All About Lummi Island, WA
- by Jodie Vinson
A short six-minute ferry will take visitors directly from Bellingham to the shores of Lummi Island. Despite the ease of getting there, many miss the most northeast island of the San Juans. This gives the island the appeal of a hidden destination waiting to be discovered. The visitor can enter directly into the natural landscape, unhindered by towns or parks. Rustic country roads, organic farms, forested groves and stretching beaches wait to be explored. The small community inhabiting the island is made up of many artisans willing to share their craft through galleries.
The island derives its name from some of its earliest known inhabitants, the Lummi Tribe. It is thought that these natives built longhouses on the island and lived off its rich resources of fish, game, and berries. The first permanent settler made his way by canoe in 1871. Christian Tuttle was a goldminer in California who settled with his wife Clara and populated the island with seven children, the descendents of who still reside on Lummi. These roots give residents on the island a rich sense of community shared with each visitor who arrives on its shores today.
Community Links:
LuMM Island Visitors Guide
Lummi Island Heritage Trust
Life on Lummi Island Blog
Lummi Island Congregational Church
