PHOTO BY LOUISE MUGAR
la conner. 1800s waterfront community turned arts enclave
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A vibrant town on the Swinomish Channel, La Conner woos visitors from far and wide with tangerine sunsets and a remarkable heritage of art, architecture and history. This little enclave on the mouth of the Skagit River has been inhabited for thousands of years. Initially the territory of the Swinomish Tribe, the area attracted settlers in the late 1800s with the promise of farming, logging and fishing. By the turn of the 20th century, La Conner had a population of about 1,000 and was the seat of Skagit County. As the years went by, La Conner remained the same size while other neighboring communities boomed, making it an alluring small town with a big history. The natural beauty of the area drew artists to La Conner in the 1940s and ’50s, who settled in abandoned cabins on the banks of the Skagit River and created an art colony they dubbed “Fishtown.” That artistic spirit lives on — its influence celebrated with colorful historic buildings and the town’s prospering museums. Since the 1970s, La Conner has become a choice destination for locals and travelers alike and has been named FACEBOOK.COM/WATERSIDEMAG
