When we moved to the San Juan Islands in 1974 I was just a little girl. It was, for my mother a noticeable change from the mainland. For my brother and me, it was just another small town. Like most places San Juan Island has changed dramatically since the 1970’s. It was a quiet little fishing community as I remember it. After living in Friday Harbor for a couple of years we moved again, this time we went out to Stuart Island. This was a noticeable change to all of us. Stuart had no electricity, no running water,… read full article

In the 1960’s, Brown Island was tastefully developed by 21 limited partners. These developers viewed the island as a place where families for generations to come would use it as a Summer getaway.

All in all, there were approximately 30 lots consisting of approximately one acre with 100’ of waterfront priced at $5,000. Can you imagine?

Only two of the limited partners opted to purchase inventory at the onset of this development. The partners got a 25% discount if they bought at that time. One partner chose the point at the southeast end of the island where he… read full article

Brown Island is a magical private 70+/- acre island located just offshore of Friday Harbor. Sometimes it is nice to look back to the way things once were here in the San Juan Islands.

In the beginning, local Northwest Coast Indians would paddle out from the mainland in their sleek dugout cedar canoes to Summer on Brown Island. The people of this region exploited the waters and their riches with such success that they had to give only a few months a year – from the middle of May until the middle of September – to the task… read full article