History of Blake Island
For thousands of years Blake Island was an ancestral summer camping ground to Coast Salish tribes who lived on the coastal waterways of Puget Sound. The native tribes as a group are also referred to as the Lushootseed peoples. (Lushootseed refers to the common language that was spoken throughout the region.)
In the spring of 1792 Captain George Vancouver sailed around Cape Flattery and into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, searching for the Mediterranean Ocean rumored to exist in this largely uncharted corner of the world. As Vancouver and his two ships, the HMS Discovery and HMS Chatham, entered Puget Sound they surveyed and meticulously charted the landscape, and ultimately compiled the first map of Puget Sound. Vancouver described and noted “a small, round island” in his journal but neglected to give it a name.
Years later, In 1841, Lt. Charles Wilkes of the United States Exploring Expedition, charted and officially named Blake Island, probably in honor of George Smith Blake who was in charge of the United States Coast Survey (1837-1848) during the time of the Wilkes expedition.
Seattle itself is named for a hereditary chief of both the Suquamish and Duwamish people who lived in the 1800s. He was known as a peacemaker and a great speaker in his native Lushootseed. In addition, Chief Seattle (Seeahth) himself was, according to historical records, born on Blake Island. He was a great warrior, now better remembered as a man of peace for whom the city of Seattle was named. Washington became a territory in 1853 and in 1855 a treaty signed by Chief Seattle relinquished the Suquamish claim to Blake Island.
Later, the island was logged and eventually sold to a Seattle man William Trimble and his family. Tragedy ended the Trimble family's interest in Blake Island. After years of neglect, the property became a marine state park in 1959. Tillicum Village was built on 5 acres of the 475-acre state park and opened in 1962. Today, the Island has thousands of visitors who come to Tillicum for the world famous salmon bake and show or to camp, hike and explore the vast wildlife and beautiful beaches of this fascinating island.
Today you can camp and stay overnight on the island, or just come for the day with a visit to Tillicum Village. Accessible only by boat, it's the only state park of its kind south of the San Juan Islands. Blake Island has long been a Northwestern favorite getaway, a refuge providing everyone a profound natural experience. Click here for more background and history of Blake Island.
