San Juan Island

Infobox Islands
name = San Juan


image caption = Location of San Juan Island in the San Juans
image size =
locator
Location map|Washington|lat=48.533333|long=-123.083333
map_custom = yes
native name =
native name link =
nickname =
location = Pacific Northwest
coordinates = coord|48|32|N|123|05|W|type:isle_region:US-WA|display=inline,title
archipelago = San Juan Islands
total islands =
major islands =
area = convert|55.053|sqmi|km2|abbr=on
length =
width =
highest mount = Mount Dallas
elevation = convert|1080|ft|m
country = United States
country admin divisions title = State
country admin divisions = flag|Washington
country admin divisions title 1 = County
country admin divisions 1 = San Juan County
country admin divisions title 2 =
country admin divisions 2 =
country largest city = Friday Harbor
country largest city population = 2,103
population = 6,822
population as of = 2000
density = 47.84
ethnic groups =
additional info =

San Juan Island is the second-largest and most populous of the San Juan Islands in northwestern Washington, United States. It has a land area of 142.59 km² (55.053 sq mi) and a population of 6,822 as of the 2000 census.

Washington State Ferries serves Friday Harbor, which is San Juan Island's major population center, the San Juan County seat, and the only incorporated town in the islands.

The name "San Juan" comes from the 1791 expedition of Francisco de Eliza, who named the archipelago "Isla y Archiepelago de San Juan" to honor his patron, Juan Vicente de Güemes Padilla Horcasitas y Aguayo, 2nd Count of Revillagigedo. One of the officers under Eliza's command, Gonzalo López de Haro, was the first European to discover San Juan Island itself. The American explorer Charles Wilkes renamed the island "Rodgers Island", but the Spanish name was kept on British charts and became the standard. [cite book |last= Phillips |first= James W. |title= Washington State Place Names |year= 1971 |publisher= University of Washington Press |isbn= 0-295-95158-3]

San Juan Island has one weekly newspaper [Citation
title = San Juan Journal
url = http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/sanjuans/jsj/
accessdate = 2008-06-17] , many farms, and an economy where tourism plays a major role.

The only major commercial establishment outside of Friday Harbor is the village and resort of Roche Harbor on the northwest side of the island.

Other notable landmarks are the old British and American Camps at opposite ends of the island which together comprise the San Juan Island National Historical Park, which commemorates the 1859 "Pig War". Interpretive centers and reconstructed buildings, formal gardens, etc. recall the history of early European settlement in the area.

The University of Washington runs a marine research lab and campus [ [http://depts.washington.edu/fhl/ Friday Harbor Labs ] ] outside of Friday harbor. The campus has been extant since 1909 and has dorms, food services and lecture classrooms.

References

External links

* [http://www.sanjuanisland.org/ San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.nps.gov/sajh/ National Parks Service - San Juan Island]
* [http://www.whale-museum.org/ The Whale Museum]
* [http://www.westcottbay.org/ Westcott Bay Sculpture Park]