A Case Study of Islands in the Inlet
Case Inlet, at the mariner’s northeastern edge of Mason County, is home to many magical island getaways. Reach Island (AKA Treasure Island), verdant Stretch Island, secretive Herron Island, tiny McMicken Island, and Harstine Island all have interesting histories and unique characters.
The water access provided by Case Inlet linked the early forestry and settlement farming of this area to Tacoma and Olympia. In the beginning Squaxin dugout canoes, row boats and temperamental sailboats were the main transportation. Small side-wheel freight ships (powered by coal, wood, and later diesel), known as the Mosquito Fleet, came to replace these early methods. They transported freight and passengers, shipped milled lumber, and even towed logs, connecting these remote communities and homesteads.
Reach Island
The first island we encounter heading from north to south down Case Inlet is Reach Island. The entirety of Reach Island was pre-empted and homesteaded by Joseph Pickford in 1885. By 1905, it was an established farm run by the Zizz family with cows, chickens, and fruit trees. Little farms like this were a major part of the Washington economy. Grapevines early on became important players in the agricultural scene of Case Inlet, or as it came to be known in the mid-1920s – the “grape belt of Washington.”
Stretch Island
Stretch Island saw the first efforts of grape growing on the inlet. Civil War veteran, Lambert Evans is credited with introducing the first concord grapevines to the island 150 years ago this year. Adam Eckert arriving in 1889 developed these into Washington’s own hybrid the Island Belle. This purply-red variety was hardier and ripened more successfully in the coastal climate.
Freight ships, such as the Skookum Chief would transport the Eckert Fruit Company’s fruit juice and grapes packed in round 6-pound wooden baskets to market in Shelton, Olympia, Tacoma, and Seattle.
After Adam Eckert passed away his lands and extensive grapevines were purchased by Charles Somers in 1918. Somers in partnership with his brother Frank expanded the business and began shipping to San Francisco. In 1922, the town of Detroit changed its name to Grapeview to reflect this growing resource.
In 1933, when the Federal laws known as Prohibition were lifted, Charles Somers was the very first applicant to be granted a winery permit in the 15th District (this included Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana). St. Charles Winery started small with a French vintner overseeing the first casks of the only 3,000 gallons produced. Charles Somers’ sons Charles W. "Bill" Somers and Howard Somers joined the family business and by 1935 they were producing 38,000 gallons. Bill oversaw growing the fruit and harvesting and Howard (who specialized in chemical engineering at UW) took over the fermentation.
Charles Somers Vineyard
Vineyards throughout the area, especially on Harstine Island and along Pickering Passage added to their supply of grapes. In 1955, St. Charles processed over 500 tons of grapes from Mason County and another almost 300 tons from Yakima Valley. Although by 1965, the St. Charles winery had sold and the wine with it, there still exists on the Somers’ property on Stretch Island the original vine planted by Lambert Evans in 1872. Though not as popular, local vineyards still grow Island Belle and u-pick grape yards were a popular fall pastime until the 1980s. Hoodsport Winery still ferments Puget Sound Island Belle grapes. The wine is described as “a red wine bursting with flavors of fresh raspberries and cherries. A perfect wine for picnics and barbecues.”
Harstine Island
Just a little South of Stretch Island is Harstine Island. At over 18 squares miles it is the third largest island in the inland Puget Sound (after Bainbridge and Vashon), yet it is a sleepy wooded island with a population barely touching 1,500. Historically, residents were pioneer loggers (like Robert G. Jarrell of Jarrell Cove State Park fame), farmers, oystermen, fishermen and opportunistic captains (and many residents were all the above). Since the Island was only connected to the mainland in 1969 by bridge, traveling by water was very important to all aspects of life. Many famed Mosquito fleet captains lived here, building business and homes. The historic Community Hall was built in 1914.
According to the Harstine Island Community Club website, easy trees were harvested along the shores for lumber which was towed by Ed Cowan’s Levina and Raymond and John Haskell’s 40-foot launch the Marie to the sawmill at Taylor Bay.
The Community Hall held many popular dances and events with people coming by boat all the way from Agate, Stadium and Vaughn to attend. To this day it is a popular gathering spot for the Harstine community.
In 1922, the county established a ferry service crossing Pickering Passage. The 40-foot scow, the Island Belle (named for the popular grape) was their first ferry. She was built by Ira Libby of Hammersley Inlet with the help of Earl Harriman. She was designed from a ferry in operation on Lake Crescent.
With two load aprons she could carry three cars at a time, which would drive through on one end and unload on the other. She made the crossing in 30 minutes with her Fairbanks-Morse 10-horsepower engine, which drove by belt two side-paddle wheels.
She was replaced in 1929 by Earl Harriman who built his own log ferry to increase the capacity. Donette Glaser remembers that “ Earl was a pioneer of ferries. In those days, whenever we needed a new ferry Earl would tow a few logs and start building a new conveyance.” (Shelton Mason County Journal, March 26, 1959). This was soon replaced by the County’s Harstine I , and then the Harstine II in 1945 (eight car capacity).
Earl Harriman and his wife Mabel (daughter of Captain John Haskell above) were a staple of the community. Earl drove the ferry for 27 years and Mabel assisted him deck-handing when necessary. Mabel was also the chief local correspondent of Harstine Island, Pickering and Agate for the Shelton Mason County Journal for many years.
Captain Glenn Yates ran the Harstine II on her last crossing on Sunday, June 22, 1969 at 2 PM as the new Harstine bridge opening was celebrated with a parade, boat flotilla, and punch at the Harstine Community Hall. The traffic lined up on the mainland side of the bridge was further than any local had ever seen at a ferry wait. As the Captain’s wife, Carmen Yates, remarked at the time:
“The Island… saw its first major traffic jam that day. If anyone would have told me 25 years ago when I came to the island that one day I’d be involved in a traffic snarl that would take three deputies to unravel I would have just laughed at such an idea….And talk about waiting in line for a ferry How about that line that formed to go across the bridge? It extended from the bridge all the way past the ferry-landing as far as any of the longest ferry lines ever reached.” (Shelton Mason County Journal June 26, 1969).
With the new bridge, development on the island picked up as new residents and vacationers were attracted to the island life. This coincided with a popular developmental trend during the late 50s to 60s for logging companies such as Talbot & Sons Ltd. and Weyerhaeuser to revitalize their unique land holdings into private residential gated communities.
The entirety of Reach and Herron Island and the northern tip of Harstine Island experienced such development. Herron Island is only accessible by a private ferry from the Kitsap Peninsula, and you must be endorsed by a community member to visit. The development on Treasure (Reach) and Harstine Islands, however, are much more public as both are connected to the mainland by bridge and many cabins and houses in the community are available for short term rental. Much of Harstine Island offer excellent island diversions for a dat trip.
A Day on the Islands
Harstine Island is home to the Wild Felid Advocacy Center. Scheduled tours gets you right you right up close with about 50 wild cats from 13 species including a pair of tigers named Suri and Tabbi, a cougar, different leopards, and many others from five continents around the world. Visit wildfelids.org for more information on the different tours you can reserve.
On Harstine Island Jarrell Cove State Park is popular with boaters and campers alike; less developed Harstine Island Park offers tranquil beach time; and McMicken Island Marine Park offers a unique low tide hike across a tidal land bridge.
Not to be forgotten, Stretch Island has one state park which is accessible only by water. Community, history, great enterprises, and the importance of bridges all make up the waters of this meandering "Case" study on an Inlet’s islands.