Blind Island State Park
History
In the late 1800s, a man named John Fox homesteaded the island and built a small house and storage sheds. Fox was an immigrant from Germany, where he had made his living as a fisherman. After his divorce from Katherine Fox Dickman, he moved to the island where he lived as a fisherman and tilled a small garden spot, evidence of which still remains today. He died in 1934 at the age of 83 and was buried on Blind Island. Fox's son, also named John, lived alone on the island until the mid-1960s when he was moved to a nursing home. He died in Oak Harbor, Washington in 1971. The Foxes dug several holes into the rock, evidently to be used as cisterns. There is a small spring, around which a concrete retainer was built that is still in place. There is no potable water on the island.
The island became a state park in 1970 under lease from the BLM. All buildings were removed in 1972 due to their unsafe condition.
Activities and amenities
As a stop on the Cascadia Marine Trail, the island's campsites are restricted to visitors arriving in non-motorized watercraft. Activities include observing the abundant wildlife and the frequent passing of ferries.
See also
References
- ^ "Blind Island". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Blind Island Marine State Park History". Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
- ^ "Blind Island Marine State Park". Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
- ^ "San Juan Marine State Park Area Management Plan". Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. February 14, 2000. p. 13. Archived from the original on January 19, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
- ^ "Blind Island". Bureau of Land Management. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
- ^ "San Juan Islands National Monument Site Catalogue" (PDF). Bureau of Land Management. 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
- ^ "Blind Island". Abbott Cultural Heritage Preservation. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
- ^ "Blind Island State Park". Washington Water Trails Association. March 5, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
- ^ Mueller, Marge; Mueller, Ted (2004). Washington State Parks (3rd ed.). Seattle: The Mountaineers Books. p. 117. ISBN 0-89886-893-9. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
External links
- Blind Island Marine State Park Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
- Blind Island Brochure and Map U.S. Bureau of Land Management