About English Camp
English Camp History
ENGLISH CAMP
Just down the road from Roche Harbor is the English Camp. For another fascinating look at Washington State’s past, read about this historic settlement…The San Juan Islands almost did not become a part of the U.S./Washington State. Back in 1846 a treaty was signed to establish a border between Great Britain’s Vancouver Island
ENGLISH CAMP
Just down the road from Roche Harbor is the English Camp. For another fascinating look at Washington State’s past, read about this historic settlement…The San Juan Islands almost did not become a part of the U.S./Washington State. Back in 1846 a treaty was signed to establish a border between Great Britain’s Vancouver Island and the U.S. The borderline was a body of water (or Strait), but there was confusion over whether it was Haro Strait or Rosario Strait. A waiting game ensued between the British and the Americans as to who really owned the islands. Then, in 1859 a pig from the British owned BelleVue Farm crossed into a potato patch owned by American Farmer Lyman Cutlar. Lyman shot the pig, thus the ensuing “Pig War”, creating one of the most bizarre territorial disputes in history. What followed was a whirlwind of events that saw both British and American troops arriving to the island. The British set up camp at the “English Camp”, and the Americans 15 miles down the road at “American” camp. For 12 years this waiting game continued until finally a 3 person arbitration was appointed to decide the territory. In 1872, the San Juan Islands were ruled in favor of the U.S. Roam the beautiful acreage on the water’s edge at English Camp, enjoy the interactive exhibit and video inside one of the historic buildings, or walk along the trails on the property, one of which leads to an outlook with a spectacular view of the islands.