2011 Skagit County Visitors & Newcomers Guide

mount vernon • anacortes • burlington • la conner • sedro-woolley

skagit county concrete • bow–edison • north cascades • deception pass • padilla bay

Visitors and Newcomers Guide to a Special Corner of nw Washington

2011 S k a g i t V i s i t o r. c o m

Center for health & wellness for West Skagit & the San Juan Islands!

Island Hospital is one of the most innovative and recognized small hospitals in the U.S. Island offers a Level III Emergency Department, state-of-the-art Diagnostic Imaging and a full range of high-quality services from the Birth Center to Home Healthcare.

• Cancer Care Center

299-4200

• Cardiopulmonary Rehab

299-4242

• Diagnostic Services, including Mammography, DEXA

299-1315

• Family Birth Center

299-1331

• Fidalgo Medical Associates

293-3101

• Home Health Services

299-1302

OUR PROMISE

Your best healthcare experience begins at Island Hospital. We always place your emotional and medical needs first and foremost.

Anacortes Family Medicine

299-4211

IMMEDIATE CARE!

• Island Surgeons

293-5142

• Lifeline

293-7563

Same-day appointments available!

Walk-ins Welcome!

2511 M Avenue, Suite B • Anacortes

• Outpatient & Inpatient Surgery Center

• Island Health Resource Center

• Sleep Wellness Center

• Island Hospital Foundation

• SHIBA Helpline (Free insurance counseling)

299-1397 299-4201

• Island Prenatal Care Center

299-1300 299-8676 299-4212

293-6973

Main Switchboard (360) 299-1300 1211 24th Street / Anacortes • islandhospital.org

Table of contents Farm & Field..................................................... 6 Flowers, Display Gardens, Farmers Markets, Wineries

Tulip Farms & Fields........................................ 8 Recreation....................................................... 15 Whales, Kayaking, Hiking, Parks, Fishing, Cycling, Golfing, Birding

Skagit County Transportation & Map.......... 18 Weather........................................................... 24 Events.............................................................. 26 Calendar.......................................................... 31 History & Heritage......................................... 90 Tribes, Museums

Skagit County Today...................................... 92 Performing Arts.............................................. 96 Community Profiles Mount Vernon.................................................. 36 Map.................................................................................38

Burlington....................................................... 44 Map.................................................................................46

Big Lake / Clear Lake.................................... 50 Map.................................................................................55

Padilla Bay...................................................... 56 Map.................................................................................57

Conway / Fir Island........................................ 58 Map.................................................................................59

La Conner........................................................ 60 Map.................................................................................63

Anacortes/Guemes Island.............................. 66 Maps................................................................... 70, 73, 77

Sedro-Woolley................................................. 78 Map.................................................................................81

Upper Skagit................................................... 84 Lyman, Hamilton, Concrete, Rockport, Marblemount, Newhalem and Diablo, Birdsview Map.................................................................................88

Advertiser Index.................................. 102

| SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011

skagitvisitor.com

Welcome to Skagit County!

SKAGITPUBLISHING 1215 Anderson Rd. Mount Vernon, WA 98274 P: 360.424.3251 • F: 360.424.5300 Restocking: 360.416.2171

©2011 by Skagit Publishing | All rights reserved.

editor

W

hether you’re here for a long weekend or looking to put down roots, you’re in a special place that stretches from saltwater beaches on the Salish Sea to snow-capped Cascade peaks.

And of course the Skagit River, which has defined our region for centuries, runs through it.

Our guide can help you discover it all — and help you settle in and enjoy the outstanding quality of life here.

Skagit County’s location between Seattle to the south, Vancouver, B.C., to the north, the San Juan Islands to the west and the North Cascades National Park to the east made it a great place to live, work and play. There are jobs here in traditional and emerging industries and at our busy ports, and we’re just a short commute on Interstate 5 to major employment centers. Housing is affordable and our communities care about their schools.

Our mild climate, ample rainfall and fertile soil combine to make agriculture the top industry here. Daffodils start the procession of color in early spring. They’re followed by tulips in April, a great time to visit. Skagit County is world-famous for its tulips and tulip festival.

Remember, though, Mother Nature has the last word on bloom times.

Strawberries come on strong in June, followed by raspberries and blueberries. Fall brings apples, pumpkins and an invitation to visit a host of family farms throughout the valley during the Festival of Family Farms.

A meandering trip through the valley with stops at roadside stands is a treat spring through fall, and in winter the fields and skies can be full of snow geese and trumpeter swans.

The pace is different here, whether you’re at a cafe in an artistic coastal community like Anacortes, La Conner or Edison, or if you’re in the history-rich downtown of Mount Vernon, Burlington or SedroWoolley.

Plan to spend more than a day. Check into one of our hotels, quaint inns or rural retreats and give yourself time for some shopping in old-fashioned downtowns full of unique shops or modern malls and outlet stores with the latest fashions — and bargains. There are art galleries and museums to explore, wineries to visit and bistros, pubs and restaurants where you can relax after a full day. The theater community is active, and there’s plenty of nightlife, including two vibrant casinos and live music in various establishments.

No matter the season, the great outdoors is at your doorstep. Take a day to go whale watching off Fidalgo Island, hiking in the North Cascades or cycling through the Skagit Flats.

You will see why we think Skagit County is indeed special. Welcome, and enjoy your stay whether it’s a day or a lifetime.

Jack Darnton jdarnton@goanacortes.com

Advertising director Mark Dobie mdobie@skagitpublishing.com

Display Advertising Manager Deb Bundy dbundy@skagitpublishing.com

advertising operations manager Sarah Hickman shickman@skagitpublishing.com

Writers

Beverly Crichfield, Whitney Pipkin, Joan Pringle, Trevor Pyle, Vince Richardson, Dan Ruthemeyer, Ralph Schwartz, Elaine Walker, Colette Weeks

Photographers

Kimberly Jacobson, Joan Pringle, Scott Terrell, Frank Varga, Elaine Walker

cover design/layout Patricia Stowell

graphic designers

Ashley Crerar, Jody Hendrix, Erika Jennewein, Christina Poisal, Patricia Stowell

Advertising consultants

Jared Hanson jhanson@skagitpublishing.com Stephanie Harper sharper@skagitpublishing.com Leah Hines lhines@skagitpublishing.com Marcus McCoy mmccoy@skagitpublishing.com Michelle O’Donnell modonnell@skagitpublishing.com Kathy Schultz kschultz@skagitpublishing.com Katie Sundermeyer ksundermeyer@skagitpublishing.com Paul Tinnon ptinnon@skagitpublishing.com

maps

Fine Edge, Anacortes, WA skagitvisitor.com

SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011 |

Skagit County FARM & FIELD A mild climate, ample rainfall and fertile soil combine to make agriculture the top industry in Skagit County.

M

any of the small farms dotting the Skagit Valley grow an array of crops and are welcoming to visitors. A growing number of them use organic practices as well.

Among the top crops are blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, tulips, daffodils, cucumbers, specialty potatoes, Jonagold apples and vegetable seeds. More than 90 crops are grown in all — most of which you’ll find at roadside stands and farmers markets.

Residents and visitors can get a first-hand look at working farms and talk to their owners and managers

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during the annual Festival of Family Farms in October.

The event was launched in 1999 and now attracts 20,000 people.

The annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, launched in 1984, is staged during the entire month of April, usually the peak time for tulip blooms. The rainbowcolored fields draw an estimated 300,000 visitors.

The most recent census of agriculture in 2007 shows the county was home to 1,215 farms, covering 108,541 acres. In 2009 farms here grew more than $263 million worth of produce.

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

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FARMERS MARKETS ANACORTES FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays, mid-May to October Depot Arts Center, Seventh Street and R Avenue Kerri Knapp, (360) 293-7922 info@anacortesfarmersmarket.org www.anacortesfarmersmarket.org CONCRETE SATURDAY MARKET 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays, May 28 - Sept. 10 Concrete Senior Center, 45821 Railroad St. Ron Rothenbuhler, (360) 856-2093 Pat Horn, (360) 826-4586

j y u ...

Og

B

Fresh in Summer Frozen all year Homemade Ice Cream Shakes, Shortcake & More _______________________ ORGANIC...

Picnic Tables Self-Guided Tour Flower Baskets

Pumpkin Patch

g tV yF mT u 1 tw d Ot b Open Daily May-Oct.

Hwy 20, 3 Mi East of Rockport (360) 853-8173 skagitvisitor.com

ISLAND HOSPITAL FARMERS MARKET AND WELLNESS FEST Noon to 3 p.m. Thursdays, June to mid-September Island Hospital, 1211 24th St., Anacortes Suzie DuPuis, (360) 299-1300, ext. 2567

SEDRO-WOOLLEY FARMERS MARKET 3-7 p.m. Wednesdays mid-May to mid-October Hammer Heritage Square, Ferry and Metcalf streets Gilda Gorr, (360) 724-3835 www.sedro-woolleyfarmersmarket. com

MOUNT VERNON FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, late-May to October The Revetment on the Skagit River at Gates and Main streets Also Wednesday afternoons June to September at Skagit Valley Hospital, 1415 Kincaid St. www.mountvernonfarmersmarket. org

SKAGIT VALLEY FARMERS MARKET East off I-5 exit 221 in Conway.

An enticing selection of common and uncommon plants Thousands of roses, rare perennials, new annuals, rhododendrons, fruit trees & vegetable starts Open Daily 15806 Best Road • Mount Vernon

360-466-3821

www.christiansonsnursery.com Vintage Home & Garden Gifts

Locally Grown Food.

Scenic Beauty.

Rural Character.

Cultural Heritage.

Brought to you by some of the world’s best agricultural lands.

Join Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland and help keep Skagit Valley farming!

www.skagitonians.org

360.336.3974 SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011 |

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SPRING 2011 FLOWER FIELDS

| SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011

skagitvisitor.com

Use your smart phone to scan these codes!

Visit RoozenGaarde online at www.Tulips.com

Open daily year round!

We offer a unique mix of fresh cut flowers, bulbs, home décor, and garden accessories.

Bloom Map

Order fresh cut flowers, shipped overnight, and bulbs at Tulips.com!

Directions

RoozenGaarde is a

division of Washington Bulb Co., Inc and the largest grower of tulip, daffodil, and iris bulbs in the United States. In addition to over 1000

acres of flower fields, we also grow fresh cut flowers

year round in our 16 acres of greenhouse space.

Surrounded by hundreds of acres of tulips, daffodils and iris, our garden bursts with color each Spring during the world-renowned Skagit Valley Tulip Festival.

Spring

Summer

Fall

Winter

Over ¼ million bulbs burst into bloom in our beautiful display garden creating a spectacular presentation of natural beauty and color!

The garden is filled with dahlias, lilies, snapdragons, geraniums, marigolds, and more!

A perfect location for summer weddings, parties, or simply a family picnic.

Our store is full of the largest and best quality bulbs, while our employees are stocked full of planting and growing advice!

Attend one of our FREE weekend planting seminars, or simply come to watch as we design and plant our display garden.

Stop by in Winter to purchase fresh cut tulips, direct from the farm! Our shop will be decorated for the holidays, with a nice assortment of unique gifts for the home and garden.

OPEN YEAR ROUND!

360.424.8531• 15867 Beaver Marsh Rd • Mount Vernon Mon - Sat 9am-6pm • Sun/Holidays 11am-4pm • (Extended hours during the Tulip Festival)

Buy ber

ries!

~ Straw first, us berries appear main se ually in early at roadside sta is short, ason for the Ju to mid-June. nds you can generally thr ne-bearing va The ee ri find str awberri to five weeks, b eties es all su ~ R asp mmer. ut next, apberries and blu eb pearing in late Jerries come on une and ~ Don’t July. loganbe forget marion r b r e i r e r s i , es, tayb boysenb blackbe erries, July. rries, which joierries and n the pa rade in

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5-lb. App

Garden Bakery Cafe • Gift & Wine Shop Apple Cider Donuts Rustic Pastries • Hard Cider Fresh Apples in the Fall Unique Country Gifts

Call for Seasonal Hours

360.766.6360

8933 Farm to Market Rd, Bow, WA 3 miles south of Edison

www.RosabellasGarden.com 10

DISPLAY GARDENS

WSU DISCOVERY GARDEN The Washington State University Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center’s free Discovery Garden is open from dawn to dusk, seven days a week.

Gardens showcase shade plants, cool colors, hot colors, Japanese plants, easy care, evergreens, ornamental grass, ground covers, irises, heather, herbs, small fruits and vegetables. WSU Master Gardeners maintain the North Cascades Fuchsia Society’s fushsia garden.

• 16650 State Route 536 in West Mount Vernon.

• www.skagit.wsu.edu; (360) 848-6120.

WASHINGTON BULB’S ROOZENGAARDE Three acres of tulips on display all of April during the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. Visitors can purchase potted tulips, daffodils and hyacinths. The site offers a gift shop, picnic areas, food, espresso and restrooms.

• 15867 Beaver Marsh Road in Mount Vernon • www.tulips.com; (360) 424-8531.

SKAGIT VALLEY BULB FARM’S TULIP TOWN Tulip fields to walk through or see from a trolly in April. Enjoy the art gallery, children’s activities, gift shops, espresso bar and Tulip Cafe.

Find out how the tulip became the “world’s peace flower’’ by taking a tour of Tulip Town’s International Tulip Peace Garden.

• 15002 Bradshaw Road, Mount Vernon • www.tuliptown.com; (360) 424-8152.

“Come for the food...

SCHUH

Open Daily April 1 December 22

...Stay for the fun!”

Since 1963

FARMS

Hand-Dipped Ice Cream,

April - Tulips & Daffodils May - Flower Baskets • Veggie Starts Shakes, Shortcakes & More...

June - Strawberries • Veggies Espresso • Snacks • Preserves • Homemade Pie July - Tayberries • Raspberries • Veggies Picnic Tables • Flower Baskets • Gifts July to Sept. - Berries • Corn • Cucumbers October - Pumpkin Patch • Squash • Fall Decorations • Hayrides Nov. to Dec. - Christmas Trees • Wreaths • Garland • Ornaments

360-424-6982 • 15565 State Route 536 • Mount Vernon

Hwy. 20 West to Avon Allen Rd., go south (left) to Hwy. 516 go right. We’re 1.5 miles on the right.

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

skagitvisitor.com

A Bank Is A Bank Is A Bank.

Until You Have To Choose A New One.

As someone new to the area, you have lots to consider when you select a bank.

If you like being close to your money – then location is important. And you may be glad to know one of our 30 branches is probably fairly close by.

Then you have to look at what kind of bank you want. Do you feel better having your money in a big, national bank, or a multi-state, regional bank? Or would you prefer another kind of bank, like ours, that puts your money to work locally, helping your friends and neighbors?

As a community bank, we rely primarily on deposits from people in the communities we serve, which we then use to make loans to folks in and around those towns.

We also make it a priority to actively support the charities and events that make each of our communities special.

And last, but definitely not least, there’s the stability and safety of the bank.

Rather than us telling you we’ve been around since 1961, and how financially sound we are, you should see what independent sources think of us. Just go to www.bauerfinancial. com or www.bankrate.com.

So if you’d like to make sure your money has a good home, we may be able to help ease your mind. Stop by any of our branches, or give us a call at 1-800-290-6508.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Whidbey Island Bank

Making Life A Little Easier MEMBER FDIC

For more information about us, just go to www.wibank.com

W

Wineries & Breweries

ith a climate similar to the Loire Valley of France and the Northern Rhine Valley of Germany, Skagit Valley is home to a growing number of burgeoning wineries. Take a tour and sample some handcrafted wines at the various tasting rooms and you’ll see why Skagit winemakers are excited about the future here.

Most of Skagit’s winemakers still import their grapes from Eastern Washington growers, but some have begun growing estate varieties in Skagit soil. White wine grapes such as Madeleine Angiovine and Siegerrebee are known to grow well in Skagit’s mild climate.

Pinot noir grapes are being grown at a growing number of local vineyards as well.

According to the Skagit Valley Wine Association, the county is home to 20 to 30 grape producers and eight wineries, five of which have vineyards.

The association reports that the local industry began in 1995 when Pasek Cellars Winery opened in Mount Vernon and produced a few hundred cases a year. These days, more than 25,000 cases are produced in the county.

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CARPENTER CREEK WINERY 20376 E. Hickox Road, Mount Vernon www.carpentercreek.com (360) 848-6673

DIRECTIONS: Take exit 232 off Interstate 5. Head east on Cook Road, east on Highway 20, turn left after mile post 85 — two miles before Concrete — and head east on Challenger Road.

DIRECTIONS: Take exit 224 off Interstate 5. Head east to Cedardale Road and turn left. Turn right on Hickox Road. The winery will be on your right.

HOURS: Open for public tastings from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturdays and Sundays, and by appointment.

HOURS: Open for public tastings from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.

PROFILE: Challenger Ridge has been producing handcrafted wine from its idyllic location near the Skagit River since 2001. The vineyard is situated on seven acres at the end of a country lane, tucked among fir and cedar groves “just far enough off the beaten path.”

The winery produces less than 3,000 cases per year.

CHALLENGER RIDGE VINEYARD AND CELLARS

43095 Challenger Road, Concrete www.challengerridge.com (360) 853-7360

| SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011

PROFILE: Challenger Ridge Vineyard and Cellars produces chardonnay, sangiovese, cabernet, syrah and pinot noir, a cabernet-syrah blend, a muscat and a black currant dessert wine. The 7.7 acres of vineyards are four parcels planted with pinot noir, and the business also contracts a few acres of grapes in the Yakima and Red Mountain appellations. The winery now produces up to 4,000 cases per year and has opened a tasting room in Woodinville.

EAGLE HAVEN WINERY

8243 Sims Road, Sedro-Woolley www.eaglehavenwinery.com (360) 856-6248 DIRECTIONS: From I-5, take exit 230 toward Burlington, turn west skagitvisitor.com

larger facility on Old Highway 99 South, just south of downtown Mount Vernon, and the tasting room to Conway in the Skagit Red Barn. A longtime favorite is cranberry wine, and other offerings include Arabica coffee dessert wine, blackberry dessert wine, blackberry wine, chardonnay, guava, loganberry, muscat canelli, passion fruit, pineapple, raspberry and syrah port. The winery produces about 14,000 cases per year.

SAMISH ISLAND WINERY

PROFILE: The small, homegrown winery is not open to the public, but its fare is available at local grocery stores. The owner produces about 150 cases of fruit wine each year. He buys the fruit from other farmers in the Skagit Valley. onto W. Rio Vista, and left at the signal onto Burlington Boulevard (Highway 20). Follow Highway 20 east. About 4.5 miles east of SedroWoolley, turn right onto Sims Road.

HOURS: Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Friday-Sunday, and by appointment.

PROFILE: Eagle Haven Winery began making wines in 2003 and produces four fruit wines and five grape wines, totaling about 1,000 cases annually. The vineyard is surrounded by a 40-acre apple orchard and a native salmon-bearing stream and includes a tasting room and wine garden. This year the winery built an expansive wooden pavilion where it hosts a summer concert series on Friday evenings.

The pavilion can be booked for private events as well.

GLACIER PEAK WINERY

Travel about 45 miles to milepost 104, just east of Rockport.

HOURS: Daily July-September, noon to 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday-Sunday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends and holidays May 1-Oct. 15 and by appointment.

PROFILE: Established in 2002, Glacier Peak Winery sports 5 acres that produce the company’s estate wines, including pinot noir, agria and a German grape called siegerrebe for white wine. Glacier Peak also produces cabernet sauvignon, syrah and merlot. Annual production is about 750 cases.

PASEK CELLARS

18729 Fir Island Road, Mount Vernon www.pasekcellars.com (360) 445-4048

58575 Highway 20 (milepost 104), Rockport www.glacierpeakwinery.com (360) 873-4073

DIRECTIONS: Off I-5 exit 221, just west to Conway’s Skagit Barn.

DIRECTIONS: From 1-5 exit 230, turn west onto W. Rio Vista, turn left at signal on Burlington Boulevard, and follow signs east on Highway 20 toward Concrete.

PROFILE: Gene and Kathy Pasek started Pasek Cellars in 1995 and opened a tasting room on Mount Vernon’s First Street in 1997. In 2002, the winery was moved to a

skagitvisitor.com

HOURS: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily

TULIP VALLEY VINEYARDS AND ORCHARDS 16163 State Route 536 (Memorial Highway), Mount Vernon www.tulipvalley.net (360) 428-6894

DIRECTIONS: Four miles west of Interstate 5 at Mount Vernon on State Route 536 (Memorial Highway), just east of Beaver Marsh Road.

HOURS: November-March: Friday-Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; April: Daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; May-October: Friday-Monday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed when snow.

PROFILE: Tulip Valley produces red and white table wines from Eastern and Western Washington grapes, and Red Barn traditional artisan hard ciders from locally grown apples. The wines and ciders are available in the tasting room at the 1920s roofed dairy barn April through December. The wines include chardonnay, riesling, gewurztraminer and sangiovese saignee rosé and the ciders include Sweetie Pie, Jonagold, Fire Barrel, Burro Loco and Scrumpy. The winery produces about 2,000 cases per year.

SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011 |

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SKAGIT BREWERIES & DISTILLERIES

T

hose looking to taste the local brews in Skagit County have a growing number of options.

Mount Vernon added its second brewery, North Sound Brewing Company, this year, and a handful of other microbreweries are scattered across Skagit’s landscape.

Most of the breweries are also restaurants, and some local pubs serve a selection of locally made beers in one place. A pub crawl in downtown Mount Vernon from Trumpeter Public House to Porterhouse to Empire Ale House is likely to include much of the local fare.

The county also added its first craft distillery this year on Samish Island, with a couple more shops expected to come online soon.

Golden Distillery, launched by a pair of retired restaurateurs, opened this year, serving a selection of brandies and whiskeys made mostly from local products.

Oompah!

Local Ethical Delicious Produce, Groceries, Mercantile and award winning Deli

Sample beers from Skagit County breweries — and breweries around the region — Oct. 8 at Octoberfest at the Port of Anacortes warehouse. Enjoy music, food and fun at this fall festival that serves up beer on the pier.

SKAGIT RIVER BREWERY 404 S. 3rd Street Mount Vernon Restaurant and brewery

ROCKFISH GRILL/ ANACORTES BREWERY 320 Commercial Avenue Anacortes Restaurant and brewery

Everyone Welcome OPEN DAILY uNtIL 9Pm IN DOWNtOWN mOuNt VERNON

360-336-9777

www.skagitfoodcoop.com 1

BIRDSVIEW BREWING CO.

NORTH SOUND BREWING CO. 17406 State Route 536 Mount Vernon Tasting room only with snacks

GOLDEN DISTILLERY 9746 Samish Island Road Bow, WA 98232 Open for tasting 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Fridays and Saturdays, or by appointment.

38302 State Route 20

Concrete Restaurant and brewery

LA CONNER BREWING CO. 117 1st Street La Conner Restaurant and brewery

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

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Skagit County RECREATION

The great outdoors don’t get much greater than what can be found within or slightly beyond the borders of Skagit County.

E

verything from plying the waters of Puget Sound in a kayak to climbing to the top of 7,740-foot Liberty Bell Mountain in the North Cascades awaits the avid outdoor recreationist.

How about casting a line into the salty waters of Puget Sound or into any number of freshwater skagitvisitor.com

rivers, many of which boast runs of steelhead and salmon?

Or climbing into a raft and floating the Skagit River during the summer, then returning in the winter to see bald eagles?

In the winter, head to the hills for cross country and backcountry skiing as well as snowmobiling.

SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011 |

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WHALES

favorite hikes

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he breathtaking scenery and varied wildlife of the San Juan Islands draw thousands of visitors to the area each year for close encounters with nature, especially orcas.

Two charter companies provide whale-watching excursions from Anacortes. Cruises, usually five to six hours, depart from the Cap Sante Boat Haven and are offered spring through fall. Both outfits offer guaranteed sightings, meaning you can go out another day if your boat is one of the few that doesn’t spot an orca, gray, minke or humpback whale.

And there is much more to see in the San Juans, including 80 wildlife preserves, rugged shorelines, historic sites, bald eagle nests, barking seals, chattering cormorants and, in early spring and late summer, golden-skinned stellar sea lions.

• Island Adventures: 1801 Commercial Ave.; (360) 293-2428 or (800) 465-4604; www.island-adventures.com.

• Mystic Sea Charters: 819 Commercial Ave. Suite E; (800) 3089387; www.mysticseacharters.com.

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Cumberland Creek Interpretive Trail

Kayaking

K

ayaking is a great way to get out on the waters of western Skagit County and the nearby San Juan Islands, whether for a quick paddle or a trip lasting several days.

Paddlers can enjoy beautiful vistas and see wildlife from a different perspective while gliding quietly along a shoreline or exploring a secluded cove.

Anacortes is a good place to get started. Businesses there offering kayak rentals, instruction and hourly and multi-day tours include the Sea Kayak Shop, www.seakayakshop.com, and Anacortes Kayak Tours, www.anacorteskayaktours. com.

The Hole in the Wall Paddling Club is made up of local kayakers from the region who encourage safe kayaking. Visit www.holeinthewallpaddlingclub.org.

| SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011

Location: Sedro-Woolley Distance: 2 miles Getting there: From the South Skagit Highway Park and Ride off Route 9 in Sedro-Woolley, take South Skagit Highway 12 miles east. Turn left into the driveway at 34183 South Skagit Highway. Park in front of the locked gate.

Notable: This is the newest trail in the valley. It was a built as a collaboration between Skagit Land Trust and an Emerson High School environmental science class. The class spent a semester researching Cumberland Creek Conservation Area, then developed the interpretive trail.

Evergreen Trail Location: Eight miles east of Concrete Distance: 3 miles Getting there: Take Highway 20 to milepost 96.5, 37 miles east of Sedro-Wooley. Turn into the day use area of Rockport State Park.

Notable: The trail winds its way through a fantastic old-growth skagitvisitor.com

forest that is 400 to 600 years old, giving hikers a glimpse of what the Skagit Valley looked like long ago. The trail’s complexion changes with the seasons.

Oyster Dome Location: North of Edison Distance: 6.5 miles Getting there: From I-5, take Highway 11 (Chuckanut Drive) north for 10.2 miles. The trailhead is on the right at milepost 10.

Notable: This is a classic hike. The trail twists, turns and climbs (emphasis on climbs) through a portion of the Chuckanut Mountains and ends atop a rocky outcropping where you get spectacular views of the San Juan Islands.

Goose Rock Perimeter/ Summit trails Location: Near south end of Fidalgo Island Distance: 2.8 miles Getting there: On the south side of Deception Pass bridge, turn into the lot and head down the staircase to the NW Goose Rock Summit Trail trailhead.

Notable: Goose Rock is one of the highest points on Whidbey Island. skagitvisitor.com

The trail leads to the top, then around the massive chunk of rock.

Pomona Grange Park Location: North of Burlington Distance: 1 mile Getting there: I-5 to exit 232 (Cook Road). Turn right on Cook Road.

Proceed north at the stoplight on Old Highway 99. In about 3.5 miles, the park will be on the right. If you reach the fish hatchery, you have gone too far.

Notable: This is an excellent hike for those of all ages. It’s a short, easy jaunt that enhances one’s understanding of nature by way of 18 interpretive signs highlighting specifics of local plants and trees.

Cross Friday Creek and visit the Samish State Fish Hatchery.

Skagit River Loop Trail Location: East of Sedro-Woolley Distance: 2.5 miles Getting there: From Highway 20 in Sedro-Woolley, continue east for about 15 miles. Turn south on Lusk Road and continue for one mile.

Turn east on Cape Horn Road and continue for one mile to the entrance to Rasar State Park.

Notable: The trail, which is located

within Rasar State Park, is situated along the north shore of the Skagit River. The first quarter-mile of the Skagit River Loop Trail is wheelchair accessible.

Parks

F

rom North Cascades National Park in the east to Deception Pass State Park in the west, there are plenty of parks to explore in Skagit County.

And plenty of things to see in them.

The North Cascades offer an alpine setting in the spring and summer months — the winter can get a little dicey — while Deception Pass is all about being along Puget Sound.

And certainly don’t forget about the three state parks that sit between the two.

North Cascades National Park Location: Along Highway 20, about 30 miles east of Concrete.

What it offers: Hiking, backpacking, camping, climbing, boating, fishing.

Why Go? The park offers a full

SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011 |

17

TRANSPORTATION around the county SKAGIT REGIONAL AIRPORT

www.townofconcrete.com/airport Also known as Mears Field, the airport is a public airfield with private, leased hangars on town-owned lots. The pilots lounge on the field is open to pilots and guests. It is only a half-mile walk from the airport to the businesses in downtown Concrete.

www.portofanacortes.com (360) 299-1829 The Anacortes Airport, on the northwest corner of Fidalgo Island, hosts corporate and private aircraft and also offers space for tenant busiB

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Swinomish Indian Reservation

WHIDBEY ISLAND

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Burlington

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www.skagittransit.org (360) 757-4433 Skagit Transit not only provides bus service throughout the county, but also offers connector service to Bellingham, Stanwood, Everett and Whidbey Island. The main transfer location for most Skagit Transit routes is at 105 E. Kincaid St. in downtown Mount Vernon.

Skagit Transit also offers Dial-ARide service for people whose disabilities and conditions prevent them from traveling on fixed routes.

CONCRETE AIRPORT

ANACORTES AIRPORT

A

SKAGIT TRANSIT

nesses. San Juan Airplanes (800-8744434) operates several flights a day to the San Juan Islands, Bellingham and other destinations. Charters and scenic flights also are available.

Other services include fuel, hangars, tie downs, flight instruction, maintenance and rental car agencies.

www.portofskagit.com (360) 757-0011 Located inside the Bayview Business Park off Highway 20 between Burlington and Anacortes, Skagit Regional Airport is operated by the Port of Skagit County. It sports terminal facilities, aviation fuels, a restaurant (The Kitty Hawk CafĂŠ), aircraft maintenance and related services that include flight instruction.

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| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

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AMTRAK

www.amtrak.com Amtrak’s Cascades line, which operates between Vancouver, B.C. and Eugene, Ore., stops in downtown Mount Vernon at the Skagit Transportation Center, 105 E. Kincaid St. The station has a waiting room.

WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES

www.wsdot.wa.gov (888) 808-7977 Washington State Ferries provides frequent daily passenger and car service from its Anacortes terminal to Orcas Island, Lopez Island, Shaw Island and Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. The terminal is located on Highway 20, a couple miles west of downtown Anacortes. Ferry service to H

J North Cascades National Park

crete

www.skagitcounty.net (360) 293-6356 Skagit County provides ferry service for passengers and vehicles from Anacortes across the Guemes Channel to Guemes Island. The dock is located at Sixth Street and I Avenue.

The crossing takes five minutes.

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Sidney, B.C. is also available, except in the winter. Citizens of the United States and Canada need to have either a passport, trusted traveler program card or an enhanced driver’s license to enter or depart the United States by sea.

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range of camping experiences.

Whether your idea of camping is from a car, RV, boat or on a strenuous trek into the wilderness, it can be found within the park’s boundaries. notable: One need not leave the car to take in the breathtaking surroundings. Simply drive over Highway 20 and gawk out the windows as the rugged snow-capped peaks go by.

decePTion PAss sTATe PArk location: North end of Whidbey Island.

What it offers: Camping, picnicking, sightseeing, boating, paddling, hiking, swimming, fishing, scuba diving, bird watching, beachcombing and bicycling.

Why Go? To hike among great scenery. There are 36 miles of trails in the park. notable: The park has 77,000 feet of saltwater shoreline on Rosario

Strait, Deception Pass and Skagit Bay, and about 28,000 feet of freshwater shoreline along Pass and Cranberry lakes.

rAsAr sTATe PArk location: Just off Highway 20, 19 miles east of I-5.

What it offers: Four miles of hiking trails and a playground in the dayuse area.

Why Go? Wildlife observation opportunities, especially for eagles. notable: This old farm site is a 169-acre camping park with 4,000 feet of freshwater shoreline on the Skagit River.

rockPorT sTATe PArk location: Eight miles east of Concrete.

What it offers: The 670-acre day use-only park of ancient forest is loaded with big trees — from 250foot Douglas firs to tall cedars and maples.

MOUNT VERNON

Lake Associates Recreation Club

TakE a NaTural BrEak! Experience clothes-free recreation... bring a towel & a smile!

• Near Tulip Fields • Free Continental Breakfast • In-Room Coffee • Remote Control TV/with HBO • Deluxe Air-Conditioned From Guest Rooms • Free Local Calls • Handicap Accessible 1-2 • Kitchenettes persons • High Speed Internet additional • Voice Mail person add • Walk to Restaurants $5.00

75.00

$

(360) 428-5969 or (800) 599-5969

360-445-6833 www.larcnudists.com 20

2200 Freeway Dr., Mount Vernon, WA Take I-5 Exit 227 (College Way).

Go west, then north on Freeway Dr. (Across from Walmart) www.TulipInn.net

Why Go? The park is home to one of the best lowland hikes around.

The Evergreen Trail takes hikers back 100 years, allowing for a glimpse of the Skagit Valley’s past. notable: Practically every type of fern can be found in the lush understory, along with elderberry and salmonberry bushes.

bAy vieW sTATe PArk location: Along Padilla Bay. What it offers: On a clear day, park users can see the Olympic Mountains to the west and Mount Rainier to the south.

Why Go? The park has 1,285 feet of saltwater shoreline along Joe Hamel Beach. If that doesn’t satisfy your marine appetite, Breazeale Padilla Bay Interpretive Center is a half-mile north of the park. notable: The park was the home of Pat-Teh-Us, a Noo-Wha-Ah Indian chief and signer of the Point Elliot Treaty.

FISHING sAlmon • All five species — chinook, coho, sockeye, chum, pink — can be hooked in local rivers and bays.

Find all five in the Skagit River. n December through April, winter steelhead ply not only the waters of the Skagit, but the Samish River as well. Check the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife website at www.wdfw.wa.gov for season regulations.

TrouT • Pass Lake is the place to be for trophy rainbow and brown trout no matter what the month. A fly fishing-only body of water open yearround, the angling tends to pick up in early spring and late fall when trout are busy gorging themselves on chronimids.

COUPON

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

skagitvisitor.com

PAnfisH • Big Lake boasts year-round fishing opportunities for such species as largemouth bass, crappie and perch. Once the water warms, the fishing heats up. It’s not rocket science — some sort of bait or lure and a hook, and you’re good to go.

kokAnee • Lake Shannon backs up behind the Baker River dam. Get a boat and hit its waters either in April or late October in search of the dwarf variety of sockeye salmon that inhabit this lake.

Great Hotels Guests Love

• Complimentary Express Start Hot Breakfast Bar • Complimentary High-Speed Internet Access • 32” Flat Panel HD TVs • Fitness Room • Refrigerators & Microwaves • Indoor Heated Pool & Whirlpool

360.755.7338 www.holidayinnexpress.com/burlingtonwa • 900 Andis Road • Burlington, WA • I-5 Exit 229 skagitvisitor.com

SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011 |

21

cycling

F

rom the Skagit Flats to mountain passes in the North Cascades, cyclists have plenty of options when riding around Skagit County.

Make sure to pick up a Skagit County Bike Map at the local chambers of commerce.

For cyclists in search of long stretches of open road, the Skagit Flats is the place to put rubber to pavement.

The area is a haven for numerous bird species. Migrating snow geese and tundra and trumpeter swans winter over in the valley.

In the southern half of the flats, roads meander through 35 miles of farmland and dike districts.

If climbing is more your style, then pedal east into the North Cascades and have a ride to remember as you venture over 5,477-foot Washington Pass.

With craggy terrain, steep climbs and hairpin turns, this route is a test of endurance. But once you’re over the pass, it’s basically all downhill to Winthrop.

Cycling events

30th annual Tulip Pedal April 16 La Conner www.active.com

Bicycle Sales • Service • Rentals

Trek • Giant • Specialized Anacortes

360.588.8776

Burlington

360.757.7910

SkagitCycleCenter.com 22

21st annual Skagit Spring Classic

May 7 Burlington www.skagitbicycleclub.org

2011 Bike MS Ride

Sept. 10-11 Mount Vernon bikewas.nationalmssociety.org

Notable: This new system of trails crosses the flanks of Little Mountain. Trails lead from the park entrance to the park’s summit.

Look for trails such as La-Z-Boy, Surfer’s Way, Huff-N-Puff and Sidewinder.

Anacortes Community Forest Lands

Location: Sedro-Woolley Distance: 22.5 miles Getting there: Numerous places to park along Highway 20.

Notable: A rails-to-trails effort, the Cascade Trail runs from SedroWoolley to Concrete.

Location: Anacortes Distance: 50 miles Getting there: The 2,800 acres are the center of Anacortes.

Notable: This is a large network of easy to moderate trails. Included in the area are numerous lakes as well as Mount Erie and Sugarloaf Mountain. Maps are available through Anacortes Parks and Recreation.

Northern State Recreation Area

golf

Location: Sedro-Woolley Distance: 4 miles Getting there: North of Highway 20 on Helmick Road east of SedroWoolley Notable: Trail is on the grounds of what was once the farming operations at Northern State Hospital.

Pass historic buildings and cruise alongside Hansen Creek. Pedal through massive meadows and thick forest.

here are plenty of options for golfers in Skagit County.

You want to sneak in a quick nine holes? You can do that.

You’ve got a little extra time and want to play 27? You can do that, too.

Skagit County’s six courses offer golfers all kinds of scenery, from Puget Sound to the wooded areas typically associated with Northwest Washington.

Port of Skagit Trails

Eaglemont Golf Course

Mountain bike routes Cascade Trail

Location: Burlington Distance: 10.2 miles Getting there: Parking is available at the corner of Ovenell Road and Higgins Airport Way, or the corner of Josh Wilson Road and Higgins Airport Way. Notable: Gravel trail system runs through a chunk of Port of Skagit property. It winds through forest, along roadways and around wetlands.

Little Mountain

Location: Mount Vernon Distance: 10 miles Getting there: The trail is at Little Mountain Park.

| SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011

T

Mount Vernon Holes: 18 Length: 7,006 yards Public/Private: Public 4127 Eaglemont Drive (360) 424-0800 www.eaglemontgolf.com

Avalon Golf Links

Burlington Holes: 27 Length: 10,080 yards Public/Private: Public 19345 Kelleher Road (360) 757-1900 www.avalonlinks.com

skagitvisitor.com

Skagit Golf & Country Club Burlington Holes: 18 Length: 6,063 yards Public/Private: Private 16701 Country Club Drive (360) 757-0530 www.skagitgolfclub.com

Similk Golf Course

Anacortes Holes: 18 Length: 6,200 yards Public/Private: Public 12518 Christianson Road (360) 293-3444

Overlook Golf Course Mount Vernon Holes: 9 Length: 2,213 yards Public/Private: Public 17523 Highway 9 (360) 422-6444

Sedro-Woolley Golf Course

Sedro-Woolley Holes: 9 Length: 2,309 yards Public/Private: Public 1288 Fruitdale Road (360) 856-4641 skagitvisitor.com

Birding

T

he Skagit Valley is a birdwatcher’s dream in winter, when thousands of snow geese, swans and eagles stop here.

Farther east are an abundance of eagles.

The Skagit Audubon Society’s list of recommended sites includes: • Samish Flats, Padilla Bay and Alice Bay. Best fall to spring. Many raptors, waterfowl and passerines.

• Skagit Flats on Fir Island. Best fall to spring. It is a good place to see snow geese, trumpeter and tundra swans and raptors.

• Skagit Bay-Skagit Wildlife Area.

There are plenty of species to see in the Wylie Slough Area, the Jensen Access and the North Fork Access.

• Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve on Padilla Bay. The Upper Skagit Bald Eagle Festival will return to eastern Skagit County in 2011 after a oneyear hiatus for financial reasons.

The festival will be held over four weekends in January in Concrete and Rockport starting Saturday, Jan. 8.

The Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center in Rockport opened Nov. 26. It was to be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for three months.

For more information on the festival and the interpretive center, call (360) 853-7626.

• Washington Park outside Anacortes. Best fall through spring.

This is a great spot for seabird watching.

SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011 |

23

Weather Skagit County lies at the same latitude as St. John’s, Newfoundland, and Paris but has a milder climate than either due to the warming waters of the Pacific Ocean.

T

hat said, Skagit County has some of the most diverse weather of any county in Washington. The western end of the county lies in the Olympic Rain Shadow, thus getting some of the smallest rainfall totals in Western Washington. The eastern end reaches the western slopes of the

24

Cascades, and can get more than 100 inches of rain a year.

The communities of Anacortes, La Conner, Mount Vernon and Burlington, at the western end, enjoy a relatively mild climate, with minimal rainfall and mild temperatures.

But not far east in the community of Sedro-Woolley, and then farther

| SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011

east in Concrete and Marblemount, you find a very different climate indeed.

Anacortes, perched on the saltwater, gets an average of 26.5 inches of yearly rainfall. But, for every 15 miles to the east, rainfall increases by an average of 5 inches a year.

And snowfall goes from an average skagitvisitor.com

mount vernon JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

anacortes

concrete

Hi

Lo

Rainfall

Hi

Lo

Rainfall

Hi

Lo

Rainfall

45.5 49.2 52.8 57.7 63.9 68.6 73.2 73.8 68.5 59.4 50.7 45.9

33.6 35.1 37.1 39.9 44.7 48.8 50.6 50.9 47 41.9 37.8 34.6

4.02 2.84 2.73 2.43 2.21 1.83 1.16 1.49 1.87 3.22 4.48 4.08

45 48.5 52.3 57.8 63.6 68.2 72.1 72 67.3 59.1 51 46.3

34.5 36 38.1 41.6 45.7 49.6 50.4 52.6 49.9 44.5 39.5 36

3.55 2.47 2.29 1.81 1.55 1.36 .90 .99 1.47 2.64 3.83 3.82

41.7 47.2 53.1 60.4 67 71 76.8 76.9 71 60.8 49.1 43

31 32.8 35.2 39.3 44.7 49.4 52.1 52.5 48.9 43.3 37.1 33.1

9.48 6.85 6.66 4.34 3.23 1.41 1.41 1.72 3.45 6.77 10.41 10.36

Weather statistics provided by the Western Regional Climate Center

of 5 inches annually in Anacortes to more than 50 inches at the eastern edge of the county.

Settlers at the turn of the 20th century selected the Skagit Valley for their homes because of the mild weather conditions and long growing seasons. Since then the Skagit Valley has developed into one of the most important agricultural regions of the state, with over 80 crops commercially grown. Summertime highs rarely go above 80, and during winter the lows usually stay above freezing.

Spring is the longest season, lasting from early February to the first of July. During this time the weather is unpredictable, ranging from warm and sunny to cold and windy with steady rain.

July heralds the beginning of summer, with very little precipitation and temperatures in the mid70s.

Fall is the shortest season, often lasting only the month of October before winter weather arrives in November. Like the early settlers, you’ll find the mild weather makes Skagit County a great place to live.

Thai House offers the freshest and most superior ingredients carefully selected to ensure extraordinary flavors.

Authentic Thai Cuisine

Healthy Food, Friendly Service skagitvisitor.com

A superb selection of cocktails, beer and wine OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK! 616 S. 1st St. • Downtown Mount Vernon

in 360.336.2966 Dine or Take Out SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011 |

2

Skagit County

Events ANACORTES

sHiPWreck dAy

Old furniture, clothes, lamps, boat gear, tools — you name it — can be found during the annual Shipwreck Day giant swap meet and sale from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 16 along several blocks of Commercial Avenue in Anacortes.

The event is celebrating its 30th year. From dawn until late in the afternoon, vendors will hawk a variety of “treasures.”

Admission is free. www.anacortes.org.

that allows visitors to watch an array of art mediums as they’re produced.

The event not only adds color and spice to the city’s summertime offerings, but also serves to encourage art and culture throughout the Northwest region, festival organizers say. www.anacortesartsfestival.com.

oysTer run AnAcorTes WATerfronT fesTivAl

Visitors to Anacortes can enjoy a taste of the city’s rich marine heritage and culture during the free two-day Waterfront Festival slated for May 21-22.

Events include a quick-anddirty boatbuilding competition and race, a model and radio-controlled boat parade, kids’ wooden boat building, musical entertainment, plenty of vendors hawking marine gear, free boat rides, a marine swap meet and more.

Dive into the waterfront experience at the gala dinner the Friday night before the festival weekend.

Tickets are $50 and can be purchased through the Anacortes Chamber of Commerce office. www.anacortes.org.

26

AnAcorTes ArTs fesTivAl

Jim Nilsen

One of the Pacific Northwest’s premier arts events, the Anacortes Arts Festival is gearing up for its 50th year with another lineup of fine art, crafts, music, art demonstrations and more Aug. 5-7 in downtown Anacortes.

The festival that started in 1962 as a showcase of local art has grown through the years to include a prestigious art show, a fine art opening event at the Port of Anacortes warehouse and more than 250 juried artisan booths from around the region offering a wide variety of arts and crafts along six blocks of Commercial Avenue.

In recent years, the festival has added a concert series of performances starting the week before the event, artist demonstrations and an “experience art” showcase

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

Follow the rumble and thunder the fourth Sunday in September to downtown Anacortes, where between 10,000 and 15,000 people and thousands of motorcycles gather during the Oyster Run Motorcycle Rally.

It’s a motorcyclist’s dream, with every make and model of motorcycle represented — from refurbished antique Indians to the newest Harleys and Suzukis.

This year’s event is Sept. 25. It’s part touring and part gathering.

Motorcyclists ride in their best leathers along scenic back roads west to Anacortes, often stopping along the way to enjoy local oysters.

The downtown event includes motorcycle vendors, musical entertainment and an offering of local culinary favorites, including succulent oysters prepared by a few restaurants.

The event is free. www.oysterrun.org. skagitvisitor.com

Skagit County

Events BURLINGTON burlinGTon HArvesT fesTivAl And PumPkin PiTcH

Pumpkins away! Put your trebuchets and catapults together and see if you have what it takes to hit the mark during this year’s Burlington Harvest Festival and Pumpkin Pitch Sept. 24 at Skagit River Park in Burlington.

Each fall, a few creative groups get together to design and construct a device to hurl a gourd and hit targets set up throughout the park. The team that comes closest to the marks wins.

While the teams are setting up, kids can build small cars out of zucchinis and play games. www.ci.burlington.wa.us.

son High School cheerleaders.

The event kicks off Friday with the Kiwanis Salmon Barbecue at Skagit River Park, followed by the famous Haggen of Burlington Tractor Parade at 7:30 p.m., musical entertainment and a fantastic fireworks display at dusk over the water at Skagit River Park. Activities continue Saturday with the 2mile and 10K Road Run, the Costco Grand Parade down Fairhaven Avenue and a fun-filled festival with plenty of barbecued salmon, vendors, pony rides, inflatable games, live music and children’s activities at Maiben Park.

Sunday is all about the show and shine, during the Berry Cool Car Show with between 150 and 200 automobiles of all makes and models, decked out in their finest. www.ci.burlington.wa.us.

CONCRETE cAscAde dAys

berry dAiry dAys

A nod to Burlington’s agricultural heritage, Berry Dairy Days is one of the oldest and sweetest festivals in Skagit County.

The family friendly event established in 1937 by the Burlington Fire Department continues for its 74th year June 23-26. Be sure to stop at one of the booths around town during the festival to sample the luscious strawberry shortcake, served up by the Burlington-Ediskagitvisitor.com

It’s a ducky good time at one of eastern Skagit County’s favorite summertime festivals, Cascade Days Aug. 20-21 in “uptown” Concrete.

A nod to the area’s logging culture, the two-day event includes loggers showing off their skills with ax and chain saw. Another anticipated activity is the firemen’s muster.

And there’s plenty to do for the kids, too, with a parade down Main Street, games and contests, a pet pride and talent show and more.

But the favorite of the event may be the rubber duck races down Main Street. A Puget Sound Energy fish taxi hauls water and rubber ducks, each stamped with a number, into town and then releases them onto the street. The duck that

“swims” the farthest wins. www.cascadedays.com.

norTH cAscAdes fly-in

Interested in planes? Then Concrete has the event for you — the annual North Cascades Fly-in the last weekend of July at the Concrete Airport.

Each year, more than 200 planes, many of them antiques, and pilots converge on Concrete to show off their aircraft and enjoy a weekend of live music, food and camaraderie. The event typically attracts between 1,200 and 1,500 visitors. www.concretewaflyin.org/3w5_ 2010/Home.html

GHosT WAlk/ fAll color fesTivAl

Some say Concrete’s ghosts still haunt its historic buildings and alleys. Visitors can see for themselves, and get an inside glimpse of the town’s colorful past during the annual Ghost Walk starting at 6 p.m.

Saturdays in October.

Take the scenic route east on the Old Cascades Highway to Concrete and an evening tour of some of the town’s historic sites, guided by local historians dressed in period clothing. Find out more about Concrete and decide for yourself whether there are ghosts lurking around its corners.

If you’re interested in making the ghost walk part of a relaxing

SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011 |

27

Skagit County

Events

fall weekend getaway, drive the “magic 30 miles” east of SedroWoolley along the North Cascades Highway to Concrete, take in some spectacular fall colors and stop in at the local wineries for a taste of eastern Skagit County’s bounty and harvest activities during Concrete’s Fall Color Festival, Oct. 8-9. www.concrete-wa.com/

MOUNT VERNON

LA CONNER

backdrop of the Skagit River.

The event often draws more than 10,000 people from the United States, Canada, Scotland, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia to the Skagit Valley.

One-day or weekend passes are available. For more information, contact the Celtic Arts Foundation at (360) 416-4934, 888-416-4934 or www.celticarts.org.

SEDRO-WOOLLEY

ArT’s Alive!

Becky Fletcher

Get a glimpse of art in the making during one of Skagit County’s premier art gatherings, Art’s Alive!

Nov. 4-6 in La Conner.

Art’s Alive! has morphed through the years from a festival highlighting a rich tapestry of artwork from local renowned artists, including Charles Krafft, Philip McCracken, Robert Sund and Max Benjamin, to a gathering of thousands of regional artists showing off their works and demonstrating their crafts on the street and in local businesses in downtown La Conner.

Check out some of the best regional art during the Invitational Art Exhibition and Open Show at Maple Hall, and an Emerging Artist Exhibit. An artist’s reception will be held Friday evening, from 5 to 8 p.m., at Maple Hall. www.laconnerchamber.com.

2

skAGiT vAlley HiGHlAnd GAmes

The wail of the bagpipes, thump of the drums, high-stepping Highland dancing and colorful tartans — it’s time for the annual “Scottish 3-ring circus” of the Skagit Valley Highland Games July 9-10 at Edgewater Park in Mount Vernon.

There’s plenty of the Scottish to celebrate in this part of an annual circuit of Highland competitions held in the Pacific Northwest and the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. Enjoy world-class bagpipe, drumming and Highland dance competitions; Highland athletic contests, including the famous caber and sheaf-toss; sheepdog and flyball trials; a gathering of the clans; Scottish country dancing demonstrations; arts, crafts, top-notch musical entertainment, a beer garden and a sampling of Highland food, all against the

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

blAsT from THe PAsT

It’s back to the good ol’ days of family fun and fare during the annual Blast From the Past June 4-5 in downtown Sedro-Woolley.

Visitors can celebrate the warm weather with festivities that include some local shopping and a sidewalk sale, arts, crafts and food from vendors, a breakfast, an open house at the Sedro-Woolley Museum and a large car show of vehicles of every make and model.

It’s all family fun, with hula hoop, jump rope and pie eating contests on Saturday and other family friendly activities and games on Sunday. www.sedro-woolley.com. skagitvisitor.com

Skagit County

Events

in the park.

Downtown, folks participate in the street dance and live music at Hammer Heritage Square, visit the chain-saw carving and logging demonstrations, and watch the kiddie and grand parades.

A tour of the Sedro-Woolley Museum, across from the old city hall on Murdock Street, is a quieter way to learn a bit about the area’s early history.

And what’s a Fourth of July celebration without fireworks? The annual light display is at Riverfront Park. Then there’s the Pro West Rodeo, with bareback riding, barrel racing, and more.

360-770-8452 or www.ci.sedrowoolley.wa.us.

founder’s dAys

loGGerodeo

Sedro-Woolley’s trademark celebration of its logging history has combined with its love of equestrian pursuits for the past 75 years.

It’s anyone’s guess what will pop up this summer during the annual Loggerodeo festivities, always held the last few days of June and first few days of July.

One of the prime attractions is the carnival, which stays for the better part of a week in a spacious location at Riverfront Park at the south edge of town. Visitors can stop along the way at the rodeo grounds on Polte Road, peek in at the old car show off Township Street, or shop at the craft bazaar skagitvisitor.com

Sedro-Woolley celebrates its wild and whoopin’-it-up woolley past with a re-enactment of a famous robbery, games, a museum open house and an honoring of one of its pioneering families during its annual Founders Days event Sept.

10-11 downtown.

The event kicks off in the morning with a community breakfast served up at the Sedro-Woolley Community Center. Then visitors can watch the heart-pounding action of a shootout by “bandits” in early 20th-century cowboy gear and guns reenacting the October 1914 robbery of the Sedro-Woolley First National Bank downtown.

The historic Sedro-Woolley Museum opens its doors to visitors and holds a ceremony to honor a chosen pioneer family that helped shape the city into what it is today.

Sunday’s events include a giant car show with every make and model on display, and a community picnic. www.sedro-woolley.com.

COUNTY-WIDE FESTIVALS

skAGiT counTy fAir

Skagit County celebrates its balmy summer and agricultural heritage with farm animals, music, a fun-filled carnival, arts, crafts and more during the Skagit County Fair Aug. 10-13.

The fair is the highlight of the summer season. Local 4-H and Future Farmers of America students from across the region demonstrate their talents by competing for ribbons with their livestock, and providing a little public education about their animals. Eager students show everything from chickens, pigs, goats, rabbits and dogs to lla-

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Skagit County

Events

skAGiT vAlley fesTivAl of fAmily fArms

mas, horses, sheep, cattle and cats.

Check out other displays of photographs, paintings, flowers, canned goods, colorful and creative quilts from award-winning regional quilters, fruits, vegetables and more.

Fairgoers also flock to the fourday event for the carnival. And, of course, there’s nothing like the fair food — corn dogs, elephant ears, fries, barbecue and more from local vendors.

Other vendors sell everything from arts and crafts to jewelry, soaps, clothing and small gifts.

Local businesses also are on hand to show off their products and talk about their services, while regional and local musicians and performers take the stage for family-friendly entertainment. www.skagitcounty.net/Common/ Asp/Default.asp?d=Fair&c=General &p=main.htm.

skAGiT vAlley TuliP fesTivAl

Nothing defines the Skagit Valley like its explosively colorful bloom of tulips. To celebrate the beauty of this magnificent flower, the valley is again welcoming visitors throughout April for its 27th annual Tulip Festival.

The Tulip Festival has become one of the biggest regional events around, attracting between 300,000 and 400,000 visitors to the valley to view between 400 and 700 acres of tulips primarily grown by two longstanding tulip families, the Roozens of RoozenGaarde and the DeGoedes of Tulip Town. It’s a month-long tourism powerhouse with a list of activities to please the whole family.

Local businesses open their doors to showcase their products, including, wine, oysters and home-

30

made cheese. Visitors can enjoy art of the tulips during several themed art shows.

Special events during the festival include the Tulip Festival Street Fair in downtown Mount Vernon; the Tulip Pedal 20, 40 or 60-mile bicycle ride; the Kiwanis Salmon Barbecue that’s served up daily at Hillcrest Park in Mount Vernon; and the “Antiques Safari” antiques appraisal event at the Cascade Mall in Burlington.

Tulip time also coincides with the Skagit Tulip Fly-In and Airshow at the Skagit Regional Airport. Visitors can peruse a variety of aircraft — and take a flight or two.

Many events are free; others include a price for admission. www. tulipfestival.org.

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

The best time to go farm hopping is Oct. 1-2, during the annual Skagit Valley Festival of Family Farms. Working farms of all sorts are winding down from the hectic growing and harvesting season.

They are eager to show visitors just what they do.

From a cattle ranch in Concrete and alpaca farmers in Sedro-Woolley to shellfish growers in Bow and berry and produce farmers in Mount Vernon and Burlington, tour participants can gain a comprehension of the time, energy and effort our area farmers expend to keep the rest of us well-nourished.

Activities at participating farms aim to keep even the kids engaged.

Youngsters can race crabs or veggie cars, milk an artificial cow (and pet a real one!), get lost in a corn maze, build a scarecrow or ride a pony.

Mom and dad can sample the apple cider, eat barbecued oysters or corn on the cob, or pick out a pumpkin for Halloween. www.festivaloffamilyfarms.com

skagitvisitor.com

CALENDAR JANUARY 08 EAGLE FESTIVAL

(Rockport/Concrete): Enjoy music, entertainment and a viewing of the majestic birds four weekends in January. www.concrete-wa.com/

15 ROBERT BURNS

SCOTTISH EVENING (Mount Vernon): Celebration of Scottish poet Robert Burns, with Celtic music, dancing and food at Hillcrest Park Lodge. www.celticarts.org.

FEBRUARY 26 LA CONNER ROTARY CLUB

SMELT DERBY (La Conner): Pancake breakfast, fishing derby and fishing contest, raffle, 5K and 10K Smelt Run/Walk, live music and more. Starts at 8 a.m. www.laconnerchamber.com.

MARCH 05 MONA STYLE

(La Conner): Features selected artists selling handcrafted clothing, wearable art and home accessories, at the Museum of Northwest Art, 121 First St. www.museumofnwart.org.

05 MARDI GRAS

(Concrete): Enjoy a taste of the Canjun in Concrete with music, food, a parade and more. www.concrete-wa.com/

skagitvisitor.com

APRIL 01 SKAGIT VALLEY

TULIP FESTIVAL Wine-tasting, viewing of the tulip fields, music, a street fair, tours of local businesses that highlight local agricultural products, self-guided bicycle tours, a fly-in at the local airport and more. April 1-30. www.tulipfestial.org.

02 HISTORIC HOME TOUR

(La Conner): 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tour eight vintage homes in the La Conner area. www.laconnerchamber.com.

02 EASTER EGG HUNT

(La Conner): by the La Conner Fire Department, begins at 10 a.m. in Pioneer Park. For ages 12 and younger. www.laconnerchamber.com.

09 ANACORTES

SPRING WINE FESTIVAL (Anacortes): Noon to 5 p.m., at the Port of Anacortes warehouse. Features 24 wineries and six restaurants from Anacortes. www.anacortes.org or www.brownpapertickets.com/ event/93238.

09 WOOD FEST

(Sedro-Woolley): High school students from the woodworking program highlight their skills and compete for prizes. April 9-10. www.sedro-woolley.com.

15 TULIP FESTIVAL STREET FAIR

(Mount Vernon): Arts and crafts, food, music in downtown Mount Vernon. April 15-17. www.mountvernondowntown. org.

23 SKAGIT FLY-IN AND AIRSHOW (Burlington): 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Skagit Regional Airport.

Displays of dozens of aircraft, flying demonstrations, kids’ activities and more.

(360) 757-0011.

23 KIWANIS EGG HUNT

IN THE PARK (Burlington): 10 a.m. at Maiben Park. Hunt for more than 4,000 eggs filled with candy and toys.

For ages 1-8. www.ci.burlington.wa.us.

23 EASTER EGG HUNT

(Sedro-Woolley): Hunt for candy and eggs hidden in Riverfront Park. www.sedro-woolley.com/

MAY 07 KIDS’ FISHING DERBY

(Sedro-Woolley): For ages 14 and younger, at Northern State Pond just outside of SedroWoolley. Bring your own bait and gear. www.sedro-woolley.com.

07 OPENING DAY BOAT PARADE

(La Conner): 3 p.m. on the Swinomish Channel. Boats parade along the channel to kick off the boating season.

360-420-9448

21 WATERFRONT FESTIVAL

(Anacortes): 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 21, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 22, at Cap Sante Boat Haven. Boat-building competition and races, kids’ wooden boat building, music, vendors and more. May 21-22. www.anacortes.org.

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CALENDAR JUNE 04 BLAST FROM THE PAST

(Sedro-Woolley): Downtown sidewalk sale, hula hoop, jump rope and pie-eating contests, games, music, car show and more. June 4-5. www.sedro-woolley.com.

04 SKATEFEST

(Anacortes): 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Ben Root Skate Park.

Three levels of skate boarding competition offered. nicolej@cityofanacortes.org.

11 BARK IN THE PARK

(Anacortes): 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Storvik Park. Includes pet parade, costume contests, vendors and more. nicolej@ cityofanacortes.org.

17 MONA ART AUCTION

(La Conner): Largest fundraiser for the Museum of Northwest Art features the works of more than 300 artists. Auction preview open to ticket holders and guests on Friday and Saturday. (360) 466-4446, ext.

112, or www.museumofnwart. org.

18 FATHER’S DAY BOAT SHOW (La

Conner): View boats at “F” dock, a swap meet, hot dogs and a raffle. June 18-19. www.laconnerchamber.com.

32

20 ST. MERRYFEST

(Anacortes): Carnival, food booths and beer tent, live music, salmon dinner at St. Mary Catholic Church. June 2022. www.anacortes.org.

23 BERRY DAIRY DAYS

(Burlington): A nod to the city’s agricultural history, event includes salmon barbecue, shortcake at booths around town, fireworks display over the Skagit River, music, a festival of fun at Maiben Park, tractor parade, 10K Road Run, car show and Grand Parade down Fairhaven Avenue. June 23-26.

(360) 755-9649 or www.ci.burlington.wa.us

29 LOGGERODEO

(Sedro-Woolley): SedroWoolley’s trademark Fourth of July celebration and celebration of its logging history includes a carnival, chain-saw carving and logging demonstrations, kiddie and grand parades, an old car show, craft bazaar, fireworks and rodeo. June 29-July 4. www.ci.sedro-woolley.wa.us or (360) 770-8452.

JULY 04 JULY 4 CELEBRATION

(Anacortes): 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., in downtown Anacortes. Parade, patriotic program at Causland Park, fireworks over Fidalgo Bay at dusk. (360) 588-1108.

04 PARADE AND FIREWORKS

OVER THE CHANNEL (La Conner): Fourth of July parade, community picnic and games, fireworks over Swinomish Channel at 10 p.m. www.laconnerchamber.com.

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

04 CONCRETE FOURTH OF JULY (Concrete): The celebration includes music, food and fun. www.concrete-wa.com.

04 FABULOUS 4TH OF JULY

(Mount Vernon): Food, music and fireworks at dust at Edgewater Park. www.ci.mount-vernon.wa.us (Parks Department/Special Events)

08 OUTDOOR MOVIES

(Sedro-Woolley): Enjoy an outdoor showing of a family film along with entertainment every Friday night in July. www.sedro-woolley.com.

09 KIDS-R-BEST FEST

(Anacortes): 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Storvik Park. Games, activities, live entertainment, food, prizes and more. www.anacortes.org.

09 SKAGIT VALLEY HIGHLAND

GAMES AND CELTIC FESTIVAL (Mount Vernon): Highland spirit with a weekend of piping, dancing and drumming competitions, country dancing, a gathering of the clans, Highland athletic competitions, sheepdog trials, crafts, music, food and a beer garden. Bring your kilt. July 9-10. (360) 4164934, (888) 416-4934 or www.celticarts.org.

15 WHAT THE HECKFEST

(Anacortes): Music festival featuring more than 40 bands and performers from across the United States and Canada. Also features films, art and literature readings. July 15-17. www.whattheheckfest.com.

skagitvisitor.com

CALENDAR 16 CHILDREN’S ART FESTIVAL

(Mount Vernon): Hands-on arts and crafts, roving characters, entertainment, face painting and more. www.ci.mount-vernon.wa.us (Parks Department/Special Events)

16 SHIPWRECK DAY

(Anacortes): 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. along Commercial Avenue, between Third and 10th streets.

Find your treasures at this citywide flea market.

(360) 293-7911.

16 SAMISH BAY BIVALVE BASH

AND LOW TIDE MUD RUN: (Bay View): Race through the mud flats up to your knees, create a oyster shell sculpture worthy of a prize, try your luck at an amateur oyster shucking competition and don’t forget to grab some beer and more oysters during this 8th annual event. www.bivalvebash.com.

16 SKAGIT ARTISTS TOGETHER

STUDIO TOUR Glimpse the creative process of artists as they demonstrate in their studios across Skagit County, and enjoy art shows at several local galleries. July 16-17. www.skagitartiststogether.com.

22 NORTH CASCADES FLY-IN

(Concrete): More than 200 planes from around the region converge on Concrete. Live music, food, films and more.

July 22-24.

23 CEMENT CITY STREET FAIR

(Concrete): Enjoy music, healthy local food, a parade, a poetry festival and more in “uptown” Concrete. www.concrete-wa.com.

skagitvisitor.com

29 SIDEWALK SALE

(Mount Vernon): Enjoy perusing items from downtown merchants, arts and crafts vendors, food and more.

July 29-30. www.mountvernondowntown. org.

AUGUST 05 ANACORTES ARTS FESTIVAL

(Anacortes): One of the Northwest’s premier arts events, includes concerts at the Port the week before the festival weekend, more than 250 juried artists showing their works downtown, music, art demonstrations, culinary art, youth activities, prestigious art show and fine art opening. Aug. 5-7. (360) 293-6211 or www.anacortesartsfestival.com.

06 PIONEER PICNIC

(La Conner): Salmon barbecue, music, honoring of pioneer family to celebrate the area’s pioneer heritage.

(360) 707-0536.

10 SKAGIT COUNTY FAIR

(Mount Vernon): Celebrate the county’s agricultural heritage with farm animal showings, a carnival, craft and hobby displays, vendor booths, music, entertainment and more. Aug. 10-13. www.skagitcounty.net.

13 LA CONNER CLASSIC YACHT AND CAR SHOW (La Conner): A viewing of antique cars and yachts, a pancake breakfast, vendor booths and kids’ activities. www.laconnerchamber.com/ classics.cfm.

14 JUST FOR FUN POKER RUN

(Sedro-Woolley): Travel around some of the area’s most breathtaking scenery, motorcycle-style to benefit Skagit Hospice, starting at the Hometown Cafe. www.sedro-woolley.com

20 CASCADE DAYS

(Concrete): Enjoy a firemen’s muster, parade, logging demonstration, food, music and more at this summer celebration. Aug. 20-21.

(360) 853-8233.

SEPTEMBER 10 ANACORTES ANTIQUE

ENGINE & MACHINERY SHOW (Anacortes): 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the corner of Market Street and T Avenue near the W.T. Preston snagboat. Show of antique engines and other equipment.

(360) 293-1915.

10 FOUNDERS’ DAYS

(Sedro-Woolley): SedroWoolley celebrates its wild and whoopin’-it-up woolley past with a re-enactment of a famous robbery, games, a museum open house and an honoring of one of its pioneering families.

Sept. 10-11. (360) 855-1841 or www.sedro-woolley.com

18 DR. BROOKS GUILD HOME

AND BOAT TOUR (Anacortes): View a list of custom homes and boats and help support Seattle Children’s Hospital. www.anacortes.org.

24 BURLINGTON HARVEST

FESTIVAL (Burlington): Watch as trebuchets hurl pumpkins

SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011 |

33

CALENDAR across Skagit River Park. Enjoy zucchini car racing and kids’ games. www.burlington chamber.com/eventsharvest festival.

24 FALL FEST

(Mount Vernon): Farmers market downtown, kids’ activities, music, beer garden.

Watch for attempt to create world’s largest potato au gratin. www.mountvernondowntown. org.

25 THE OYSTER RUN

MOTORCYCLE RALLY (Anacortes): Thousands of motorcycles converge on downtown Anacortes to enjoy food, music and bike viewing.

(360) 671-7575 or www.oysterrun.org.

30 LA CONNER QUILT FESTIVAL

(La Conner): Quilt displays, demonstrations, vendor booths, workshops and more.

Sept. 30 - Oct. 2. www.laconnerquilts.com.

08 OKTOBERFEST

(Anacortes): Sample locally made beer from breweries and enjoy music, food and more during this fall festival at the Port of Anacortes warehouse.

(360) 293-7911 or www.anacortes.org.

15 CONCRETE GHOST WALK

(Concrete): Peruse some of Concrete’s most haunted locations, while learning some of its history, too. Oct. 15, 22 and 29. www.concrete-wa.com.

31 HALLOWEEN IN

SEDRO-WOOLLEY Kiddies’ parade, trick-or-treating and more. www.sedro-woolley.com.

31 TRICK-OR-TREAT

(Mount Vernon): Trick-ortreating at downtown stores, costume contest at the Lincoln Theatre and more. www. mountvernondowntown.org

OCTOBER 01 FESTIVAL OF FAMILY FARMS:

Visit Skagit County farms and sample shellfish, beef, berries, produce, milk, cider and more, while enjoying activities.

Oct. 1-2. www.festivaloffamilyfarms. com.

08 FALL COLOR FESTIVAL

Cruise the “Magic 30 Miles” of Highway 20 east of SedroWoolley to the Rockport area, taking in the colorful foliage, and enjoying entertaining stops at businesses and other areas along the way. www.concretewa.com.

3

27 CHRISTMAS PARADE

(Mount Vernon): This event begins at 5 p.m. Arrival of Santa, Christmas tree lighting in Pine Square, hot chocolate and more. www.mountvernondowntown. org.

DECEMBER 02 CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING

CEREMONY (Anacortes): Tree-lighting, town crier, appearance by and pictures with Santa and performances by local students, hot cocoa and more at the Chamber of Commerce, 819 Commercial Ave. www.anacortes.org.

10 SANTA’S CITY OF LIGHTS

PARADE (Sedro-Woolley): Trian and pony rides for kids, cider, giant Christmas tree lighting and Santa parade in downtown Sedro-Woolley. www.sedro-woolley.com.

10 CHRISTMAS IN CONCRETE

(Concrete): This event includes a parade, entertainment and more. www.concrete-wa.com.

31 TRICK-OR-TREAT

KP Studios

(Anacortes): Trick-or-treating at downtown stores.

NOVEMBER 04 ARTS ALIVE!

(La Conner): Watch as renowned regional artists demonstrate their skills and peruse fine art at several shows during this weekend of art. Nov. 4-6. www.laconnerchamber.com.

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

11 HOLIDAY HOME TOUR

(Sedro-Woolley): Get a glimpse inside some of Sedro-Woolley’s historic homes — and its historic museum — all decked out in colors and lights for the holidays. www.sedro-woolley.com.

17 ANNUAL FLOTILLA

LIGHTED BOAT PARADE (Anacortes): Lighted boats travel up and down the Guemes Channel. skagitvisitor.com

JOBS

450 full-time, family-wage

TAXES

$20 million in annual state

jobs for local residents

and local sales tax

HOPE

$100,000 in annual

HELP

2,350 volunteer hours in

charitable contributions

the local community last year

MOUNT VERNON

Mount Vernon

M

ount Vernon is not only Skagit County’s largest town, it is a gateway to many of the experiences that make the Northwest such a special place.

The wild and scenic Skagit River, teeming with salmon, runs through the heart of this eclectic town, which embraces its farmland as strongly as its quaint downtown streets and rambling neighborhoods, both old and new.

In summers when the salmon run is big, those strolling on the river revetment can see the Skagit’s banks dotted with anglers.

Sitting in the valley between the Cascade Mountains and the San Juan Islands, Mount Vernon itself has much to offer.

Come in the spring to see the breathtakingly colorful fields of daffodils, tulips and irises. The world-famous annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival takes place in Mount

36

Vernon during the entire month of April.

Summer is festival time, with the Skagit Valley Highland Games and Celtic Festival at Edgewater Park, the Skagit River Shakespeare Festival in mid-summer, and the Skagit County Fair each August at the county fairgrounds. The summer weather is almost always just right, and a farmers market featuring Skagit Valley produce and hand-made wares is offered every Saturday downtown right next to the river.

In October, the annual Skagit Valley Festival of Family Farms tour offers guests an inside look at the area’s rural side of life.

Any time of year, stroll along the streets of downtown to sample the diverse selection of locally owned restaurants and shops — from antiques to boutiques. One special feature is the historic Lincoln Theatre, built in 1926 to showcase vaudeville performers and silent movies.

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

For those heading north or south to experience more of the Northwest, Mount Vernon is a stop for the Amtrak Cascades passenger train. The new Skagit Station was built in 2004 and also offers stops for Skagit Transit and Greyhound buses.

Mount Vernon just celebrated its 120th birthday. Its founders arrived in the 1870s, and started homesteading the town just above a 3mile-long log jam so firmly placed that trees were growing on top. A handful of farmers started pulling those logs out by hand with crosscut saws and horses until there was a gap big enough for a small boat to get through. It took two years of clearing before the first steamer, the Wenat, was able to make it past and into Mount Vernon in 1878.

It took many more years of clearing to remove the jam completely.

Mount Vernon incorporated in 1890, the year after Washington gained statehood. Named after skagitvisitor.com

mount vernon George Washington’s home in Virginia, Mount Vernon’s population was 443 at the time.

Today, the city is home to about 30,000 people.

GOVERNMENT INFORMATION City of Mount Vernon 910 Cleveland Ave. P.O. Box 809 Mount Vernon, WA 98273 Phone: (360) 336-6211 FAX: (360) 336-0623 Web site: www.ci.mount-vernon.wa.us

SCHOOL INFORMATION Mount Vernon Administration Office 124 E. Lawrence Mount Vernon, WA 98273 (360) 428-6110 www.mv.k12.wa.us

Elementary Schools Centennial Elementary School 3100 Martin Road (360) 428-6128 Jefferson Elementary School 1801 E. Blackburn Road (360) 428-6128 Lincoln Elementary School 1005 S. 11th St. (360) 428-6135 Little Mountain Elementary 1514 S. LaVenture Road (360) 428-6125

Mount Baker Middle School 2310 E. Section (360) 428-6127 High School Mount Vernon High School 314 N. Ninth St. (360) 428-6100

NEW RESIDENT MOVE-IN PHONE NUMBERS

Garbage, sewer and recycling: City of Mount Vernon (360) 336-6218 Natural gas: Cascade Natural Gas (888) 522-1130 Water: Public Utility District #1 (360) 424-7104 Electricity: Puget Power (425) 452-1234 Voter registration: (360) 336-9305

Outside city limits: garbage, recycling and waste management (360) 757-8245 Big Lake Sewer, Sewer District #2 (360) 422-8373 Dump at the Skagit County Transfer Station (360) 424-3873

CHAMBERS/ORGANIZATIONS Downtown Business Association of Mount Vernon (360) 336-3801

Leadership Skagit Stephanie Hooper, (360) 707-5422 League of Women Voters of Skagit County Robin Pestarino, (360) 588-8177 Mount Vernon

Madison Elementary School 907 E. Fir St. (360) 428-6131 Washington Elementary School 1020 McLean Road (360) 428-6122 Middle Schools LaVenture Middle School 1200 LaVenture Road (360) 428-6116

skagitvisitor.com

SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011 |

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mount vernon Cin Pl dy N 24th Pl

N 25th Pl

N 20th Pl

N 20th Pl

S Cedar Hills Pl

St N2 5th

Shady Ln S 24th St N 23rd St

Addison Pl

Elliott Pl

Cedar Ct

Montgomery Pl

S 25th St S 26th St

E Kincaid St 25th Street Playfield

Mount Baker M.S.

Ha Eas

Little Mountain Elementary Grand

Av

E Cedar Hills D

Crosby Dr

Willett St

Phillips Loop

S LaVenture Rd

S 22nd Pl

Moody St r St Carpente E Montgomer

S 22nd Ct S LaVenture Rd

Widnor Dr

S 20th St

S 19th St S 20th St S 21st St S 21st Pl S 21st Ct

and

Upl

S Cedar Hills Dr

N 19th St

N Viewmont Dr N 18th Pl Mountain View Dr Stanford Dr Nylin Ct Streeter Pl Carmel Av N 21st St N Belair Dr

N 18th St

N 17th Pl N 18th Pl

S 18th St

Stonebridg Way

Cedar Hills Pl

Rd

Aemmer Rd

Sarah St Marde Pl Traci Pl

S 19th St

tt

N LaVenture Rd

Forest Dr

Sandalwood Ct

N 20th St

Parker Way

N 16th St

N 17th St N 17th St

Claremont Pl

Belmont Ter

S 17th St

S 16th St

Jefferson Elementary

Kylee Ct S 18th St

ge

Noble St

E Blackburn Rd

Jillian Ct

Henson Rd

n Pen Rd

38

N 15th St

Hillcrest Pkwy

Bonnie Pl Riley Rd

od

Fowler Pl

Fowler St Cherie Ln

S 20th St

St

Bl

N 19th Pl

ridg e

S 13th St

Bernice St

Fowler St

Little Mountain Ln Olive St

Earl Ct

D

| SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011

Park Av View Av

Hollydale Acres Ln

Old Hwy 99 S Rd

McFarland Ln E

Exit 225

Melody Ln

Westridge Ln

F

G

Olympic Pl

C

Anderson Rd

Skyridge Ct

B

Britt Slough

Dike Rd

Ellison Rd

9

A

Woo d

l

ntal P

Contin e

Bu ck Wa y

N 14th St

S 12th St

N 10th St

S 10th St

S 11th St

E Hazel St

d ksi Par r Te

5 Staudt Rd

Av Meadow Dr N 18th Pl

E Mead ow Blvd

Leigh Way

N 12th St

N 9th St

N 9th St

S 9th St

S 10th St

Blackberry Dr

E Skagit St

e

Gunn Rd

Cleveland Av

E Taylor St

E Fulton St

18th Street Park South

E Broad St

Hillcrest Park

Cedardale Rd

Britt

Railroad Av

Taylor St

Arthur Pl

E Kincaid St

Kulshan Av

LaVenture M.S. Mary Cir

Alison Av

Jasmine Pl

18th Street Park North

Kulshan View Dr

Jacqueline Pl

Cascade Av

Skagit Valley Hospital E Montgomery St

E Section St

Lind St

E

E Viewmont Dr

E Broadway

Lincoln Elementary

S 7th St

S 3rd St

S 2nd St

Cleveland Av

Lind St

St

S 10th St

S 7th St

S 4th St Railroad Av

Harrison St

Virginia St

St

Harrison St

Vera St

W Blackburn Rd

er Ln

Heath

8

Cleveland Anderson Ball Park

Vera St Skagit County Fairgrounds

Rd

Heather Cir

S Wall St S Wall St

Vera Ct

Walter

West St Douglas St

Riverview Ln

Union St

d

W Section St St st Post Office S 1 Park St Park St 6th Street Park Cleveland W Hazel St E Hazel St Park

Dike Rd

E Division St

E Montgomery St

oa

15th Street Park

Warren St

S 14th St

N 6th St

Br

E Spruce St

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Skagit Valley College

Lawn Cemetery

E Belair Dr

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Milwaukee St

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Mount Vernon Cemetery

S 4t N 5th St h S 5t St h St St N 7th St

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W Broadway

Mount Vernon

N 9th St

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Edgewater Park

Madison Park Dr Loop Dr Fir Ln

N 11th St

Riverside Dr

N 4th St

N 1st St

N Baker St

N Ball St

N Wall St

Garfield St

N 12th Pl

Austin Ln Sigmar Ln

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Jeff E Wa erson S Moody St t shin gton St E Carpenter St

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E Cedar St

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William Way

Madison Elementary

E Spruce St

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Washington Elementary

S Barker St

McLean Rd

Greenacres Rd

Porter St

Norman Pl

Curtis St

Linc St

Lions Park

Emerson Alternative H.S. Chamber of Cosgrove St Cosgrove St Commerce, W Division St Amtrak Station Lincoln St

S Wall St

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H Northwoods Loop Rd

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E Parkway Dr W Meadow

Pacific Pl

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River Bend Rd

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S 7t

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Lilly Ln

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Montgomery Pl Brittany St

Cedarwood Pl

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Digby Rd

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Sioux Dr

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ence Pl Liberty Pl

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Colony Pl Independ

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Mount Baker M.S.

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Belair Dr

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Summersun Montessori

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N LaVenture Rd

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Hil

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Tundra Ct

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1-Paul Pl 2-David Pl Kulshan View Dr 3-Bakerview Pl 4-Timothy Pl 5-Schuller Pl Kulshan Av Helen Dr 1 LaVenture Irene Cir M.S. Mary Cir 2 3 Jacqueline Pl 4 Juanita Pl 5 Anne Pl

pet

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Eastwind St

Tru m

Trumpeter Blvd N 35th St

Eastwind St

E College Way

wmont Dr

Arbor St

Trumpeter Dr

Skagit Valley College

n ery

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N 35th Pl

Sigmar Ln

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Eas t For k Noo kachamps Creek

N 40th Pl

Skagit Playfields

N 33rd Pl

N 20th Pl

Centennial Elementary

M

McLaughlin Rd Exn

N Waugh Rd

N 25th Pl

N 24th Pl

Martin Rd

Austin Ln

ire Station No. 2 orne

Rose w

L

Barney Lake

peter Trum Pl

alwood St

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Cin Pl dy

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a Dr

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Firwood Ln N2 7th St

Monic

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Northridge Way Briarwood Cir Club Ct

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H Northwoods Loop Rd

NW 30th St

G ep Park

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© 2011 Skagit Publishing © 2011 Skagit Publishing

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by Fine Edge, by Anacortes, WAAnacortes, WA produced Fine Edge, K

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SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011 |

39

MOUNT VERNON chamber of commerce 105 E. Kincaid St., (360) 428-8547 skagit Habitat for Humanity Wayne Wegner, (360) 428-9402 skagit Hospice foundation (360) 416-5702 skagit land Trust (360) 428-7878 Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland (360) 336-3974 skagit Performing Arts council (360) 336-3245 skagit Women in business Marjorie Plewinski catering@vipexpresso.com skagit Women’s Alliance and network (360) 856-2068

SENIOR SERVICES department of social and Health services: (360) 416-7444 or 800-487-0416

Lickety Clips

city utility discounts for low-income seniors: (360) 336-6218 mount vernon senior center: (360) 336-5757

HOME HEALTH CARE:

optioncare (360) 854-9604 or (800) 755-0484

Grooming Salon Pet Styling Academy Doggie Daycare 1505 Roosevelt Ave • Mount Vernon

360.424.2036 licketyclips@comcast.net

*A Licensed Private Vocational School of Washington State* 0

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

visiting nurse Personal services (360) 336-9693 or (800) 624-2714

FESTIVALS

skagit valley Tulip festival April 1-30 skagit valley Highland Games and celtic festival July 9-10 skagit river shakespeare festival July and/or August skagitvisitor.com

mount vernon EDGEWATER PARK 600 Behrens Millet Road Located in West Mount Vernon, this 66-acre park is situated along the scenic Skagit River. Facilities include four regulation softball fields, 25 camping sites (for tournament camping only) and a public boat launch.

LITTLE MOUNTAIN PARK Little Mountain Road At 480 acres, it is the city’s largest and most impressive park. It is located near the city limits in southeast Mount Vernon. A 1.5mile paved road leads to the top of the hill, ending at an elevation of 934 feet. From there, two covered

I-5 Exit 227 (College Way) East on College Way to Riverside Dr. - North 2 blocks *FREE* 2009 Riverside Dr. Mount Vernon, WA 98273 Reservations: 360-424-4141 www.daysinn.com/hotel/04735

Deluxe DayBreak Breakfast Wireless Internet • Truck Parking • Local Calls • HBO PATRON Mexican Restaurant on-site Restaurants & Shopping within walking distance.

Near Cascade Mall & Outlet Shoppes of Burlington

Skagit County Fair Aug. 10-13

PARKS

HILLCREST PARK 1717 South 13th St. As a 30.75-acre park situated in the southern portion of Mount Vernon, Hillcrest borders 13th and Blackburn streets. Its facilities include a softball field, soccer field, four lighted tennis courts, two lighted outdoor basketball courts, picnic areas, playground equipment, walking trails, a rental gazebo, barbecue pits, community lodge and rental garden and a rental covered picnic area. skagitvisitor.com

Stay - Dine - Relax

Hartford Photography 2007

EXPERIENCE...

• The abundant culture, arts & heritage • The downtown shopping district • The natural beauty & amazing festivals • The fresh harvest at the farmer’s market • And so much more!

Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce

105 E. Kincaid • Mount Vernon 360.428.8547 • www.VisitMountVernon.coM SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011 |

41

MOUNT VERNON lions PArk 501 Freeway Drive This popular 1.6-acre park is located on the east bank of the Skagit River near downtown Mount Vernon. Facilities include sheltered and unsheltered picnic areas, playground equipment and a recreational vehicle dump station.

Windsocks-Kites-Novelties-Drawing-Silk Screening-KidsKits-Tie Dye-Coloring Books

Locally owned and operated Art supply and gift store with a little something for everyone! The“smallest” “biggest”art supply store around.

Theatrical make up-Crayola-RockTumbling-Funny hats, glasses and noses-Easels-Frames

Games-Puzzles-Costumes-Lanterns-Clay

Water color-Acrylic-Oil-Gift Books-Magnets

viewpoints provide onlookers with a spectacular view of the Skagit Valley, the San Juan Islands, Olympic Mountains and the county’s seasonal tulip fields. The park also provides numerous hiking trails and serves as an excellent hanggliding location.

The nation’s largest family mover.

UNITED Van Lines

US DOT 077949 • WUTC# HG-21969

211 Anderson Rd. Mount Vernon

While you’re here...

Shop and stroll the historic downtown and relax in Pine Square.

Check out the Lincoln Theatre and make plans to attend an event.

Visit Skagit Valley College and McIntyre Hall.

Sample fine food and handcrafted ales at the growing number of brewpubs.

Drive to the top of Little

Local/Long Distance/International Storage for Households & Business Records Boxes/Packing Free Estimates Family Owned & Operated

Central Moving & Storage LLC Since 1971

800-366-2694 360-424-7714 www.CentralMovingStorage.com 2

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

Mountain and enjoy the panoramic views.

Take a walk at Edgewater Park.

Picnic at Lions Park then drive the River Bend Road loop.

Play tennis at Skagit Valley College on the only covered courts in the county. skagitvisitor.com

MOUNT VERNON

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sHermAn Anderson bAllPArk 1501 Cleveland St. Located on Cleveland Street half a mile south of downtown Mount Vernon, Sherman Anderson is a 3.4-acre park frequently used to hold baseball competitions, the annual Skagit County Fair and community events. It has a concession stand and grandstand seating.

G

M

HEALTH CARE

Skagit Valley Hospital 1415 E. Kincaid St. (360) 424-4111 Skagit Valley Medical Center 1400 E. Kincaid St. (360) 428-2500

Welcome to the party!

N

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kiWAnis PArk Corner of Broadway and 18th Street This 8-acre neighborhood and water park is sponsored and partially purchased by the three Mount Vernon Kiwanis clubs.

For additional information about Mount Vernon parks, call (360) 336-6213.

OCRA

T

Skagit County Democrats 300-A South First Street Downtown Mount Vernon 336.1555 www.skagitdemocrats.org (Mailing address: P.O. Box 761)

15TH sTreeT PlAyfield North 15th St. This 5-acre neighborhood park sports two Little League baseball fields, two youth soccer fields and playground facilities. bAkervieW PArk 3101 East Fir St. Bakerview is a spacious 39-acre park located in Mount Vernon’s northeast quadrant. Facilities include four Little League fields, three soccer fields, four basketball courts and two sand volleyball courts. It also has a skateboard playground with four ramps and several trick rails and a roller hockey area. Other amenities include outdoor barbecues, children’s playgrounds, picnicking areas, a disc golf course, restrooms and concessions.

skagitvisitor.com

SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011 |

3

BURLINGTON

ary ublic Libr Burlington P

Burlington

D

ubbed “The Hub City,” Burlington is the county’s cornerstone of commercial activity.

A mix of old and new, the city has maintained its historic shopping district on Fairhaven Avenue, an old-fashioned main street.

Around the corner, the more modern version of shopping begins with a mall, a discount outlet mall and a collection of big box stores that draw customers from Seattle and British Columbia.

Burlington aims to serve its residents, as well, with an extensive parks system along the Skagit River Park. The city also maintains Maiben Park, which contains Burlington’s Community Building and Senior Center; Alpha Park, the traditional site for the city’s decorated 70-foot-tall Christmas tree; and Rotary Park, which offers soccer and softball fields, a concrete skate park and the region’s only four-court, outdoor sand volleyball site.

Burlington celebrates its agricultural roots and industries with the annual Berry Dairy Days celebration in June.

Burlington was platted in 1891 and gained its first post office, school, meat market, sawmill and saloon that year. The railroad company Seattle and Northern built a railroad through town that year.

The town was incorporated in 1902.

The population today is about 9,000.

GOVERNMENT INFORMATION city of burlington 833 S. Spruce St. Burlington, WA 98233 Phone: (360) 755-0531 FAX: (360) 755-1297 Web site: www.ci.burlington.wa.us

SCHOOL INFORMATION Administration office 927 E. Fairhaven Ave. Burlington, WA 98233 (360) 757-3311 www.be.wednet.edu

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

elemenTAry scHools Allen school 17145 Cook Road, Bow (360) 757-3352 bay view school 15241 Josh Wilson Road (360) 757-3322 edison school 5801 Main Ave., Bow (360) 757-3375 lucille umbarger school 820 S. Skagit St. (360) 757-3366 West view school 515 W. Victoria Ave., (360) 757-3391 HiGH scHool burlington-edison High school 301 N. Burlington Blvd.

(360) 757-4074

skagitvisitor.com

BURLINGTON NEW RESIDENT MOVE-IN PHONE NUMBERS

FESTIVALS

berry dairy days June on the weekend after Father’s Day

electricity: Puget Sound Energy 888-225-5773 Telephone: Verizon (800) 483-4000 cable television: Comcast (800) 266-2278 Water: Public Utilities District (360) 424-7104 Waste management: (360) 757-4068 Gas: Cascade Natural Gas Corp.

(360) 336-6155

PARKS

boerner memoriAl PArk Located at the corner of Norris Street and West Fairhaven Avenue, this park is dedicated as a memorial to special people in the community. It serves as a day-use park for picnicking and small children.

A large tot lot is provided along with picnic tables and benches.

CHAMBERS/ORGANIZATIONS burlington chamber of commerce (360) 757-0994

AlPHA PArk Alpha Park is located at the corner of Fairhaven Avenue and Cherry Street. It is a quaint, well-groomed park often used as a summer picnic area. It is also the site of the community Christmas tree.

burlington Parks foundation Kathi Wallace, 18155 Joy Place, Burlington, WA 98233

SENIOR SERVICES

burlington senior center (360) 755-0102

more room to spread out.

Everybody needs their space. At Hampton Inn and Suites, we give you a lot of it, from a traditional room to a spacious studio suite. You can also take advantage of our Suite Shop® and other amenities to help make your stay relaxing and productive. We promise you’ll be 100% satisfied. Guaranteed.

FREE fresh waffles

100% satisfaction guarantee

refreshing swimming pool

we love having you here.

®

Burlington • 1860 S. Burlington Blvd. • Burlington, Washington www.burlingtonsuites.hamptoninn.com • (360) 757-7100 ©2010 Hilton Worldwide

skagitvisitor.com

SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011 |

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| SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011

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Lafaye

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Filbert Ln Del Rio S Hawthorne St N Hawthorne Dr St

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Lafayette Rd

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Shuler Av Crystal Ln

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Sunne St

Port Dr

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Fidalgo Dr Cypress 1 Ct 2 Lopez 3 Ln

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Marketplace Dr

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Pease Rd

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Stierlen Pl

Pacific Dr

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1-Carol Ann Pl 2-Carol Ann Ct

rail ta T

Decatur Cir Cul de Sac Dr 1-King Dr 2-Annett Ln Skagit River 3-Cassaundra Ct

Cascade Pl

Fash

Fenske Ln Ali ssa L

S Walnut St

Cascade Mall

Avon Av

E Hazel Av

Pickett Ln Lucille Umbarger Homestead Dr Elementary Rotary Curtis St Park

Lloyd

d Ju Kay Av Pump Dr

Monroe St

Travis Ln Morgan Ln

P Plaza Dr

E Washington Av Sanchez Ln E Vernon Av Clancy Maiben Cascade Vista City Ct Swank Pl Park Sunset Dr Tiger Ln Jack Doyle Memorial Sparrs Ln E Rio Vista Av Park E Rio Vista Av

Miracle Ln Vail Ln

Aspen Ln Lily Ln

n

v yA

Neff Cir

Maple St

W Jordan Rd eimer Tr zh 1 2

rbo

0A

2 ute

o

Penne Ln Willow Dr

20

wy

E Fairhaven Av

Burlington Rose Ln

S Spruce St

Gilkey Rd

E Victoria Av

Nelson Ln

te R

Sta

Lei Garden Rd

E Olympia Av

Charles St

Police Department and Municipal Court

Andis Rd

E Orange Av

City Hall

Cedar St

Lila Ln

Greenleaf Av

E Sharon Av Fire Department

Sharon Av

Gages Ln

H Liberty Ln des Bradley Ct asca C

5

N Holly St N Regent St

N Anacortes St

St

N Pine St

N Cherry

S Cherry St

S Walnut St

S Alder St

Railroad Av

E Rio Vista Av

Haggen Dr

Costco Dr

N Oak St

N Alder

E Orange Av

Huff Rd

Aliston Ln Green Hills Memorial Cemetery

Hill Vue St

Hill Vue Pl

2 N 1 3 t St r o E Magnolia Av Sh Lions Avon Av Laird Pl Club E Hazel Av Park

E Victoria Av Alpha Park Railroad Park

Gina Marie Ln

Hill Ct

4

E Washington Av Burlington Public Library E Vernon Av Post Office E Vernon Av

Woodgate Pl

Marketplace Dr

Bu rl i n gto nH Gra ei g n d hts view Ove rloo Dr k Ln Ct

Dane Ln

County Shop Ln

N Spruce St

N Walnut St

St

N Burlington Blvd Hulbush Ln Cleveland St

N Koch St N McKinley St

Avon Av

Revilo Dr

Poplar Pl

Orchard Pl

Fenton Ln

ub Ln

Piper C

Ferry St

Lodean Dr Heritage Pl

Fritsch Av

Oak Hill Ln

Burlington-Edison H.S. E Magnolia Av E Magnolia Av

E Hazel Av

Apostolic Way

1-Meadows Blvd 2-Andrew Dr 3-Courtney Ln 4-Lupine Ln 5-Todd Pl

l

Fairhaven Av

ricks P

Victoria Av ons Av

Hend

t View mentary

Swan Dr

Gardner Rd

Park Ln

Old Hwy 99 N

lc r Hil

Fountain St

Kirby Av

Nedra Ln

N

y n Wa Chela

Walton Dr

Burlington Hill

Exit 231

BurlingtonEdison Regional Park

M

Gardner Ct

Tinas Coma Dr Tin e s as C t Dr om a Ln Bella Vista Ln

Hansen Pl

L

N Hill Blvd

ol Dr

Cascade Mall Dr

K

gh lou Gages S

5

1

J

Gear Rd

Christie Pl

H

District Line Rd

burlington Sedro-Woolley

Barney Lake

N

9

P

SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011 |

47

BURLINGTON secTion sTreeT PArk This 1.17-acre neighborhood park is the site of a wetlands restoration project. It’s also the site for unorganized youth activities in the area. It is located on Section Street near the intersection with East Fairhaven. roTAry PArk Located on South Section Street, Rotary Park has four multi-use playfields, a covered picnic shelter, a children’s playground and two sand volleyball courts. The park also has a jogging path around its perimeter.

HiGHWAy 20 TrAil Located between Highway 20 and the Burlington-Northern Railroad tracks, this park features a compact, gravel jogging trail from Regent Street to Peter Anderson

Jee Jac Kennels

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Pickup & Delivery Available.

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Road, where it continues eastward.

Motorbikes are not allowed.

paved road provides public access to the Skagit River.

lions club PArk Located off Highway 20 at Regent Street, this park features picnic tables and a recreational vehicle dump site that is open to the public from spring through fall.

For additional information about Burlington parks, call (360) 7559649.

mAiben PArk Maiben Park is the site of a large stand of towering cedar trees and an off-road bicycle course. The Burlington Community Center/Senior Center is also located here, and can be rented for meetings and other functions by calling (360) 755-9649. Other features of the park include covered and uncovered picnic tables, a barbecue pit, tennis courts, basketball courts, playground and a baseball field.

The park is located between Skagit and Regent streets at Washington and Greenleaf avenues. skAGiT river PArk This 100-acre park is located at the end of South Skagit Street. It features 20 regulation-sized soccer fields, 24 horseshoe pits, a trail and dike access for pedestrian walking along the scenic Skagit River.

GArdner roAd bAr Located at the intersection of Rio Vista Avenue and Gardner Road, this three-lane boat launch and

Staying is Believing Indoor Pool & Spa • Free Wireless & Wired Internet Complimentary Hot Breakfast • Fitness Center Guest Laundry Services Near Bob’s Burgers & Brew

360 757-2717 www.marriott.com/otsfs

9384 Old Hwy 99 N., Burlington • I-5 Exit 232

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

MUSEUMS

children’s museum of skagit county Cascade Mall 550 Cascade Mall Drive (360) 757-8888

While you’re here...

Shop for bargains at the malls and visit the historic shopping district on Fairhaven Avenue.

Walk along the Skagit River at Skagit River Park.

Visit the Children’s Museum of Skagit County at the Cascade Mall.

Themed BirThday parTies

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY Located in the Cascade Mall

Hours: Mon-Sat 10-6pm • Toddler Tuesdays 8:30-10am • Sunday 12-6pm

360.757.8888

www.skagitchildrensmuseum.net skagitvisitor.com

BIG LAKE & CLEAR LAKE

Big Lake

J

ust over the hills east of Mount Vernon lies a valley with a chain of beautiful lakes. Like so many Skagit Valley communities, Big Lake was born as a bustling logging company town, the valley dense with smoke from the production by hundreds of workers.

As logging diminished, Big Lake became a small farming community in the 1930s.

Today, Big Lake is an upscale residential community of 1,153. The community’s biggest public event each year is the July fireworks display, held the night before everyone else’s, on July 3.

Big Lake sports a grocery store, a restaurant, a school, a church and a golf course. Boaters and anglers can launch from a public access spot on the lake.

SCHOOL INFORMATION

big lake elementary school 16802 Lake View Blvd.

(360) 855-3525

FESTIVALS

Third of July fireworks

PARKS

boAT lAuncH on biG lAke on West Big Lake Boulevard and West Lakeview Lane

0

Clear Lake

C

lear Lake evolved as a logging town. During peak production about 1900, the Clear Lake Lumber Co. employed 2,000 people and was the largest inland mill in the Pacific Northwest, according to the Clear Lake Historical Association.

But after four decades, all the mills were gone.

Today, Clear Lake is a scenic bedroom community of fewer than 1,000 people.

Residents and tourists traveling along Highway 9 will find the Clear Lake Market, a gas station/convenience store, two churches, welding and construction businesses, a fire department and an elementary school.

The Clear Lake Historical Association every other year hosts an old timers reunion. Everyone is welcome to attend the event the third Saturday in July. For information, call (360) 856-6798.

SCHOOL INFORMATION clear lake elementary 23631 Lake St. (360) 855-3530

PARKS

cleAr lAke PArk on South Front Street

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

skagitvisitor.com

We Measure Our Success by Yours.

Ruth Davis, Oak Harbor

Ken Tiscornia, Samish Island

Dan Peth, Bow

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With the most advanced technology, expert staff, and a safe, friendly environment, we offer all the programs and services you need to live a healthier life. For high quality healthcare, community education, and innovative programs and events, think of United General Hospital as your partner in wellness. Because our success can only be measured by yours.

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• Acute Care • Breast Care Suite • Cancer Resource Center • Community Education • Diagnostic Imaging • Diabetes Education Program • Emergency Room • Fitness Center • Intensive Care Unit • Occupational Therapy • Physical Therapy • North Puget Cancer Center • Pulmonary Rehabilitation • Sleep Disorders Center • Speech Therapy • Surgical Services • Wellness Programs www.unitedgeneral.org • 2000 Hospital Drive, Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284 • 360-856-6021

We chose Windermere We made a great choice.

Anacortes Windermere Real Estate/Anacortes Properties 3018 Commercial Avenue 360/293-8008 ANACORTESPROPERTIES.COM

Mount Vernon Windermere Real Estate/Skagit Valley 1030 E. College Way 360/424-4901 WINDERMERESKAGIT.COM

Friday Harbor Windermere Real Estate/San Juan Island 100 First Street 360/378-3600 WINDERMERESJI.COM

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Phone/Fax: 360-293-1100

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big lake & clear lake

Snowden Pl

Heather Ln Spring Hill Ln

Bulson Rd

Rose Rd

Rd icki

Merrifield Rd

Beaver Lake Rd

Gunderson Ridge Ln

Ln Goldie

d eR orn ntb

Amick Rd

Mo

Rd

Stargate Pl

Bulson Rd

N Starbird Rd

Forest Hill Ln

n

Silvernail Rd

Jan

E Lake Dr

Austin Rd

Teak Ln

l nP tai un Mo tle

Lit

Chantrelle Ln

Walk M Ling n

Mountain View Rd

Andal Rd

Kato Ln

Mountain Springs Ln

ds

Skagit Highlan n eL vin Er

Per e

Quail Dr

pole Rd

ge Ct

E Stack

de Rid

Casca

Burkland Rd

Cedardale Rd

Franklin Rd

yL

ra

ur

D

cM

Starbrook Ln

Lake McMurray

M

aD Odess

Boat Ramp

9 E

F

Š 2011 Skagit Publishing

Map produced by Fine Edge, Anacortes, WA

Locken Hill Ln

Conway Frontage Rd

grin e Ln Osprey Ct

Cedardale Rd

Rd Britt

Old Hwy 99 S

Dike Rd Dike Rd

d

Lake McMurray

ke

Ln

C

Fremali

Starbird Creek Ln

9

k ree eC Lak

r

Starbird Rd

sR

4 kilometers

La

Exit 218

2 3 4 Ln Bruun

Tyee Rd

urn

2

7

Rd

d

d

sC

One inch equals 1.33 miles One centimeter equals 0.84 kilometers

534

nR

rB

1

te Pe

0

2 miles

Lake R

ugh ana ke Cav

lvd

lso

La

eB

Bu

Cre ek

Lak

1

vil

6

k ree

r

te D

Esta

De

SCALE: 1:84,000

0

Boat Ramp

5

Walker Valley Rd

7 Dr Briarwood Ct Homewood Pl 8 Boat 1-Lake Terrace Ln Ramp 9 2-Lake Terrace Pl Black Stonewood berry Dr 3-Sundance Ln Ln 4-Oakland Ln 5-Coots Cove Ln Foxglove Ln 6-Glenn Allen Pl 7-Eagle Point Ln 8-W Lakeview Ln La 9-Sandstone Ln ke 5

Devils

Sixteen Lake

Da

d

le R

Steamboat Sl Mil ltow n Island Pion eer H wy

ek Cre lker Wa

tV iew

Big

n isy L

Rd

6

We s

W

Sinnes Rd

Taylor

lvd

ke B

ig La

4

Johnson Creek

Conway School

Trophy Ln

1

B

3

Cultus Shiner Mountain Reservoir Lake

Overlook Golf Course

Snowden Ln

arda Clarence Ln Milltown Rd 1-Bonnieview Rd 2-Bonnieview Ln 3-Palm Crest Pl 4-Cygnus Ln

skagitvisitor.com

1

Devils Mountain

Big Lake

4

Wiseman Ln

Nookachamp Hills Dr

Big Lake

Devils Lake

Karla Ct 2 E Conway Hill Ln English Rd

Ced

ough

A

o Ln

1-Conway Hill Rd 2-Conway Hill Ln

1

8

9

Scott San dy Mountain Cr

Kanak

E Johnson Rd

Exit 221

n

Ln

n Po

3

Star View Dr

Blvd

Post Office

rook L

Ten Lake

John Nelson Rd

Conway

Alderb

WB

Fir Island Rd

r Casc ade Ridge D

Criddle

Shady Ln Dea lo Ln

er Ott

view

Torset Rd

2 1

2

Benham Rd

nt ga Ele ts Rd H

Big Lake Elementary Dr d Lake

Conway Park

Ln

vil d De tain R un Mo

Morrison Rd

W Johnson Rd

Gaspard

eek

7

E Stackpole Rd

se Ln

h Fork Sout

6

Grou

5

Rd

ett Rd

Blodg E Hickox Rd

Holmstrom Rd

W Stackpole Rd

Little Mountain Rd

Park

Exit 224

Big Lake Fire Dept. iew nV

Little Little Mountain Mountain

Hickox Rd

u

tai

Anderson Rd

Exit 225

t sC

lt Cu

ek Cre

ac ha mp sC ree k

un

Eaglemont Golf Course

Mo

E Blackburn Rd

4

5

Mount VernonBig Lake Rd

S Andal Rd

E Section St

Rd Knapp Rd

Lindberg Ln

N Waugh Rd Digby Rd

N 18th St

N Laventure Rd

S 18th St

Exit 226 S 2nd St

W Hazel St

nn

Pkw y

1

e Rd Lak ver Bea e Rd Lang

Edgewater Park

E Division St

Gle

Rd

McLean Rd

E Fir St

Gunderson Rd

Schopf Ln

er Turn

Fonk Rd

erson Elfin Lneek Gund n r on L sC Lars mp cha oka No

Mount Vernon

N 8th St

Rd

538

ps Rd acham Nook

Dunbar

3

9

ck Ro Big

Ska d git Riv er

S Laventure Rd

nd R

Beaver Lake

Maple Hill Ln

ok No rk Fo

536

Exit 227

r Be

Rd

st Ea

Rive

Barney Lake

Clear Lake Park d xR Fo

Crestwood Way

Martin Rd

2

Buchanan Ln Maple Av

cock

G

Rd Old Da y Creek

Wayward Way

M

Bab

Clear Lake

Pringle St

Buchanan Av Glenwood Dr

Rd

cis

n Fra

Rd Lake

ud

Baker Heights Rd F Stevens Rd

Rd

Ted Reep Park

Clear Lake Elem.

Post Office

Mud Lake

1-Sunrise Dr 2-Sunrise Pl Thillberg Ln 3-Sherman Ln Parkhurst Ln 2 1 Sw an R d 3

Thillberg

Skagit R i

Old Hwy 99 S

Pulver Rd

h Rd

Rd

Exit 229

itmars

F Clear Lake Cemetery

n er L

W Wh

E Whitmarsh

5

r ve

Pease Rd

E

Francis Rd

Clear Lake

Burlington

20

D

Asplund Rd

Brotherhood

C

b Tim

1

B

Exit 230

Tyee Rd

A

8

9

G

SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011 |

55

PADILLA BAY

Bow-Edison

N

eighboring communities Bow and Edison are often referred to as Bow-Edison.

Edison is the busier of the two.

Though it’s one of the smallest

towns in Skagit County, it certainly has its fans and can draw a crowd on a Sunday night.

A reviewer of one of the town’s taverns wrote on the “Yelp” online review site: “Edison is such a cool town. I could just pull the battery cable off of the car and stay forever.”

Only about 130 people live here, but the population swells every Sunday as visitors, mainly neighboring locals, stop by the Old Edison Tavern and the Longhorn, both of which offer good food and live music.

They’re a short walk from each other, but then, it’s a very small town. Nothing is too far away, including the antique stores, bakeries and art gallery.

Edison is a top stop for many bikers during the September Oyster Run, when motorcycles fill the streets while touring restaurants in the county with oysters on the menu.

Bow doesn’t have quite the same “cool” factor.

Those driving along Chuckanut Drive pass through Bow. There are a couple of chances to stop and look around, including two eateries and a gift shop. And the Skagit Casino Resort is at the Bow Exit (232) off Interstate 5.

Bow was a bigger stop when railway transportation was in its

FRESH SHELLFISH Oysters • Clams • mussels Geoduck • Crab • Prawns • Salmon Open 7 Days Picnic & BBQ Area

6

9th Annual Samish Bay

2182 Chuckanut Dr. Bow, WA 98232

Bivalve Bash & Low Tide Mud Run

360-766-6002

www.taylorshellfish.com

July 16, 2011

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

heyday. But when roads improved, farmers took their business to larger towns.

As a sidenote, the Bow-Edison area was once home to a socialist commune known as the Equality Colony. The members aimed to prove that people could live well without money by their own labors and cooperation. It dissolved by 1906 because of dissent among its members.

BOW SCHOOLS

Allen school (K-8th grade) 17145 Cook Road (360) 757-3352

EDISON SCHOOLS

edison school (K-8th grade) 5801 Main St. (360) 757-3375 burlington-edison High school 301 N. Burlington Blvd.

(360) 757-4074

Bayview

T

he name says it all for this small community hugging Padilla Bay between Anacortes and Burlington.

Take in the view, fly kites, walk the beach and explore the mudflats at Bay View State Park, a 25-acre camping park with 1,285 feet of saltwater shoreline. The park is open year-round to camping and day use; some campsites are closed during the winter. The park is four miles north of Highway 20 on Bay View-Edison Road.

The other big attraction is the Breazeale Padilla Bay Interpretive Center just north of the park. It’s open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Learn about estuary science and stewardship. There are hands-on displays and visual delights for all ages.

Out back you can hike the short Upland Trail. A bird list and interpretive guide are available at the center. skagitvisitor.com

Padilla bay

skagitvisitor.com

ny

Avon-Allen Rd

536

Rive

r Be

Dunbar Rd

Butler Creek Rd

d ill R ey H phr Hoag Rd

5

St

2 Avon-Allen Rd

Kamb Rd

E

Park Ridge Pl

Exit 229

nd R

d

538

Exit 227

Skag it Rive r

Edgewater Park

F

Exit 226

8

E College Way

E Fir St

McLean Rd

D

Dusty Dr

Green Rd

Rd

7

N Laventure Rd

ett

S Anacortes St

f tof

nn Avo Be n Bru St nsw 1 ick

Donnelly Rd

Avalon Rd

Old Hwy 99 N

Pulver Rd

20

Burlington

Exit 230

Cu

Avon

Daggett Rd

Bradshaw Rd

Best Rd

Exit 231

S Burlington Blvd

Bay Ridge Dr

Higgins Airport Way

n Avo

3

5

6

20 1-Holly Ln 2-Hall Pl 3-Amber Ln

Dahlstedt Rd

Packard Ln

Maiben Rd

Peterson Rd

Skagit Golf and Country Club

Hum

Co lo

Charity Ln Antigo Ln Jensen Ln

Water Tank Rd View Ridge Dr

Westar Ln

r Rd

e Kelleh

Cook Rd Exit 232

11

Benson Rd

Memorial Hwy

McLean Rd

C

Bradley Rd

4

N 18th St

McFarland Rd

Allen Elementary

Josh Wilson Rd

Ashten Rd

Skagit Regional Airport

S Fredonia Rd

Young Rd

Sam Bell Rd Allen Park

Sunrise Michae l Pl Ln Ez Rd

Emily Ln

Farm To Market Rd

Airport Dr

Sargent Pl

Fredonia

Bay View Elementary

Steele Rd Knudson Rd

Ovenell Rd

La Conner-Whitney Rd

B

3 Benson 4 Heights Pl 1-Pit Rd 2-Hillwood Dr 3-Hidden Ridge Ln 4-Windy Ridge Ln

Irene Pl

Walker Rd

Bay View-Edison Rd

Padilla Bay Shore Trail

Rd

Deer Trails Ln

Thomas Rd

Omdahl Ln

Downey Rd

9

A

Marihugh Rd 2 1 3 4 Bay View Rd 5

Whitney

nnel Cha

Swinomish Indian Reservation Re se rva tio nR d

20 ish nom Swi

8

FIDALGO ISLAND

Slough Indian ugh Slo aph egr Tel

Swinomish Northern Lights Casino Boat Launch

d

Rd

Anacortes

nR

t Poin

t Rd

h Poin

S Marc

nso

n

dL

oo

erw

ath

arch

EM

1-Bridgeview Way 2-Marihugh Pl 3-Malloree Ln 4-Frans Ridge Ln 5-Egbers-Kalso Rd

1

2

Pomona Grange County Park Park Ridge Ln Prair 3 ie R d

Exit 236

1 1-Allen Rd 2-Llama Ln 3-Teal Ln 4-Widgeon Ln 5-Merganser Ln

Allen

Be

Le

Bay View

7

Bisquet Ridge Ln 2

Persons Rd Bay View Cemetery Rd Seabird Ln Bay View Cemetery Rector Rd Bay View State Park d on R Wils Boat Ramp Josh

6

Peppermint Ln

Robinwood Ln Deer Haven Ln

Dr

Allen West Rd

Padilla Bay

Ershig Rd

Alysha Ln

Church Rd

Bay View-Edison Rd

ut

D’Arcy Rd

5

1 3 45 2

an

T Loop Rd

Morton Rd

Skagit Valley Casino

Field Rd

Sam ish R iver

Rest Area

Samish Hts Rd

Rd

uck

Boe Rd

Bow Hill Frontage Rd

ne

Ch

Sullivan Rd

Hobson Ln

1

P Donovan arson Cr eek County Park Rd

Samish Hatchery

Upper Skagit Indian Reservation

Bow Hill Rd

rli Wo

Hat Island

Shadle Rd

Edison Elementary

d on R Bay View-Edis

Rest Area

Hobson Rd

Edison

Bow

5

Skagit Speedway

Swanson Rd

Bow

Post Office

Island View Way

d Hill R

Sunset Rd

4

Legg Rd

Chuckanut Dr on Rd

E Edis

Rd

3

Lookout Ln

Estes Rd

Scotts Point

nd Isla ish Sam

Roney Rd

Fish Point

Samish Island

Bow

d yR lon Co Kallstrom Ln

Halloran Rd Samish Island Playground

Bay

d

Dr

Samish Island

Wood Rd

Rd

o Wo

in

Map produced by Fine Edge, Anacortes, WA

Colony Rd

e Rd

99 N

© 2011 Skagit Publishing S a m i s h

2

ak

y Rd Abbe

Blanchard

nta ou yM lon Co

One inch equals 1.58 miles One centimeter equals 1 kilometer

Fox Hollow Ln

Peace Ln

4 kilometers

LM

2

L

1

Lily

0

11

2 miles

G

y Hw

1

F Regulas Ln Turtle Ln

Old

0

1

E

Ln

D

Lak e

C

B a rr e l S p r i n g s R d

B SCALE: 1:100,000

Penn Rd

A

Mount 9 Vernon G

SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011 |

57

CONWAY & FIR ISLAND Conway and Fir Island

S

mall and quaint, Conway is the first town northbound travelers encounter as they enter Skagit County on Interstate 5.

A bridge built in 1914 connects the small town to Fir Island, which is full of farmland and a birding paradise.

Fir Island is formed by the Skagit River breaking into north and south forks before it hits saltwater.

Fir Island is a winter home to snow geese and trumpeter swans.

The island’s Skagit Wildlife Area is a game reserve for duck hunters and is also enjoyed by hikers, bird watchers and photographers.

Another photo-worthy site here is the beautiful and nearly century-old Fir-Conway Lutheran Church.

Conway’s Main Street includes two antique stores, a tropical fish store, the Conway Pub and Eatery and a Sons of Norway Hall. At the end of Main Street is Conway Park, which includes a baseball field next to the river and the bridge to Fir Island.

During berry season, local farmers set up roadside stands to show off their strawberry, blueberry and raspberry crops.

SCHOOLS

conway school (K-8th grade), 19710 State Route 534 (360) 445-5785

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

skagitvisitor.com

conway & fir island Pulver Rd

Jackpot Ln

Cottonwood Ln Sunset Ln

Dunbar Ln

Old Hwy 99 S

Penn Rd

Skagit River

Kamb Rd

Dike Rd

7

Dike Rd

Pioneer Hwy

n Rd Man

5 8

Clarence Ln Milltown Rd

Hauge

n Rd

One inch equals 1.37 miles One centimeter equals 0.87 kilometers

Steamboat Slou Milltow n Island

Dee pwa ter Slo u

4 kilometers

Cedardale Rd

Conway Rd

Dry Slough Rd

Ln

lough ter S wa gh gh

Slo ugh Fre sh

Boat Ramp

2

534

Exit 221

Franklin Rd

Beaver Marsh Rd

North For k Dry Slo ug

Post Office

Moberg Rd

2 miles

Conway

Ma nn

Maupin Rd

Tellesbo Ln

Conway Park

Fir Island Rd

ley Wi

Nelson Rd 6

Torset Rd

d

Hall

I S L A N D

Game Farm Rd

5

Stackpole Rd

Johnson Rd

yR

Strawberry Point Rd

Moore Rd

Cit

Maupin Rd

5

Exit 224

S

9

Britt Rd

4

git

F I R

lou gh

SCALE: 1:87,000

1

Exit 225

Hickox Rd

Ska

ns Brow

Slough

Skagit Bay

0

Mount Vernon

Skagit City Rd

Polson Rd

Rawlins Rd

h

1

Exit 226 3

Greenacres Rd Edgewater Park

Wylie Rd

rt Rd Sho

Sum

Boat Ramp Hanson Rd

d

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SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011 |

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LA CONNER

La Conner

P

ark the car and walk across the orange Rainbow Bridge that connects La Conner to the Swinomish Indian Reservation for a picturesque view of the historic town, which sits on a channel near the mouth of the Skagit River.

The bridge itself is an oftenphotographed icon — orange because when it was built in 1957, residents decided to skip the formal gray paint that would normally cover the brightly colored rust undercoating.

Maybe those residents’ eye for color helped make La Conner what is considered by many to be the cultural and art center of Skagit County.

The town of close to 1,000 people is home to many visual and literary artists, including novelist Tom Robbins (“Even Cowgirls Get the Blues,”“B is For Beer”).

Not far from the town’s waterfront is the Museum of Northwest

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Art, at 121 First St., which specializes in showcasing the artwork of Northwest artists. Another popular destination is the La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum, 703 S. Second St., which features a rotating exhibit of handmade quilts, displayed in the historic Gaches Mansion.

Art-focused town events include an Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition in the spring, a Quilt Walk in the fall, the Arts Alive! festival in November and a biennial Skagit River Poetry Festival (the next is in 2012).

La Conner is a small town, and it’s the kind of place where people park the car and walk the streets as they enjoy several blocks of antique stores, boutiques, gift shops and restaurants.

Surrounded by fertile farmland, La Conner is just a little isolated from other towns in Skagit County. Those fertile acres on the delta were once largely planted with oats. But the fields today that separate La Conner from Mount Vernon are best known for the

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

colorful daffodils and tulips that draw thousands of visitors during the month-long Skagit Valley Tulip Festival each April.

La Conner’s history is also an important feature. Founded in the 1860s and incorporated in 1890, the town boasts three museums, including the Skagit County Historical Museum, 501 S. Fourth St. Sources: U.S. Census, Washington State Office of Financial Management, Forecasting Division.

GOVERNMENT INFORMATION Town of la conner 204 Douglas St. La Conner, WA 98257 Phone: (360) 466-3125 Web site: www.townoflaconner.org

SCHOOL INFORMATION la conner Administration Office 305 N. Sixth St. La Conner, WA 98257 (360) 466-3171 www.lcsd.wednet.edu

skagitvisitor.com

elemenTAry scHool la conner elementary school 304 N. Sixth St. (360) 466-3172 Middle School middle scHool la conner middle school 305 N. Sixth St. (360) 466-4113

Enjoy La Conner’s 3 Outstanding Museums Featured exHibitS

The Way We Played Early Skagit Recreation

Native Journey

Paint Me A River Too!

7/23-9/4/11

9/23-12/31/11

HiGH scHool la conner High school 502 N. Sixth St. (360) 466-3173

NEW RESIDENT MOVE-IN NUMBERS

electricity: Puget Sound Power (360) 424-2930 Waste Management (360) 757-8275

Through 7/3/11

Skagit County HiStoriCal MuSeuM

501 S. 4th St., LaConner • 360.466.3365 • www.skagitcounty.net/museum

CHAMBERS/ORGANIZATIONS la conner chamber of commerce 606 Morris St. (360) 466-4778 la conner Alliance for youth and families (360) 466-1296 la conner boys and Girls club (360) 466-3672 la conner institute of Performing Arts (360) 466-2665

SENIOR SERVICES

la conner senior center, 104 Commercial St., (360) 466-3941

FESTIVALS

skagit valley Tulip festival April Arts Alive!

November

Rotating exhibitions of contemporary regional art & works from our collections.

Museum Store (free and open to the public) features unique items by Northwest artists.

Galleries and Store Open: Sun-Mon: Noon-5pm, Tues-Sat: 10am-5pm 121 S. First St., LaConner www.museumofnwart.org • 360.466.4446

Three Floors of Quilts & Textiles in the historic 1891 Gaches Mansion.

New exhibits every three months!

Wa State crazy quilt c. 1889

skagit river Poetry festival Next biennial event in 2012

PARKS

Pioneer PArk John Hammer Park Gilkey Square Old Fire Hall Park

skagitvisitor.com

Blocks by Maura Donegan

Historic decor Photo by nathanielwillsonphotography

Wed-Sun 11am-5pm Open every day in April 703 2nd St., La Conner, WA 98257 • www.laconnerquilts.com

SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011 |

61

La Conner Dirty Biter Waterfront Park (the end of Calhoun Street) The end of Benton Street RV Park: Thousand Trails 16362 Snee Oosh Road (800) 884-1113

MUSEUMS

Skagit County Historical Museum 501 S. Fourth St. (360) 466-3365 La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum 703 S. Second St. (360) 466-4288 Museum of Northwest Art 121 First St. (360) 466-4446

Books & Gifts for readers of all ages!

Espresso • Soups • Pastries Everybody reads at Independent Bookstores!

(360) 466-2665 721 S. First St. • La Conner

www.nextchapter.com

62

| SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011

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63

LA CONNER

While you’re here...

Enjoy several blocks of antique stores, boutiques and gift shops.

Admire the beautifully refurbished Sacred Heart Catholic Church built in 1899.

Experience the self-guided Walking Tour of La Conner’s Sculpture Exhibit.

Walk down to the water through the Fish Bridge at the end of Washington Street, built by a local artist and purchased by the town due to its popularity.

Marvel at the cross-section of a giant cedar on First Street that measures 11 feet, 8 inches across.

Sip coffee or wine on a restaurant deck and watch the boat traffic in the Swinomish Channel.

Visit three outstanding museums, all within walking distance: Skagit County Historical Museum, La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum, and the Museum of Northwest Art.

Berry erry Barn arn A 5th Generation Family Farm

Visit the Largest Hedge Maze in North America!

A farm themed Maze that will educate, exercise and challenge young and old!

• Our Own Fresh Berries All Summer • 14 Varieties of Hand Made Pies • Hand Dipped Hard Ice Cream Cones • Northwest Gourmet Products • Holiday Christmas Trees, 4 Varieties Grown Behind “The Barn”

360-466-1923

14285 La Conner-Whitney Rd. Mount Vernon • www.lingonberry.com

100% American Made

709 South First Street • La Conner, WA 98257 • 360-466-4741 WOODMERCHANT.COM 6

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

skagitvisitor.com

W

ashington’s only quilt museum — just up the hill at the south end of La Conner — is a treasure trove featuring three stories of quilts and textiles that range from traditional to contemporary with a focus on works from the Northwest.

The La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum is housed in the historic 1891 Gaches Mansion.

With two new exhibits opening every three months and a rotation of quilts from its permanent collection, there is always something new to see.

The musuem is open Wednesday through Sunday — and every day in April for the Tulip Festival.

You bring the interest.

We’ll bring the inspiration.

Honoring Our Bountiful Skagit Valley Serving Lunch & Dinner Located in the Historic Tillinghast Seed Company Building

HAPPY HOUR Monday-Thursday from 3-6PM

OPEN 11AM to 9PM

360.466.3280 623 Morris St • La Conner

SeedsBistro.com

An award-winning specialty cafe serving breakfast & lunch. Famous “made from scratch” bakery.

Sweetest buns in town... naturally!

OPEN DAILY!

Celebrating 30 Years Anacortes 901 Commercial 360.293.7315 La Conner 720 S. First 360.466.4451 Mount Vernon 121-B Freeway Dr 360.336.3107

www.CalicoCupboardCafe.com

• Latest in local news • Sports from prep to pro • Money saving coupons • Activities • Entertainment • Much More!

TO SUBSCRIBE: Call

360.424.1900

Everyday subscription to the Skagit Valley Herald includes access to entire electronic publication (E-edition).

RECREATION

LL PAC-10 FOOTBA

SHAKEN UP

or’ Another ‘slow trem | A5 hits Washington

UW makes a needed lineup change | B1

Following Lewis and Clark | C1

75 CENTS Publishing Co.

Copyright 2010, Skagit

Valley

n since 1884 Northwest Washingto newspaper serving A locally owned

th sides allenged from bo

THURSDAY

AUGUST 12, 2010

Incumbent chheld by a Democrat

many Demoed since, leaving general election, crats more vulnerable.

In the 2008 the candidate John 76 percent of Republic an TechMorris had defeating Green Swapp, owner of Jetpoint said olley, Pelvote, easily in Sedro-Wo Candidat e Howard ocrat. ts nologies Olym- Party That year, Democra are not anti-Dem ts new blood in lett. of Barack peopleare against incumben sec- they want They handled has held the rode the enthusiasm e pia.

Morris, who primary sys- Obama’s presidential campaignn who have not properly 40th Legislativ In the “top-two” s with ond seat in the public oppositio years, two candidate and general going on 14 the for E, Page A6 17 tem, Party. n Aug. District See CHALLENG the Republica votes in the against a business Novem- to an the most winds have shiftJeff is running The political the Republic move on to the state Rep. Incumbe nt oppo- owner from IRS agent primary faces election. , retired a general ber Party and Morris, a Democrat Party. Both say from both ends from the Green sition this year spectrum. of the political

40th District seat

currently

ER

By AARON BURKHALT Staff Writer

Spinning history, rejecting authority

r fair weathe

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Soverign citizen

skagitvisitor.com

SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011 |

6

ANACORTES

Anacortes

F

or many years Anacortes was a bustling fishing, canning, logging and mill town.

When natural resources dwindled, it found ways to adapt. Home to two major refineries since the mid1950s, Anacortes has a strong industrial component with a number of boat building and service firms.

In recent years, the city’s quality of life and amenities have attracted a large population of affluent retirees.

66

Historic downtown Anacortes offers a selection of good restaurants and an interesting mix of galleries and shops. Visitors are charmed by the historic buildings and the colorful murals of local characters. The museum, library, marina esplanade and a historic snagboat are within easy walking distance.

With 3,091 acres of land dedicated to city owned parks and forest lands, almost half the area inside city limits is dedicated to recreation or wildlife. Trails lead

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

through forests and parks, along marinas and waterfront bluffs, across the bay on an old railroad trestle, around Heart Lake and to the top of Mount Erie. Recreation choices are many: Fishing, hiking, biking, diving, climbing, kayaking, sailing, whale watching, beach combing and much more.

You can catch a ferry for the San Juan Islands or Sidney, British Columbia, at the Washington State Ferries Terminal. Just get on 12th Street, go about 2 miles and veer right at the big intersection. A

skagitvisitor.com

second, smaller ferry system serves Guemes Island from a landing near the end of Sixth Street.

The city has a diverse mix of major annual events, celebrating everything from art to motorcycles.

The biggest is the Anacortes Arts Festival, this year on Aug. 5-7, which draws about 90,000 visitors.

There are also old-fashioned celebrations, complete with parades and joyous community gatherings, for Independence Day and the Christmas holiday season.

Anacortes was Skagit County’s second city to incorporate, in 1891.

The name is a Spanish-sounding version of Annie Curtis, the maiden name of the wife of city pioneer Amos Bowman.

Before it became a city, the area was home to the Samish and Swinomish tribes. The county’s first permanent European settlement was at March’s Point in the early 1850s.

GOVERNMENT INFORMATION City of Anacortes 904 Sixth St. P.O. Box 547 Anacortes, WA 98221 Phone: (360) 293-1900 Web site: www.cityofanacortes.org

SCHOOL INFORMATION

Anacortes • Administration Office Upstairs at Anacortes Middle School, 2202 M Ave. Anacortes, WA 98221 (360) 293-1200 www.asd103.org

Schools

For Information Call: (360) 293-1915 or Check our Website:

museum.cityofanacortes.org Anacortes Museum 1305 8th Street • Anacortes, WA

Exploring the history of Fidalgo and Guemes Islands through: • Educational Programs • Exhibits • Research Library • Special Events

Whitney Early Childhood Education Center 1200 M Ave. (360) 293-9536 Fidalgo Elementary School 13590 Gibralter Road (360) 293-9545

The Carnegie Gallery

Coast in. Hang out.

6DOPRQ 'HUE\ Ĺ? 0DUFK

8th Street & M Avenue Gallery Open Year-Round Mon. - Sat., 10-4 Sunday 1-4, Closed Wednesday SPECIAL EXHIBIT "Island Plants & People: A Twisted Path"

6SULQJ :LQH )HVWLYDO Ĺ? $SULO :DWHUIURQW )HVWLYDO Ĺ? 0D\ $UWV )HVWLYDO Ĺ? $XJXVW 2\VWHU 5XQ Ĺ? 6HSW 2NWREHUIHVW %HHU RQ WKH 3LHUĹ? 2FW

The W.T. PrESTon & Maritime Heritage Center 9th Street & R Avenue Open weekends: April - October Open Daily: June, July, August Closed Wednesday

ZZZ DQDFRUWHV RUJ skagitvisitor.com

SPECIAL EXHIBIT "The Wawona & the End of the Age of Sail"

SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011 |

67

ANACORTES island view elementary school 2501 J Ave. (360) 293-3149 mount erie elementary school 1313 41st St. (360) 293-9541 Anacortes middle school 2202 M Ave. (360) 293-1230 Anacortes High school 1600 20th St. (360) 293-2166 cap sante High school (alternative, grades 9-12) 1600 20th St. (360) 293-2166

“

Anacortes Home education Partnership 15510 Rosario Beach Road (360) 299-8995

Be

s

NEW RESIDENT MOVE-IN PHONE NUMBERS

Garbage and sewer: City of Anacortes (360) 293-1921 recycling: Rabanco (800) 942-5965 natural gas: Cascade Natural Gas (888) 522-1130 Water: City of Anacortes (360) 293-1928 electricity: Puget Sound Energy (888) 225-5773 voter registration: (360) 336-9305

CHAMBERS/ORGANIZATIONS Anacortes chamber of commerce (360) 293-7911 friends of the forest (360) 293-3725 island Hospital foundation (360) 299-4201

in Anacortes! ” n u F o st M “ and ” lue a tV capsanteinn.com

• 15 Restaurants Within 5 Blocks • 10 Minutes to Ferry Terminal • Walk to Antique Stores & Galleries • Oversized Deluxe Rooms With New Beds, Carpet & Paint • Hair Dryers, Refrigerators & Microwaves • HD Flat Screens

906 9th St. • Anacortes

360-293-0602

Call Toll Free:

800-852-0846

SENIOR SERVICES

Anacortes senior Activity center (360) 293-7473

FESTIVALS

spring Wine festival, April 9 Anacortes Waterfront Festival, May 21-22 st. merryfest, June 17-19 Bark in the Park dog festival, June 11

Located in Historic Old Town Across From The Marina 6

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

skagitvisitor.com

ANACORTES kids-r-best fest, July 9 shipwreck day flea market, July 16 What-the-Heck fest, July 15-18 Anacortes Arts Festival, Aug. 5-7 oyster run motorcycle rally, Sunday, Sept. 25 beer on the Pier, tentatively Oct. 8

PARKS

WAsHinGTon PArk 6300 Sunset Ave. Day use and overnight camping facilities for tents and RVs are available at the 220-acre city park on the west end of Fidalgo Island.

It has a boat launch, picnic shelters, trails, a playground and showers. But the park’s crowing jewel is a 2.3-mile loop road that offers

Chandler’s Square A Retirement Community Chandler’s Square Retirement Community is located within walking distance of the charming Anacortes downtown corridor.

The magic of Chander’s Square is more than it’s location.

The atmosphere of the community is relaxed, comfortable, cheerful, and energetic.

Chandler’s Square truly offers an alternative environment from the standard retirement community.

IT IS A SLICE OF HEAVEN ON EARTH!

360-293-1300 1 3 0 0 “ O ” Av e . A n a c o r t e s w w w. ch a n d e r s q u a r e. c o m

skagitvisitor.com

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skagitvisitor.com

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SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011 |

71

ANACORTES fabulous views of several shoreline areas and Burrows Bay as you walk, bike, jog or drive. cAP sAnTe PArk 1000 W Ave. This view point at the top of Cap Sante overlooks the city and also provides views of Fidalgo and Guemes islands, March Point and Fidalgo Bay. It encompasses 37 acres of forested land and rugged cliffs. volunTeer PArk 1915 13th St. The city’s sports center, built largely by volunteers, has a fastpitch/Little League field, two regulation baseball fields, soccer fields, the Kiwanis Meadows Playground, walking paths and 45 acres of wetlands and open space.

Fidalgo Bay Resort

RV by the sea

• 163 Full Hook-up Sites • WIFI • Store/Gift Shop Beautiful waterfront • Small Boat Launch Clubhouse NOW OPEN • Laundry Facilities to RV Guest Online Reservations at www.fidalgobay.com 1-800-727-5478 • 4701 Fidalgo Bay Rd., Anacortes, WA Owned & Operated by the Samish Indian Nation

Kenneth Killpack DDS Russell Borneman DDS 1218 29th St Suite A Anacortes, WA 98221 360.293.8451 Mercury Free Since ‘83

72

DON’T GET YOUR MERCURY “SILVER” FILLINGS REMOVED!

Unless your dentist practices the safe mercury removal protocols recommended by the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology. Find a safe mercury free dentist at www.IAOMT.org today!

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

skagitvisitor.com

anacortes Post Dr

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Thomas Ln

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Bartholomew Rd

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Cornet Bay Marina

Monkey Hill Rd

West Beach

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State Park Hoypus Hill 1-Canyon Rd

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Trafton Lake

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MontgomeryDuban Headlands

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© 2011 Skagit Publishing Map produced by Fine Edge, Anacortes, WA skagitvisitor.com

SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011 |

73

ANACORTES sTorvik PArk 1110 32nd St. Nearly 9 acres, this park boasts the delightful community-built Our Town Our Park playground, a Little League field, a youth soccer field, two basketball courts, picnic tables and barbecues. cAuslAnd memoriAl PArk 710 N Ave. This unique 2-acre park’s decorative multicolored rock and black and white mosaic structures and walls earned it a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.

It was built in the 1920s by Louis Lepage and dedicated to Anacortes war veterans. With a bandstand, amphitheater, terraces and picnic tables, it is the perfect place for an old-fashioned July 4 celebration.

Ace of HeArTs roTAry PArk 38th Street and H Avenue A fenced off-leash dog area offers a watering station, pet waste disposal bags and a wash-off hose.

Additional plans include a Little League field, restrooms and benches.

JoHn And doris Tursi PArk 2200 Pennsylvania Avenue It includes a pavilion made of raw cedar logs, enhanced wetland area, nature trail, picnic tables, playground and zip line. ben rooT skATe PArk 2313 R Ave. This 7,500-square-foot concrete skateboard area has lights, seating and nearby restrooms. Each summer, the park brings competitors from all over the region for the annual SkateFest.

Cap Sante Court retirement 360-293-8088

1111 32nd Street • Anacortes www.CapSanteCourt.com

Logan Creek retirement 360-428-0222

2311 E. Division • Mount Vernon www.LoganCreek.com

Studio, one & two Bedroom ApArtmentS • deliciouS meAlS • trAnSportAtion • HouSekeeping • ActivitieS

BeAutY comFort convenience

The Finest in Full Service Retirement Living 7

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

kiWAnis WATerfronT PArk 1708 Sixth St. The 2-acre park next to the Guemes Ferry Terminal overlooks the channel. roTAry PArk 701 T Ave. The 1.5 acre linear park runs along the shoreline north of the Cap Sante Boat Haven at the base of Cap Sante. It has a trail, picnic tables and a shelter.

For more information call Anacortes Parks and Recreation at (360) 293-1918.

HEALTH CARE Island Hospital 1211 24th St. (360) 299-1300

Welcomes You! Cap Sante Boat Haven 950 Slip Public Marina Summer Concert Series Anacortes Airport Hangars Available Marine Terminal Facilities Deep Water Wharfage Rent our Historic Transit Shed Event Center with 400+ Person Capacity at Pier 1 Commercial Property Leasing Call for Availability P.O. Box 297, Anacortes, WA 98221

360-293-3134 www.portofanacortes.com skagitvisitor.com

While you’re here...

Browse the art galleries, shops and antique stores downtown. There’s an art walk the first Friday evening of every month.

Walk or drive the scenic Loop Road at Washington Park and see the sun set over the San Juans.

Stroll the docks at the Cap Sante Boat Haven — and pick up fresh seafood in season.

Walk the Tommy Thompson Trail and enjoy the views from the trestle spanning Fidalgo Bay.

Appliance repair in your home by factory trained appliance technicians.

Visit the Cap Sante viewpoint just blocks from downtown.

Go whale watching or take a guided kayak trip Take a guided boat tour at Deception Pass State Park.

Pat, Vikki, Quinn, Dave & Derek

Daniel Rasmussen, DMD, FAGD, PS FAMily DentiStRy

Total approach to dentistry.

Our staff offers a gentle, caring approach to help make each visit a positive one.

Free Whitening

with cost of new patient exam and x-rays (a savings of $475)

We WeLCOMe neW patients!

360.293.8421 • 901 8th Street • Anacortes www.drdanielrasmussen.com skagitvisitor.com

and more!

Hometown Service, wareHouSe PriceS. we service most major brands!

1820 Commercial Ave. Anacortes, WA. 98221

360-293-5129

SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011 |

7

SKAGIT V ISITOR A resource for visitors & newcomers

ISITOR

An online comprehensive guide to Skagit County.

Things to Do • Communities • Plan Your Trip

New opportunities to help your business stand out!

Advertise on skagitvisitor.com DireCTorY LisTiNg & eNhaNCeD ProfiLe $400/Annually (Save $200 when you purchase the entire year up front) $40/Month feaTUre aD BUTToN $1,000/Annually (Save $200 when you purchase the entire year up front) Use your $100/Month smartphone

Visit www.skagitvisitor.com to scan the code

anacortes A

SCALE: 1:80,000

Young’s Park

One inch equals 1.26 miles One centimeter equals 0.8 kilometers

Run

Ln

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skagitvisitor.com

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cenic Guemes Island may be only a five-minute ferry ride from Anacortes, but it has the relaxed pace of a time gone by.

You can stay for an afternoon to enjoy a bike ride around quiet roads and lunch at Anderson’s General Store, the island’s only retail business, which has a cafe with fine ales on tap, an art gallery and assorted necessities.

Or you can make a long weekend of it at Guemes Island Resort, one of the last of the old-time fishing resorts that used to dot Puget Sound.

The island is relatively flat and only five miles long. Cyclists can pedal on several loops that cross the island’s pastoral center on the way to scenic saltwater views. A 15mile journey lets you see almost the whole island.

In the winter, birding is popular.

Bring binoculars.

The highest point on the island is Guemes Mountain. There’s a nice hike to the top, and from the summit, about 700 feet, the views are stunning. The Save Guemes Mountain campaign recently raised $2.2 million to purchase and permanently protect the 70-acre mountain top.

Guemes Island Resort is at the island’s north end. The crabbing nearby is excellent, and the resort offers crab pots, aluminum skiffs and sit-on-top kayaks for guests.

Adjacent to the resort is Young County Park, a good launch site and picnic spot.

Guemes Island today has a mix of full-time residents and folks with vacation homes and cabins. The population swells to 800 or so in the summer. There are a few art galleries — and many artists.

Linetime.org, operated by residents, provides information on the island’s ferry, tides, events and community issues.

B

Nootka

Guemes Island

4

Anacortes

B © 2011 Skagit Publishing

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Map produced by Fine Edge, Anacortes, WA

SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011 |

77

SEDRO-WOOLLEY

Sedro-Woolley

R

esilient Sedro-Woolley manages to retain its lumber-era charm while continuing to be a vital center of commerce and recreation.

New businesses are opening in the historic downtown, spurred by the efforts of the Chamber of Commerce and other groups to beautify the city’s core. There are even plans to open a community-based, locally sourced grocery store.

As the gateway to both the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and North Cascades National Park — both are headquartered in Sedro-Woolley — city leaders are keenly aware of Sedro-Woolley’s potential as a recreational hub. A new parks commission is improving the city’s park system.

The Chamber and a horsemen’s group are working to connect trails from a large state recreation area into the forested hills that surround Sedro-Woolley.

The city is also primed for new

7

residents. A new fire hall was built in 2010 in the fast-growing north end of town. Major road and highway projects have made neighborhoods and the business center safer and easier to reach.

Sedro-Woolley’s identity is still tied to its timber-history roots — witness the immensely popular and uniquely Sedro-Woolley Loggerodeo, held every Fourth of July.

At the same time, the town has successfully adapted in the wake of timber’s decline. Take for example Janicki Industries, headquartered in Sedro-Woolley, which creates high-tech molds for the aerospace and maritime industries.

Sedro-Woolley gives visitors a reason to come to town most months of the year. September brings Founders’ Day. The SedroWoolley Museum honors a founding family, and residents re-enact a famous 1914 bank robbery. In early December, the town hosts a huge Christmas parade and tree lighting.

In this old timber town, you can be sure the Christmas tree that

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

stands in the center of the main street is a beauty.

The independent spirit of two towns, each refusing to give up its identity, formed the name and soul of the hyphenated town of SedroWoolley.

The name game could have taken a stranger turn. A large section of town actually started out as “Bug,” thanks to free-thinking settler Mortimer Cook, who in 1884 settled 34 acres of the future city.

Cook was acknowledging the mosquitoes, which thrived along the property’s river banks.

But thanks to Cook’s wife and the influx of later settlers, the insectoid name was scrapped for the word “Sedra,” the Spanish word for cedar. Unfortunately, they misspelled it. Today, one is reminded of Cook’s contributions each time the main route to Interstate 5 is traveled. Cook Road is a 10-minute connection to the busy freeway.

Meanwhile, a short piece away on the Skagit River, Phillip A. Woolley also was setting up shop, skagitvisitor.com

SEDRO-WOOLLEY SCHOOL INFORMATION Administration office 801 Trail Road Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284 (360) 855-3500 www.swsd.k12.wa.us

elemenTAry scHools big lake elementary school 16802 Lake View Blvd., Big Lake (360) 855-3525 central elementary school 601 Talcott St. (360) 855-3560 clear lake elementary school 23631 Lake St., Clear Lake (360) 855-3530 evergreen elementary school 1007 McGargile Road (360) 855-3545

first for a sawmill, then for a town.

Not inclined toward Cook’s creativity, Woolley chose his own last name for the town he founded.

The two growing towns fast became twins and rivals. But finally in 1898, they agreed to put their rivalry behind them, if not their names. And so it was that SedroWoolley came to be — much to the confoundment of later sign makers who often misspelled the name, or left the all-important hyphen out.

Logging used to be synonymous with the town and many residents’ paychecks were dependent on the timber industry. With stricter environmental policies, logging declined.

GOVERNMENT INFORMATION city of sedro-Woolley 325 Metcalf St. Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284 Phone: (360) 855-1661 Web site: www.ci.sedro-woolley.wa.us

No Job Too Big or Too Small Great Service Great Mechanics Alignments Transmissions Air Conditioning Re-builds Diesel/Service Full Service Oil Change

Complete details ranging from $99.95 - $274.95!

Depending on vehicle size.

OO L LEY, WA O-W th R 77 ANNUAL SE D

The Oldest 4th of July Celebration in the state!

& # & - $ # $+

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VOLLANS

Automotive 487 Metcalf St. • Sedro-Woolley

360-855-1111 • Cell: 425-327-9268

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SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011 |

79

sedro-woolley

NEW RESIDENT MOVE-IN NUMBERS

Lyman Elementary School 8183 Lyman Ave., Lyman (360) 855-3535 Mary Purcell Elementary School 700 Bennett St. (360) 855-3555 Samish Elementary School 23953 Prairie Road (360) 855-3540 Middle School Cascade Middle School 201 N. Township St. (360) 855-3520 High School Sedro-Woolley High School 1235 Third St. (360) 855-3510 Alternative School State Street Alternative High School (360) 855-3550

Garbage and sewer: City Hall (360) 855-0929 Water: Public Utility District (360) 424-7104 Gas: Cascade Natural Gas (360) 336-6155 Electricity: Puget Sound Energy (888) 225-5773 Cable TV: Comcast (877) 824-2288

CHAMBERS/ORGANIZATIONS Sedro-Woolley Chamber of Commerce (360) 855-1841

SENIOR SERVICES

Sedro-Woolley Senior Center (360) 855-1531 Refuse pick-up discounts for seniors (360) 855-0929

FESTIVALS

Blast from the Past, June Loggerodeo, the week of July 4th Founders Day, the second weekend in September

PARKS

RIVERFRONT PARK Located on the south side of town on the Skagit River, with a covered picnic area, two shelters, barbecue pits in each shelter and throughout the park, 50-plus picnic tables, four restrooms and an RV park. There is also a boat launch with restrooms and a picnic table. To make reservations for the park, contact City Hall at (360) 855-1661.

BINGHAM PARK At Highway 20 and Cook Road, this park has a shelter, barbecue pits, about 10 picnic tables, benches, restrooms, a playground and a ballfield.

Direct Admission Line: 360.770.1605

18343

Joint Commission Accredited

80

| SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011

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SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011 |

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sedro-woolley

SEDRO-WOOLLEY memoriAl PArk Memorial Park, at State and Ball streets, has a picnic shelter, picnic tables, benches, a playground, and barbecue pits, and is located near the Sedro-Woolley Library, senior center and community center.

HArry osborne PArk At Highway 20 and Ferry Street, includes the Sedro-Woolley Information Center and a gift shop, housed in the caboose of an old steam train. meTcAlf PArk Located next to Holland Drug on Metcalf Street, this park is privately owned but maintained by the city. It has a picnic table, a bench, a maintained flower garden, and a view of a mural on the side of the Holland Drug building.

sedro-woolley

museum & Gift Shop

lions (roAdside) PArk Found on Highway 20 near Reed Street, has picnic tables, barbecue pits, and water available.

sedro-Woolley youTH bAsebAll fields Tesarik Park — Highway 20 across from Ferry Street city ballfields — Metcalf Street and Waldron Street

Weds. & Thurs.

Noon - 4 p.m.

Saturday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Sunday 1:30 - 4:30 p.m.

725 Murdock Street • 360.855.2390 • www.sedrowoolleymuseum.org

OUR WICKIUP

American Indian Art

Museum & Retail Shop 100’s of Timeless Treasures

Jewelry • Totems • Dolls • Baskets • Carvings & More

360-826-3876

Janicki Playfields — Cook Road, west. riverfront Park — Township Street and River Road. sedro-Woolley Tennis courTs Third and Jameson Sixth and Talcott sedro-Woolley skATe PArk Murdock Street, directly across from City Hall

MUSEUMS

sedro-Woolley museum 727 Murdock St. (360) 855-2390

HEALTH CARE

united General Hospital 200 Hospital Drive Sedro-Woolley (360) 856-6021

30732 SR 20 • Sedro-Woolley (Just west of Lyman) 2

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

skagitvisitor.com

SEDRO-WOOLLEY

While you’re here...

Stroll and shop in the historic downtown.

Check out the murals downtown, many inspired by Darius Kinsey, a world-famous photographer of Western scenery, logging and railroads who had a photo studio in Sedro-Woolley in the late 1890s.

Enjoy the downtown statues, life-sized works of art carved out of cedar logs with chain saws.

Visit the Sedro-Woolley Museum and look for the model railroad at the scale model of a logging camp. Wander through exhibits designed to resemble stores and businesses in a turn-of-the-century village. The blacksmith shop is especially stunning.

SuStainable, Organic & Humane A family farm located in Sedro-Woolley along the scenic Skagit River. Specializes in Organic & Grassfed Beef, Organic Pork, Chickens and Eggs. Retail Farm Store Open Saturdays from 10-6pm all year. See website for other outlet info.

SKAGIT RIVER RANCH www.skagitriverranch.com

Walk the trails at the Northern State Recreation Area east of town — and bring a Frisbee to play “golf” on a special course.

Picnic at Riverfront Park on the banks of the Skagit River.

Stop by the old steam logging locomotive on Highway 20 on the west side of town and imagine her bringing loads of “green gold” down from the forests. skagitvisitor.com

SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011 |

3

UPPER SKAGIT

Lyman

D

riving up Highway 20 to recreational destinations in the North Cascades, the small town of Lyman registers as only a gas station and grocery. But those willing to get off the beaten path will find a quiet, picturesque town where residents enjoy life on the Skagit River without the river’s worrisome floods.

This isn’t Lyman’s official slogan, but it could be: the little town that thinks big. Despite a modest city budget, the mayor and other city leaders found a way to purchase the beautiful Minkler mansion, 8405 S. Main St., a pioneer home built in 1891 that now stands as the Lyman City Hall. The house, built sturdy by pioneer mill owner and statesman Birdsey Minkler, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Lyman is the sort of place where the mayor is also the owner of the town’s only tavern. The Lyman Tavern, billed as the “horniest tavern in the Northwest,” is really just a friendly place to sit, share a brew and on some nights enjoy karaoke.

Oh, and the walls are covered with antlers.

Cascade Trail, a popular “Rails to Trails” project for walkers, joggers and bicyclists, passes right through Lyman. Town officials hope to expand the park near the trail.

Now the park offers barbecue pits, a covered picnic area, restrooms and a horseshoe pit.

Also nearby is the historic Lyman cemetery, which dates back more than a century and neighbors an early Native American burial ground.

GOVERNMENT INFORMATION Town of lyman 8405 S. Main St. P.O. Box 1248 Lyman, WA 98263 Telephone: (360) 826-3033 FAX: (360) 826-6473 E-mail: clerk_lyman@msn.com

SCHOOLS

lyman elementary 8183 Lyman Ave. (360) 855-3535

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

Hamilton

L

ife in Hamilton moves to the ebb and flow of the Skagit River. This old town of about 300 residents lies in a low spot in the valley and is the most floodprone community on the river.

Many of the homes are built above the highest historic flood levels. The town’s fire department sounds an alarm heard throughout town when the river level goes one foot above flood stage.

Government at all levels have tried to coordinate the town’s relocation to higher ground across Highway 20. But residents don’t have a strong desire to move, and the property owner across the highway for now is unwilling to sell.

It appears Hamilton for now is staying put.

The town park on Main Street features a public picnic area, a covered gazebo with kitchen facilities and restrooms. The town has a bar, grocery store and post office. Hamilton is home to one of only two olivine mining operations in the country, managed by the Unimin Corp. skagitvisitor.com

UPPER SKAGIT The town, about 13 miles east of Sedro-Woolley, was founded in 1891 by John Hamilton. The earliest residents mined coal and iron, and prospered from timber. The population grew to almost 2,000 in the early 1900s. The population dropped after the mines closed and the timber industry declined.

GOVERNMENT INFORMATION Hamilton City Hall 584 Maple St. (360) 826-3983

Birdsview

A

nice stop along Highway 20 and a jumping-off spot for folks heading up Baker Lake Road to go camping, hiking and boating at scenic Baker Lake.

Home to Birdsview Brewing Co.

Concrete

L

ike many of Skagit County’s upriver communities, Concrete had its heyday decades ago. The town’s economy hummed along with two operating cement plants that have since gone under.

Today, town visionaries guide Concrete into its future. In 2010, a group started an ambitious halfacre community garden directly behind the town’s famous concrete silos.

The same people are working to restore an old office building from Concrete’s bygone era. The Lone Star Building could become a new city-government building.

The most colorful aspect of Concrete’s renaissance is an ongoing effort to have children construct and install birdhouses around town.

They adorn the fencing along the community garden and the town’s distinctive welcome sign, which is held up by four totem poles.

Much of the impetus behind these projects comes from Jason Miller, a newcomer to Concrete skagitvisitor.com

whose passion for small-town living led him to take a seat on the Town Council and restart the town’s historic newspaper.

Concrete residents know how to throw a party. They went all out in 2009 to celebrate the town’s 100th anniversary.

The business community is active through the Concrete Chamber of Commerce, which is always keeping things fresh with new events — including the recent addition of a Fall Color Festival. The Chamber also has taken over the immensely popular wintertime Eagle Festival. The Chamber hosts Mardi Gras every year, even if there is snow on the ground. It pays its respects to the many ghosts said to haunt the old downtown with a Ghost Walk in October.

The historic Concrete Theatre, first opened in 1923, reopened in 2010 to show first-run and nearly first-run films. The theater’s new owners also operate a group fitness studio there.

Concrete’s history began in 1909 with the merger of Cement City and Baker, each built around separate cement companies. Most of the buildings downtown were built with concrete after a major fire in 1921 destroyed most of the original wooden structures. Historic plaques on many of the buildings list their construction dates.

Visitors can stop in Concrete for food or coffee, or fill up the gas tank before ascending the North Cascades Highway passes. Public restrooms and a community resource center are available on your right as you first enter town.

The Henry Thompson Bridge was built between 1916 and 1918, and was named for the Skagit County commissioner who promoted its construction. At that time, it was the longest single-span cement bridge in the world and is listed on the historic register. It was renovated in 2003.

• Lower Baker Dam was com-

pleted in 1925 and raised to 293 feet in 1927, and was at the time the highest hydroelectric dam in the world.

• Washington Portland Cement plant site was the first cement plant in town, constructed in 1905.

A limestone quarry is over the hill to the north.

• Superior Portland Cement site is now known as Silo Park and was the site of Concrete’s second cement plant completed in 1908.

Remaining structures include the silos, office building, power generator building and safety sculpture.

• Great Northern Railway corridor. The railroad from Sedro-Woolley reached Concrete in 1900, opening the area for commerce. Tracks were removed in 1996, creating the Skagit County Cascade Trail.

• Historic buildings. The town hall, built in 1908, was the first schoolhouse and was originally located across from the State Bank of Concrete; the Concrete grade school was constructed in 1910 and the addition to the east in 1938.

The Concrete Theater was built in 1923 and the stage has entertained audiences from vaudeville to the movies.

GOVERNMENT INFORMATION Town of concrete 45672 Main St. Concrete, WA 98237 Telephone: (360) 853-8401 Fax: (360) 853-8002

CHAMBER

concrete chamber of commerce 45770 Main St., (360) 853-8767

SENIOR SERVICES

concrete senior center 45821 Railroad St. (360) 853-8400

FESTIVALS

Eagle Festival in January Mardi Gras in February Cascade Days in August Fall Color Festival in October

SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011 |

upper skagit SCHOOLS

Administration Office 45389 Airport Way Concrete, WA 98237 (360) 853-8141 www.concrete.k12.wa.us Elementary School Concrete Elementary School 7838 S. Superior Ave. (360) 853-8145 High School Concrete High School 7830 S. Superior Ave. (360) 853-8143 Alternative Schools Twin Cedars Alternative School (360) 826-6505 Skagit River Schoolhouse (360) 826-6505

PARKS

Silo Park Bear Square Garden Club Park Skateland Park

Rockport

W

hen you think of Rockport, think bald eagles.

The majestic national bird migrates by the hundreds to the upper Skagit Valley every winter to dine on the carcasses of spawned-out salmon. The epicenter of this show

by Mother Nature is the small riverside community of Rockport.

For decades the town celebrated the raptors’ arrival with the Eagle Festival. The event went on hiatus in 2010 but is back for 2011.

The January event features guided walks, photography workshops,

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853-7227

Marblemount

W Hours:

Tues-Sat 11am - 9pm Sun 2-8pm • Closed Mondays

44568 State route 20 • Concrete, WA 86

demonstrations with live bald eagles and performances by Native American musicians and dancers spread over several weekends Much of the educational events during the Eagle Festival take place at the Rockport Bald Eagle Interpretive Center, one block south of Highway 20 in the Rockport Fire Hall. The center is open every day between Christmas and New Year’s, and on weekends from early December through mid-February.

Rockport is also a fishing and rafting hot spot. Anglers and boaters launch from Howard Miller Steelhead Park. The park also features a playground, RV hookups and sites for tent camping.

Just outside town at milepost 96.5 on Highway 20 is Rockport State Park, a 670-acre day-use park featuring old-growth trees and a trailhead that begins the climb to the top of 5,541-foot Sauk Mountain.

Rockport was founded in 1901

by Albert Von Pressentin and served as the end of a railroad line for many years, with as many as three trains departing daily to Burlington. The Rockport Hotel, built along the river, had 21 rooms with hot and cold running water.

Today Rockport is home to about 100 people.

| SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011

elcome to the American Alps.”

So reads the sign that greets visitors entering Marblemount, at the doorstep of North Cascades National Park.

The town in essence is a backcountry retreat — either for residents who never tire of the North Cascades’ majestic beauty, or for visitors from around the world who use Marblemount as a jumping-off place for their hiking and climbing adventures. There’s also raftskagitvisitor.com

Experience the North Cascades Skagit Tours July/August 2011 Boat tour and lunch on Diablo Lake Walking tour of historic Newhalem & Gorge Powerhouse n Van tour and hike, “Dine on the Dam� n Special tours coming in fall 2011 n n

Skagit Tours 2011

For more information, visit www.skagittours.com. For reservations, call 206-684-3030.

North Cascades Institute Celebrating 25 years of connecting people, nature and community through education.

You are invited to the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center for: Family getaways Base Camp n Group rentals

Diablo Downtime Adult classes n Youth programs

n

n

n

n

www.ncascades.org or 360-854-2599 Programs at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center are at Diablo Lake, 65 miles east of I-5 on Highway 20.

North Cascades National Park Something to savor

Enjoy summer learning and recreation.

www.nps.gov/noca or 360-854-7200

upper skagit ing, kayaking, canoeing, mushroom hunting, photography — most everything outdoor enthusiasts enjoy in the mountains.

Marblemount, with a population of just 250 or so, is fairly bustling in the eyes of those who are drawn to it — those looking to get away from it all.

The town has two gas stations, and several eateries and places for overnight stays — from campgrounds and cabins to hotel rooms.

Skagit River Resort west of Marblemount, owned and operated by the pioneer Clark family, offers RV hookups and cabins with fireplaces. From there, take a shuttle to destinations for fishing, hiking or kayaking.

The town got its name in 1890 A

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20, Friday through Sunday during the summer and on occasion in the winter, when the North Cascades Highway heading east is closed.

Call (360) 873-4150 or (360) 8732103.

Information also is available at the North Cascades National Park Service Wilderness Information Center on Ranger Station Road, off Highway 20, at (360) 873-4500, ext.

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from Matilda Clark Buller, a hotel keeper who named the town for a mountain across the river, which resembled marble to her. At that time there were more than 1,500 miners and prospectors in the area.

Marblemount is rich with the history of the gold rush, and a few buildings of the era still stand. One is the Buffalo Run Inn, a handhewn log structure during the town’s early heyday. It’s part of an enterprise that includes the Buffalo Run Restaurant and Buffalo Run Ranch.

In recent years, the community has seen a rise in tourism activity, in large part due to the revival of commercial interests.

Tourists can stop at a visitor information center, 59831 Highway

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skagitvisitor.com

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upper skagit Boat tours will be held Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in July and August. The utility will also offer free daily walking tours of Newhalem during those months.

The Skagit Tours information center in Newhalem, (206) 3864495, will be open every day in July and August, and four days a week in June and September. The center is staffed by City Light and National Park Service employees.

A ferry runs on Diablo Lake in the summers, mainly to accommodate anglers.

The two towns are inside North Cascades National Park, one of the most rugged and beautiful places in the national park system. Trails and campgrounds, waterfalls and eye-popping vistas await the traveler.

The better amenities are in Ne-

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hese two towns, built by a major utility, are the lastchance stops for travelers heading to Eastern Washington on North Cascades Highway.

And boy, are they beautiful places to stop.

The towns were built around Seattle City Light’s powerhouses at the bases of Gorge and Diablo lakes. The worker population is relatively small today.

The towns serve dual roles now as company towns and tourist stops. Seattle City Light’s popular educational and scenic boat tours return in 2011 after they were canceled for 2010.

whalem, at Milepost 120 and eight miles west of Diablo. The Skagit General Store offers snacks, drinks, gifts and camping supplies. It’s best known for its homemade fudge.

The Davis family homesteaded the area, and the remains of their primitive water power machinery can be seen on display in Newhalem. J.D. Ross, who envisaged and spearheaded the hydroelectric project, promoted the first tours of the site. His remains are in a crypt in the hillside near the Gorge powerhouse in Newhalem.

Information about the boat tour and other activities in and around Newhalem and Diablo can be found at www.SkagitTours.com.

In the winter, the North Cascades Highway is closed just a few miles east of Diablo due to extreme snowfall and avalanche danger.

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Skagit County HISTORY & HERITAGE Native Americans — including members of the Skagit, Samish and Swinomish tribes — lived in Skagit County for thousands of years, enjoying the bounty of the land and sea, before Spanish and British explorers began touching down onto its shores in the late 1700s.

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he explorers were followed by trappers and traders of the Hudson’s Bay Co. during the 1820s. Water served as the primary transportation system for people and goods. In 1858, white explorers made their first recorded trip up the Skagit River in search of gold.

The first permanent white settler is believed to be William Munks, who set down roots on March Point on Fidalgo Island in 1859.

Blocking the settlement up the Skagit River were two monster logjams that had accumulated over the centuries, one a half-mile wide and the other extending upstream for almost a mile. Government surveyors declined to offer funds to clear the logjams when they determined the bill would be $100,000. A local organization formed by seven loggers, with the help of local donations, in the late 1860s tackled the jams. It took them six months to

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cut a narrow channel through the first jam and two years to breach the second. The river was now clear, and homesteads began popping up along the river.

In 1870, the first steamer reached Mount Vernon, bringing settlers; within four years, regular steamer service was available from Seattle. Anacortes was named and got a post office in 1876, and Burlington was founded in 1882. Enterprising residents were catching salmon on the Skagit River, and the fish were processed at canneries in Anacortes. Other residents were launching timber and farming businesses.

In 1889 — the year Washington became a state — the first steam locomotives moved up the rails into Skagit County. By 1901, Skagit’s main cities were connected on lines from Seattle, and the upper valley line had reached Baker, later named Concrete. Soon after, the line continued east to Rockport.

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SWINOMISH TRIBE

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he Swinomish Tribe is part of a community of four major Coast Salish groups — aboriginal Swinomish, Lower Skagit, Kikiallus and aboriginal Samish — who have lived together on the Swinomish Reservation on southeastern Fidalgo Island since it was established by the Treaty of Point Elliott in 1855.

For thousands of years before that, the tribes lived in the Skagit and Samish River valleys, along the coast of the Salish Sea and on its numerous islands. They followed the seasonal cycle of natural resources in the summer and lived in large villages during the winter. Their culture centered around abundant saltwater resources, particularly salmon and shellfish, which remain a key part of tribal economy today. They also relied on marine mammals and upland resources such as cedar, berries and game animals.

The aboriginal Swinomish tongue was Lushootseed, a variant of the wider Salish language, and the tribe now offers language and culture classes for all ages at the Swinomish Community Library. Traditions also are upheld and passed on to future generations through such events as the annual Tribal Canoe Journey and the Blessing of the Fleet and First Salmon Ceremony.

The reservation is about 15 square miles. Tribal headquarters are in the historic Swinomish Village across the Swinomish Channel from La Conner.

The tribe has jurisdictional authority within the reservation’s boundaries and provides governmental services to all residents, including police, water and sewer service, and planning and permitting services.

The tribe is the principal employer on the reservation, and one of the five largest in Skagit County, employing about 300 at the casino and other economic enterprises, skagitvisitor.com

and another 250 in tribal government. It operates a fisheries department, a fish processing plant, a water resources program, an environmental education program, social services, a fitness center, senior services, a housing authority, a work training program and many other services.

The tribe has about 900 members. Information: www.swinomish-nsn.gov.

UPPER SKAGIT TRIBE

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he 84-acre Upper Skagit Reservation is east of SedroWoolley, and the tribe has 504 enrolled members who are descended from a tribe that inhabited 10 villages on the Upper Skagit and Sauk rivers.

The tribe opened its $28 million Skagit Casino Resort on a 15-acre site adjacent to Interstate 5 in Bow in 1995, and opened an $11 million, 103-room hotel and conference center in 2001.

Information: www.upperskagittribe.com and (360) 856-5501.

SAMISH INDIAN NATION

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istorically the large and powerful Samish Nation lived in finely crafted longhouses on Guemes, Samish and Fidalgo Islands and other coastal areas in the Salish Sea. They relied largely on saltwater resources.

Even today they frequently say — always with gratitude — “When the tide is out, the table is set for dinner.”

The Samish’s status as a federally recognized Indian tribe was lost through a clerical error in 1969 when it was left off a list by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. It took more than 26 years of administrative and federal court proceedings to regain recognition for the Samish Indian Nation in 1996.

Since then, the tribe has acquired property in and around Anacortes, including its cedar administrative offices, a health administration building and an art gallery, all on Commercial Avenue, as well as a preschool, the Fidalgo Bay RV Resort and two tracts of land for future housing and economic development.

Information: (360) 292-6404 and www.samishtribe.nsn.us.

MUSEUMS ANACORTES MUSEUM 1305 Eighth St., Anacortes (360) 292-1915 www.cityofanacortes.org CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF SKAGIT COUNTY 550 Cascade Mall Drive (Cascade Mall), Burlington (360) 757-8888 www.skagitchildrensmuseum.net LA CONNER QUILT & TEXTILE MUSEUM 703 S. Second St., La Conner (360)466-4288 www.laconnerquilts.com MUSEUM OF NORTHWEST ART 121 First St., La Conner (360) 466-4446 www.museumofnwart.org SEDRO-WOOLLEY MUSEUM 727 Murdock St., Sedro-Woolley (360) 855-2390 SKAGIT COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM 501 S. Fourth St., La Conner (360) 466-3365

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Skagit County TODAY

MAJOR EMPLOYERS LARGEST PUBLIC EMPLOYERS 2009 (Source: Economic Development Association of Skagit County)

1) Skagit Valley Hospital, Mount Vernon 2) Island Hospital, Anacortes 3) United General Hospital, Sedro-Woolley LARGEST PRIVATE EMPLOYERS 1) Regence BlueShield, health insurance, Burlington 2) Tie: Draper Valley Farms, Inc., chickens, Mount Vernon; and the Skagit Valley Casino Resort, resort and casino, Bow 3) Shell Puget Sound Refinery, petroleum processing, Anacortes 4) Janicki Industries, composite tooling supplier for

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aerospace, space defense, marine, wind energy and ground transportation industry, Sedro-Woolley 5) Snelson Companies, Inc., a pipeline, utility and mechanical construction and fabrication company, Sedro-Woolley 6) Dakota Creek Industries, ship building and ship repair, Anacortes 7) Tesoro Northwest, oil processing, Anacortes 8) Skagit Gardens, growers, horticultural brokers, garden centers and landscapers, Mount Vernon 9) Haggen, Inc., retail grocery stores and pharmacies, Bellingham 10) Trident Seafoods Corporation, seafood processing, Anacortes

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PORT DISTRICTS THE PORT OF SKAGIT FOUNDED: 1964 MAJOR FACILITIES: Skagit Regional Airport, La Conner Marina, Bay View Business Park.

GOVERNANCE: Three commissioners, elected for six-year terms, and an executive.

JOBS ON PROPERTY: 933 fulltime, 114 part-time NUMBER OF TENANTS: 86 MAJOR TENANTS: Tomco Marine Group, Woodinville Lumber, Inc. (Tri-County Truss), Hexcel, Lindal Building Products, Team Corporation, Volant, Westport Shipyard, Inc. INFORMATION: (360) 757-0011, www.portofskagit.com THE PORT OF ANACORTES FOUNDED: 1926 MAJOR FACILITIES: The 950-slip marina Cap Sante Boat Haven, skagitvisitor.com

Anacortes Airport, 30-acre marine terminal GOVERNANCE: Five commissioners, elected from five individual districts, who serve four-year terms, and an executive director.

JOBS ON PROPERTY: 750 MAJOR TENANTS: Dakota Creek Shipyard, Puget Sound Rope, Skipper Cress yacht sales, Northwest Marine Technology, Micro Aerodynamics, Transpac Marinas, San Juan Airlines, Washington State Ferries.

INFORMATION: (360) 293-3134 www.portofanacortes.com

INCOME 2008 Estimated Average Household Income: $65,039 2008 Estimated Median Household Income: $50,777 2008 Estimated Per Capita Income: $24,651 (Source: Claritas Inc., May 2008)

MEDIAN HOME PRICES Anacortes - $280,000 Guemes Island - $330,000 Other Skagit County - $520,000 La Conner - $229,900 Burlington - $235,000 Sedro-Woolley - $181,000 Mount Vernon - $219,310 Lyman/Hamilton - $75,000 Concrete and Up River - $118,000 (Source: Northwest Multiple Listing Service, year-to-date August 2010)

HEALTH CARE Skagit Valley Hospital 1415 E. Kincaid St. Mount Vernon 98274 www.skagitvalleyhospital.org (360) 424-4111 The public hospital opened in 1958 after voters passed a bond measure.

Offerings include outpatient diagnostics and rehabilitation services, surgery, acute care, a Family Birth Center, heart and vascular care, orthopedic services, and surgery and cancer treatment at its Regional skagitvisitor.com

Cancer Care Center. The hospital has 137 beds, and all rooms are private. The hospital also has a clinic on Camano Island. The hospital received a top five-star rating for the quality of its coronary interventional procedures and total hip replacement by HealthGrades, the health care ratings company. The hospital reports it is ranked number one in the state for coronary interventional procedures.

United General Hospital 2000 Hospital Drive Sedro-Woolley 98284 www.UnitedGeneral.org (360) 856-6021 Services at the public hospital include a breast care suite, a cancer care center, diagnostic imaging, a fitness center, massage therapy, physical therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation and a sleep center. The hospital reports that it consistently is rated one of the top hospitals in the state for its care of patients with pneumonia, and heart failure or heart attack.

Island Hospital 1211 24th St. Anacortes 98221 www.islandhospital.org (360) 299-1300 Services at the public hospital include a birth center, a cancer care center, critical care, diagnostic imaging, emergency services, physical therapy and rehabilitation, prenatal care, surgery and a sleep wellness center. Island Hospital

also manages family care clinics in Anacortes and on Lopez Island.

The hospital recently was honored as a national “100 Top Hospitals’’ for performance improvement by Evanston, Ill.-based Solucient, a national heath care information corporation.

EDUCATION Founded in 1926, Skagit Valley College began last fall with 6,483 full- and part-time students. The main Mount Vernon campus is at 2405 E. College Way; the Whidbey Island campus at 1900 S.E. Pioneer Way, Oak Harbor; the San Juan Center, 221 Weber Way, Friday Harbor; the South Whidbey Center, 11042 Highway 525 #138, Clinton; and the Business Resource Center, 204 W. Montgomery, Mount Vernon.

Information: www.skagit.edu.

Skagit County is home to seven school districts: Anacortes, Burlington-Edison, Concrete, Conway, La Conner, Mount Vernon and Sedro-Woolley.

LIBRARIES Anacortes Library 1220 10th St. (360) 293-1910 Burlington Library 820 E. Washington Ave. (360) 755-0760 La Conner Library 614 E. Morris St. (360) 466-3352

BUYING TOP PRICES Coins, Stamps, Sports Cards, Collectibles, Gold & Silver Jewelry, Sterling, Dental Gold, Class Rings, Comics, Sports Memorabilia. Bullion, too!

THE STAMP & COIN PLACE Downtown Mount Vernon • 405 S. 1st St 360.336.9717 SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011 |

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Mount Vernon Library 315 Snoqualmie St. (360) 336-6209 Sedro-Woolley Library 802 Ball Ave. (360) 855-1166

NEWSPAPERS

KWLE 1340 (Anacortes) Adult contemporary music, local news and sports.

1340thewhale.com KBRC 1430 (Mount Vernon) Classic hits. kbrcradio.com

Skagit Valley Herald (daily) 1215 Anderson Road, Mount Vernon (360) 424-3251, www.goskagit.com

KSVR 90.1 FM (Mount Vernon) Broadcast news, public affairs programs and music in English and Spanish from Skagit Valley College. ksvr.org

Anacortes American (weekly) 901 Sixth St., Anacortes (360) 293-3122, www.goskagit.com

TELEVISION/ PUBLIC ACCESS

The Argus (weekly) 1215 Anderson Road, Mount Vernon (360) 424-3251, www.goskagit.com Courier-Times (weekly) 1215 Anderson Road, Mount Vernon (360) 424-3251, www.goskagit.com Concrete Herald (monthly) (360) 853-8213 www.concrete-herald.com La Conner Weekly News laconnernews.blogspot.com (360) 466-3315

RADIO STATIONS KAPS 660 (Mount Vernon) Country music. kapsradio.com

Comfort

Channel 10, Anacortes.

City’s government access channel broadcasting City Council and Port of Anacortes Commission meetings, public notices, community events and related programming.

Access Skagit Television: Skagit 21, Mount Vernon.

Can be seen on Comcast Cable channel 21 in the greater Skagit Valley viewing area. Broadcasts public meetings for cities and the county, along with public notices and events.

CASINOS Skagit Valley Casino Resort 5984 N. Darrk Lane Bow (877) 275-2448 (360) 724-7777 www.theskagit.com The Skagit Valley Casino Resort

his h a s n e ve r b e e n t

Easy

Quality Clothing & Footwear For Over 80 Years.

312 So. First Street, Downtown Mount Vernon • (360) 336-5598 Open Thursday til 8pm • Sunday 12-4

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includes a 103-room hotel and conference center, more than 860 slot machines, three restaurants and live entertainment. Take Interstate 5 to Bow Hill Road (exit 236) and head east for a couple of blocks, then turn left onto Darrk Lane.

Swinomish Northern Lights Casino 12885 Casino Drive Anacortes (360) 293-2691 (888) 288-8883 www.swimonishcasino.com Table games, slots, restaurant, Bingo, poker, comedy, live boxing, banquets, RV park. Take Interstate 5 exit 230 and head west to the west side of the Duane Berentson twin bridges onto Fidalgo Island.

racing SKAGIT SPEEDWAY 4796 Old Highway 99 North Road Burlington (360) 724-3567 www.skagitspeedway.com The Skagit Speedway, located on Old Highway 99 between Burlington and Alger, hosts auto racing, motorcycle races and demolition derbies from April through September. Camping is available.

cinemas AMC Lowes Cascade Mall 14 14 screens 200 Cascade Mall Drive, Burlington www.amctheatres.com (888) 262-4386

Anacortes Cinemas Three screens 415 O Ave., Anacortes www.liveanacortes.com (360) 293-7000 Lincoln Theatre One screen 712 S. First St., Mount Vernon www.lincolntheatre.org (360)336-8955

malls Cascade Mall 201 Cascade Mall Drive, Burlington www.shopcascademall.com (360) 757-2070 The Outlet Shoppes at Burlington 448 Fashion Way, Burlington www.theoutletshoppesatburlington.com (360) 757-3549

SKAGIT COUNTY POPULATION Skagit County Anacortes Burlington Concrete Hamilton La Conner Lyman Mount Vernon Sedro-Woolley

119,300 16,800 8,989 710 300 870 445 31,020 10,040

Source: Washington State office of financial management, forecasting division

Voted Best Cosmetic Skin Care Center in Skagit County Cascade Cosmetic • Gary L Brown M.D.F.A.C.S. • Gary K Johnson M.D.F.A.C.S. • James R Gross M.D.F.A.C.S. • Jonathan R Grant M.D. A Cascade Medical Group Center of Excellence Certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive www.cascade-cosmetic.com Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology

111 S 12th Street Mount Vernon

360-336-1947

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visit us online at:

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Skagit County PERFORMING ARTS Dance, opera, classical music, volunteer and professional theater, prestigious art museums, eclectic galleries — few areas in Washington state offer the artistic and cultural diversity found in Skagit County.

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ake a stroll through any city or town in the county and find a variety of galleries and art studios. Spend a day at the regionally renowned Museum of Northwest Art in La Conner to view some of the Pacific Northwest’s finest works. And then there are the hundreds of local artists who comprise the many arts groups.

Music and dance have found a

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welcome home, too, with plenty of community support. A professional symphony, opera group, orchestra, community theater groups, volunteer chorales and choruses all thrive to create a rich cultural backdrop for the community to enjoy.

You don’t have to go far to find whatever entertainment strikes your fancy.

| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

VENUES MCINTYRE HALL McIntyre Hall is Skagit County’s premier performing arts hall, located on the Skagit Valley College campus in Mount Vernon and offering 651 seats and a conference center that can accommodate up to 300 people.

As always, McIntyre has a stunskagitvisitor.com

ning performance lineup planned for its 2010-11 season, including a night with Greg Mortenson, bestselling author of “Three Cups of Tea”; Theater Arts Guild’s production of the award-winning “Hairspray”; a performance by Celtic sensation Solas, and more.

There’s a bar in the large, comfortable lobby, and you can watch backstage activity on a large television screen during intermissions.

For more information about tickets or the hall: (360) 416-7727, ext. 2; 866-624-6897, ext. 2; or www.mcintyrehall.org.

LINCOLN THEATRE The Lincoln Theatre in downtown Mount Vernon is not only a fabulous performing arts venue designed with an Egyptian motif.

It’s a little piece of the city’s history as well.

Built in 1926, this historic vaudeville and silent movie house has been renovated through the years into a premier stage for a variety of performances and events.

At the same time, the theater is skagitvisitor.com

a unique venue to catch showings of both independent and the latest films, and live, high-definition broadcasts of some of the world’s best opera from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York and the National Theatre in London.

For a full list of events: (360) 336-8955 or www.lincolntheatre. org.

ANACORTES COMMUNITY THEATRE The Anacortes Community Theatre was founded by a loyal group of theater aficionados in 1964 and has since evolved into a thriving organization with its own cozy building offering up a variety of staged productions year-round.

Visitors can expect to see a helping of large-scale musicals, smaller comedies and dramas, and even edgy “fringe” shows written and produced by locals.

For more information or a complete list of upcoming shows and events: (360) 293-6829 or www. acttheatre.com.

BRODNIAK HALL Anacortes High School’s Brodniak Hall has become a destination for a variety of community productions throughout the years.

Built in 1975, the 804-seat theater attracts not just school performances and events, but also concerts, festivities and more, and offers fantastic rehearsal space.

For information about the hall: (360) 293-1200 or www.asd103. org/Brodniak/index.htm.

PHILLIP TARRO THEATRE Skagit Valley College’s 210-seat Phillip Tarro Theatre, located on the college’s Mount Vernon campus, is an intimate venue perfect for smaller productions, panels and workshops.

The theater is home to the college’s Drama Department and its seasonal stage productions.

For more information about the theater: (360) 416-7723 or www. skagit.edu.

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Lincoln Theatre

MUSEUM OF NORTHWEST ART The Museum of Northwest Art on First Street in La Conner is one of the most influential art museums in the Pacific Northwest, focusing on exhibiting, preserving and interpreting Northwest art and artists.

Since it was founded in 1981 by a tight-knit group of local artists, the museum has moved to its current location and has grown to include a permanent collection of more than 2,500 pieces of art from Northwest artists. The MoNA Link program helps coordinate art education in the local schools.

The museum also offers a full season of workshops, activities and exhibits from nationally known artists.

The museum is open from noon to 5 p.m. Sundays and Mondays, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Admission: free for museum members, $5 adults, $4 seniors, $2 students and free for children 12 and younger.

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For a list of upcoming exhibits or to find out more about the museum: (360) 466-4446 or www. museumofnwart.org.

RIVERBELLE DINNER THEATRE The RiverBelle Dinner Theatre, owned by Wendy Bell, is a cozy dinner theater on the second floor of the renovated Old Town Grainery Building in historic downtown Mount Vernon.

Audiences can head to the RiverBelle for a Friday or Saturday evening out, enjoying a catered dinner and an entertaining comedy, drama or musical. The theater offers a variety of shows, some written by promising local playwrights and others that are well-known Broadway and off-Broadway productions performed by some of the region’s best actors, singers and dancers.

For more information on the RiverBelle and a complete list of shows: (360) 336-3012, www. riverbelledinnertheatre.com or final_curtain52@yahoo.com.

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PERFORMANCE GROUPS SKAGIT SYMPHONY The nonprofit Skagit Symphony is one of the area’s homegrown volunteer musical groups, made up of top-notch musicians from the Pacific Northwest who play to entertain, promote the appreciation of classical music and even provide entertainment to youth across the region.

Since it was founded in 1992, the symphony has became a major cultural force in the community, offering opportunities for the public to enjoy full orchestral performances, and through its youth programs, for elementary-aged students to learn about classical music and experience a free performance each year.

For more information about the symphony or a list of upcoming

performances or events: (360) 8489336 or www.skagitsymphony.com.

SKAGIT OPERA The nonprofit Skagit Opera began in 2003 as a small group of local singers and stage performers

and has since evolved into a regional company producing some of the best operatic programming in the Pacific Northwest. The organization attracts professional singers and actors from around the world and is supported by a stalwart

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humanlife.net We Respect Human Life and Work Together to Protect It, at All Stages and in All Conditions.

Your local HUMAN LIFE affiliates: Anacortes 360-293-3005 skagitvisitor.com

Sedro Woolley 360-856-6561

Mount Vernon 360-424-1943

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group of volunteers.

The group is on hiatus this year, but will be back in the fall of 2011 for a production of the classic opera, “Tosca.”

For information and a complete list of upcoming shows and performances: (360) 422-5070 or www. skagitopera.org.

THEATER ARTS GUILD The community volunteer theater group Theater Arts Guild was established in 1992 with the goal of providing a creative outlet for aspiring young actors and performers. Since then, the group has become recognized for its varied theatrical offerings, everything from large-scale musicals with a cast of 50, to smaller dramatic offerings, including “Salome,” and edgy, comedic musical romps, including “The Rocky Horror Show.”

For more information visit www. theaterartsguild.org.

FIDALGO YOUTH SYMPHONY The nonprofit Fidalgo Youth Symphony has been offering young and talented musicians in Skagit, Island, Snohomish and Whatcom counties an opportunity to reach their musical potential for 15 years.

The symphony consists of a Youth Orchestra that studies and performs a more challenging repertoire; the Junior Orchestra comprised of intermediate level players; and the Sinfonette, designed for beginning musicians.

Each year, the groups perform four classical concerts at McIntyre Hall and other local venues.

For more information or a complete list of events or performances: (360) 421-2527 or www.fysmusic. org.

SKAGIT VALLEY CHORALE The Skagit Valley Chorale was formed in 1984 from a group of 30 singers and has since blossomed to include more than 100 voices performing in a variety of venues and events across the globe.

For more information or a list of upcoming events: info@skagitval leychorale.org or www.skagitval leychorale.org.

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SKAGIT RIVER SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL Each August, the nonprofit Shakespeare Northwest brings audiences a taste of the English bard’s tragedy and comedy during its month-long Skagit River Shakespeare Festival in Mount Vernon.

Top-notch actors from across the Pacific Northwest breathe life into Shakespeare’s timeless stories with breathtaking costumes and sets.

Typically, the group produces two Shakespeare classics each season.

The group has expanded its offerings during its nine years to include free outdoor performances across Skagit County during the festival to help introduce a new audience to classic Shakespeare and theater.

For more information about Shakespeare Northwest or the festival, visit www.shakesnw.org.

ALGER LOOKOUT THESPIAN ASSOCIATION ALTA is a theater organization based in Alger, that draws talented actors from across the Skagit Valley. The group produces two big shows a year in the cozy 100-seat Alger Community Church it calls its home.

For more information on ALTA, visit www.altatheatre.com. skagitvisitor.com

META PERFORMING ARTS For 13-plus years, the nonprofit META Performing Arts has engaged audiences with several fully staged, family-friendly shows each year. There are plenty of opportunities for children and teens to perform with adults on stage and learn from them off stage. META is committed to providing children and youth with performance opportunities and an education in the performing arts. META practices “color blind” casting, and strives to reflect cultural diversity in its production choices. The group offers a performing arts summer camp and periodic performing arts and auditioning workshops.

For more information about META programs: (877) 490-6382 or www.metaperformingarts.org.

LYRIC LIGHT OPERA Lyric Light Opera is considered one of the premier theater groups in the Pacific Northwest, attracting professional-level and community theater talent for large-scale musical productions known for lavish sets, intense music direction and choreography, and elaborate costumes.

Since the group was founded in 2006, it has produced two musicals a year and gained a loyal following.

Past productions include “Annie Get Your Gun,” Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” “Brigadoon” and “Sound of Music.”

For more information about the group or upcoming performances: (360) 387-3948 or www.lyriclight opera.org.

CANTABILE OF SKAGIT VALLEY The 20-member Cantabile of Skagit Valley is a non-audition choir that brings a smooth, flowing and lyrical style of singing to audiences during its various performances each year.

Founded in 2006, the choir has quickly become a music staple in Skagit Valley, often collaborating skagitvisitor.com

with other performing arts groups for shows that feature music from the Romantic era to today.

For more information about Cantabile: (360) 466-1783 or www. cantabileofskagitvalley.org.

Art Walks The La Conner Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition Annual show re-opens March 1 with about 12 new pieces tucked along the waterfront. Cards with information about the artwork and a self-guided sculpture walk map are at each piece.

Arts on the Avenue Annual outdoor sculpture exhibit in Anacortes in prominent locations along southern Commercial Avenue. Maps are at each sculpture and the Anacortes Visitors Center. anacortesartscommission.com.

Arts in Anacortes The Anacortes Arts Commission has a free guide to more than 300 pieces of publicly displayed art in Anacortes, including a WPA mural of halibut fishermen, carved Samish story poles, a wall of copper-colored dots that resolve into an image of pioneer Annie Curtis, and a glowing, dorsal fin-shaped sculpture. Get a brochure at the Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center, the Anacortes Parks and Recreation office at City Hall or at anacortesartscommission.com.

First Friday Gallery Walks In Anacortes, 6-9 p.m., often including opening receptions. Other galleries and shops often host events at the same time.

Skagit Artists Together Studio Tour About two dozen select artists from Mount Vernon, Sedro-Woolley, Conway, La Conner, Anacortes and Edison open their studios July 16-17. Maps and brochures will be posted at www.skagitartiststogether.com.

Quilt Walk Hosted in Anacortes by Fidalgo Island Quilters during the tulip festival. See traditional quilts, artistic quilts and stylish wearable art garments at businesses and shops around the city. www.fidalgoislandquilters.com

SKAGIT county Visitors & Newcomers Guide | January 2011 |

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Directory of Advertisers ANACORTES ARTS FESTIVAL ................................72

ISLAND HOSPITAL ...................................................3

SKAGIT REGIONAL CLINICS...................................94

ANACORTES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ..............67

JEE JAC KENNELS .................................................48

SKAGIT RIVER RANCH ...........................................83

ANACORTES MUSEUM .........................................67

LAKE MCMURRAY RECREATION ASSOCIATION ...20

SKAGIT STATE BANK .............................................51

ANDERSON APPLIANCE, INC. ...............................54

LENNING FARMS / BERRY BARN..........................64

SKAGIT SYMPHONY ..............................................98

ANNIE’S PIZZA STATION .......................................86

LICKETY CLIPS GROOMING ...................................40

SKAGIT VALLEY CASINO RESORT .......................104

BEST WESTERN COTTONTREE INN ......................37

LIFE CARE CENTER OF SKAGIT VALLEY.................80

SKAGIT VALLEY FOOD CO-OP ................................14

BRIDGE, THE...........................................................95

LOGGERODEO, INC.................................................79

SKAGIT VALLEY HERALD .......................................65

CALICO CUPBOARD & SEEDS ................................65

MARINA INN, THE .................................................54

SKAGIT VALLEY HOSPITAL ......................................2

CAP SANTE COURT ................................................74

META PERFORMING ARTS ..................................100

SKAGITVISITOR.COM.............................................76

CAP SANTE INN .....................................................68

MOUNT VERNON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ......41

SKAGITONIANS TO PRESERVE FARMLAND ...........7

CASCADE COSMETIC SKIN CARE .........................95

MOUNT VERNON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ....43

STAMP & COIN PLACE, THE ..................................93

CASCADIAN FARM ..................................................7

NEXT CHAPTER, THE..............................................62

TAYLOR SHELLFISH ................................................56

CENTRAL MOVING & STORAGE ............................42

NORTH CASCADES INSTITUTE..............................25

THAI HOUSE RESTAURANT ...................................25

CHANDLER’S SQUARE ...........................................69

OLIVER HAMMER CLOTHING ................................83

TRI-DEE DISTRIBUTORS .........................................42

CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF SKAGIT COUNTY ........48

OUR WICKIUP.........................................................82

TULIP INN ...............................................................20

CHRISTIANSON’S NURSERY ...................................7

OUTLET SHOPPES AT BURLINGTON ......................49

UNITED GENERAL HOSPITAL .................................52

COTTONS ...............................................................64

PORT OF ANACORTES............................................74

VOLLANS AUTOMOTIVE, INC. ...............................79

DAVE’S ANACO TV & APPLIANCE .........................75

PORT OF SKAGIT COUNTY ...................................103

WHIDBEY ISLAND BANK .......................................11

DAYS INN - MOUNT VERNON ...............................41

ROOZENGAARDE .....................................................9

WINDERMERE SKAGIT VALLEY.............................53

DR. DANIEL RASMUSSEN .....................................75

ROSABELLA’S GARDEN BAKERY ...........................10

WOOD MERCHANT, THE .......................................64

DR. KENNETH KILLPACK / SOUNDHEALTH ...........72

SKAGIT COUNTY DEMOCRATS .............................43

WORK OUTFITTERS................................................94

EARTHENWORKS GALLERY...................................62

SKAGIT COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM .............61

FAIRFIELD INN........................................................48

SCHUH FARMS ......................................................10

FIDALGO BAY RESORT / RV BY THE SEA .............72

SEATTLE CITY LIGHT ..............................................87

HAMPTON INN & SUITES......................................45

SEDRO-WOOLLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE .....53

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS .........................................21

SEDRO-WOOLLEY MUSEUM .................................82

HUGO HELMER.......................................................54

SHELL PUGET SOUND REFINERY...........................35

HUMAN LIFE OF MOUNT VERNON .......................99

SKAGIT CYCLE CENTER .........................................22

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| SKAGIT counTy Visitors & newcomers Guide | JAnuAry 2011

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