Yesterday was the Great American Solar Eclipse and it was pretty awesome. The media hyped it up and I got a little tired of hearing about solar glasses. But, when all was said and done, it was a neat event and gave our country a moment of levity and awe when we most needed it. …
From National Parks
Formal Garden at English Camp
Tom and I enjoy working at English Camp, the prettier and nicer of the two parts of San Juan Island Historical Park. I’m not bragging – English Camp is on a protected bay, the British spent more money building and equipping it, and they took better care of what they had. Even the park movie …
Bark Rangers at San Juan Island National Historical Park
Tom and I have now worked at six different national parks. There are some similarities at all of them and some things that are different. One of the unique things here at San Juan Island National Historical Park is the Bark Rangers. I love swearing in Junior Rangers and giving out Bark Rangers is almost as …
Having a Ball at the Encampment
The big event of the Encampment at English Camp is the Candlelight Ball on Saturday night. All of the living history people come as well as people from the community and tourists who found out about it over the weekend. The Ball is held in the Barracks, which is also the Visitors Center. On Monday …
Encampment 2017 at English Camp
This last weekend was the 2017 Encampment at English Camp at San Juan Island National Historical Park. This is the big event for the year at the park and is always held the last weekend in July. About 40 living history volunteers come in for the event. Many of them have been coming for …
Roving Interpretation at English Camp
One of our duties working at English Camp is regularly walking the hiking trails around the camp. This Roving Interpretation is part of our job, encouraging us to go out and talk to people, not just stand in the Visitor Center. Almost every day, Tom takes the Young Hill Trail. Young Hill is one of …
English Camp, San Juan Island National Historical Park
Tom and I work and live at English Camp, the counterpart to American Camp at San Juan Island National Historical Park. By joint agreement, the British and Americans each occupied camps of equal size. The Americans chose their site hurriedly and with an eye to annoying the British as much as possible. After General Scott negotiated …
School Groups at English Camp
As at other parks, Tom and I have been working with school groups here at English Camp. We were a little surprised at the number of school groups scheduled in June. Usually field trips are over by Memorial Day. But it was a particularly harsh winter in this part of the world, which meant the …
Coast Salish Cultural Heritage Day
This week at English Camp we had some special visitors. A group of Coast Salish people came to share their heritage with us for Coast Salish Cultural Heritage Day. Long before the British set up English Camp, the ancestors of the Coast Salish fished and sought shelter in Garrison Bay. The Bay is a protected …
American Camp, San Juan Island NHP
San Juan Island National Historical Park has two areas: American Camp on the southeast end of the island and English Camp on the Northwest end of the island. Tom and I work at English Camp so you will hear a lot more about it in the coming weeks. But I thought I would spend a …