Bainbridge Island - Winslow 7/3/10

Entering Bainbridge via the town of Winslow on the ferry from Seattle. It is about a 30 minutes trip and has become a bedroom community for many people who work in Seattle.









Some of the lovely homes in Winslow.











The yacht basin.










Doug, Will and Liann enjoyed shelling and eating the fresh peas that we picked up at the local farmer's market.

Judy and Toddie supported the local economy by shopping at a fabulous yarn store.







Judy continues her fascination with fern fronds.










At little bit about the island for those that are interested.

Captain George Vancouver sailed his ship the HMS Discovery into Puget Sound in 1792. He anchored on the tip of Bainbridge Island at Restoration Point, which is now the Country Club. He named the point for King Charles, who had been "restored" to the throne of England. During much needed ship repair, Captain Vancouver and his men spent two weeks exploring and trading with the Native Americans.

In 1842, Bainbridge Island was visited by white men - English again - when John Work was exploring for a trading post for the Hudson's Bay Company.

In 1841, Captain Charles Wilkes was commissioned to explore the Puget Sound Region for the United States Government. He named the Island for Captain William Bainbridge, an American naval hero in the War of 1812. (In the 1920's, a descendant of Captain William Bainbridge lived in Winslow - Helen Bainbridge Yerkes.)

The Donation Land Claim Law in 1850 which granted 640 acres to a married man, and 320 acres to a single man, brought settlers to the area in search of a place to make their homes. (This, before any settlement was made with the Native Americans of the area.) After Captain Wilkes published his Narrative, many Easterners came west for timber to build ships and establish mills, especially New Englanders. One such New Englander, Mr. George A. Meigs, located his mill at Port Madison, thus beginning the commercial development of Bainbridge Island. It has been said that people would travel by boat from the small village of Seattle to purchase goods from the fine shops in the city of Port Madison. Another man, Captain William Renton, chose Port Blakely as the site for his mill. As wood was in great supply all over the world, logging was very profitable and employed many people, including Native Americans Japanese, Filipino, and Chinese.

In the early 1900's, after the land was cleared, many families had farms and grew a variety of crops which include small fruits, hops and strawberries. Bainbridge berries were the best and commanded the highest prices. The Japanese American and Filipino Community have always been a great influence on Bainbridge Island; their strawberry farms were the benchmark of the industry in their day. After WWII, much of the farming was discontinued.