Samish Island, Washington

Samish Island is an unincorporated community in Skagit County, Washington, United States. It lies on an island 48°34′25″N 122°31′48″W with the same name, which is located off the northwest coast of the Washington mainland. It is connected to the mainland by land reclaimed through a system of dikes created in the early 20th century.

Aerial view of Samish Island, with Samish Island Road at lower left connecting to the mainland

Samish Island is named after the Samish people, a Coast Salish people of the Pacific Northwest. Both the Samish and the Nuwaha (a predecessor band of the Upper Skagit) used the island as part of their traditional territory.[1] The western end of the island is named Xwtl’échqs in the Samish language and sƛ̕əpqs in the Lushootseed language, both meaning "deepwater point" in the respective languages. The eastern end is named A7ts’íqen in Samish and qʷəqʷaliqs in Lushootseed.[2] The narrow isthmus connecting the two areas is named bəsbəsič, meaning "thin cords."[3]

In the late 19th century, the US Navy began to construct a series of dykes and drainage ditches to create a connection to the mainland. In the 1930s, the connection was finished.[4]

References
  1. Sampson, Martin. Indians of Skagit County. Skagit County Historical Society.
  2. "Coast Salish Place Names of the San Juan Islands". Samish Indian Nation.
  3. Bates, Dawn; Hess, Thom; Hilbert, Vi. Lushootseed Dictionary. University of Washington Press.
  4. "About Samish Island | Samish Island Community Center". Retrieved August 4, 2023.

48°34′33″N 122°32′28″W


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