday Harbor is a beautiful place, but if you wanted to go more inland and Appalachia you could visit the Hocking Hills in Ohio.  The Hocking Hills are surrounded by state parks and forests. There are plenty of activities to do including: hiking, fishing, rock climbing, zip lining, horseback riding, camping, atv riding, and canoeing.  For more information on the area and where to stay, visit Hockinghills.com.

 

A Brief History

Friday Harbor has been the commercial, social, and cultural hub of San Juan Island since the 1890s. Geographical features - a sheltered bay with deep water and good anchorage, and an ample supply of fresh water - set the stage for Friday Harbor’s emergence as a center for commerce. However attractive the harbor, the island’s first settlers disregarded the bay that bears the name of a Hudson Bay Company sheepherder, Joe Friday. When the islands became a separate county in 1873, following the peaceful settlement of the Pig War, Friday Harbor was named the county seat, but had little to offer.

By 1900, though, Friday Harbor was a busy seaport with a thriving commercial center, and a population of three or four hundred. There were five general stores, foremost among them Churchill’s Store, a bank, U.S. Customs, a printing and stationery store, a weekly newspaper, drugstore, jewelry store, theatre, livery stable, milliner, blacksmith, barber, three hotels, three saloons, a grade school, the Odd Fellows Hall, a sawmill, creamery, a large salmon cannery, and encircling the town, a ring of residential neighborhoods and small farms and orchards.

San Juan Island’s commercial products - apples, pears, cherries, peas, cream, eggs, poultry, grain, salmon, timber, and lime - were shipped to domestic and foreign markets from Friday Harbor’s waterfront, where large wharves and warehouses accommodated the steamships of the "mosquito fleet."

Friday Harbor’s economy was driven by San Juan County’s thriving agriculture, and community leaders saw many indicators of continuing prosperity. By 1912, they believed that economic development and growth would outpace available water supplies. "The future of Friday Harbor depends on good water and sewage systems," town officials declared. Following the recommendations of an engineer, the town, with approval from the voters, began construction of a dam at Trout Lake and a wood pipeline to transport water by a gravity flow system into town through Beaverton Valley.

Friday Harbor did not fulfill its early promise. Its economic well being began to decline as the islands’ traditional industries collapsed over a 30-year period. Even so, the town elected to improve the water supply system. In the early 1950s a new main transmission line, along San Juan Valley Road, replaced the wood pipeline. In 1958, the system was again upgraded and the dam raised, at a cost of $80,000. Since then, the town’s water system has been steadily updated to meet the demands of a growing population.