Behind the Sign

I should have a bumper sticker that says, "I brake for murals." As a person who works for a sign company, that probably comes as no surprise -- but when it comes to Mount Vernon's most recent mural display (courtesy of Consejo Counseling Services), it's much better to get out of the car and take it in slowly. This mural art is the visual equivalent of a fine Oaxacan molé, so by all means savor the flavor.

While I could easily fill the next page telling you all the things I love about the Stanwood Camano Fair, it has something that no history buff can resist: original pioneer cabins that are not only still intact, but still in use. Along with some other notable structures that the Fair has preserved, they add a sense of history and nostalgia that harken back nearly 150 years ago. This article is devoted to two of these: the Erdahl Cabin and the Settre Cabin.

Among my favorite islands in the San Juan chain is Perry's Island. Never heard of it, you say? Top off your mug and settle in for a brief and interesting Magic Skagit history lesson.

On November 7, 1805, the Corps of Discovery was in sight of the objective they had labored to reach for more than 4,000 miles and 18 months. Little wonder that Clark wrote, with such atypical fervor, “O! the joy.” But what did the good captain see? And was it the sea? For almost a century the prevailing historical wisdom has been that Clark was mistaken in his recorded observation, and that the Corps would not “see the sea” for many more days. A historian and cinematographer from the mouth of the Columbia offers a compelling challenge to the prevailing narrative. Spoiler alert: Clark was right.