Anacortes, Washington#Education

File:Robinson Fisheries Co, Anacortes, Washington, April 22, 1910 (COBB 16).jpeg

File:Fish fertilizer plant of the Robinson Fish Co, Anacortes, Washington, April 22, 1910 (COBB 17).jpeg

Anacortes is within the historical territory of the Samish people. Anacortes was officially incorporated on May 19, 1891.

In 1877, railroad surveyor and town founder Amos Bowman moved his family to the northern tip of Fidalgo Island. Bowman began promoting the area as an obvious terminus for the Northern Pacific Railway as it was built through the north Cascades to the Pacific. Bowman established the town's first newspaper, The Northwest Enterprise, to promote his vision of the New York of the West.{{Citation|title=Anacortes – The Perfect Port|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1VuUDasQSI| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/L1VuUDasQSI| archive-date=December 11, 2021 | url-status=live|date=April 22, 2011|access-date=February 3, 2016|last=Southeast Seiners}}{{cbignore}}

Seattle and Northern Company began building a rail line from the town in 1888. Real estate and development boomed from 1888 to 1890 as a result of the railroad rumors, and the Oregon Improvement Company posted $15 million in bonds to develop the town.{{Cite web|title=HistoryLink.org- the Free Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History|url=http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=9870|website=www.historylink.org|access-date=February 3, 2016}}

In 1891, the real estate bubble burst. Speculators lost money and the Oregon Improvement Company could no longer afford to complete tracks over the Cascades. The town failed to become the railroad terminus Bowman had envisioned.{{Cite web|title = Anacortes History Introduction|url = http://www.cityofanacortes.org/anacortes_history.php#.VrJ_eFMrKRs|website = www.cityofanacortes.org|access-date=February 3, 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160704175111/http://www.cityofanacortes.org/anacortes_history.php#.VrJ_eFMrKRs|archive-date=July 4, 2016|url-status=dead}}

After the bust, the town became prominent for its fishing tradition, thriving canning industry, and timber mills.

Anacortes is on Fidalgo Island. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|15.53|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|11.75|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|3.78|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=December 19, 2012|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112090031/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=January 12, 2012}}

The area around the city includes cliffs and bluffs with bedrock deposits that date to 160 million years before present. The landforms were shaped by a major glaciation event 15,000 years before present.{{cite news |last=Brown |first=Adam |date=December 6, 2024 |title=Nick on the Rocks: How an ancient glacier carved coastal Anacortes |url=https://www.cascadepbs.org/environment/2024/12/nick-rocks-how-ancient-glacier-carved-coastal-anacortes |publisher=Cascade PBS News |accessdate=January 6, 2025}}

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Anacortes has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Csb) with cool, rainy winters and warm, dry summers.

{{Weather box|width=80%

|location = Anacortes

|single line = Y

|collapsed = Y

| Jan record high F = 65

| Feb record high F = 69

| Mar record high F = 79

| Apr record high F = 83

| May record high F = 90

| Jun record high F = 95

| Jul record high F = 101

| Aug record high F = 95

| Sep record high F = 88

| Oct record high F = 82

| Nov record high F = 69

| Dec record high F = 74

| year record high F = 101

| Jan high F = 45.1

| Feb high F = 48.6

| Mar high F = 52.4

| Apr high F = 57.8

| May high F = 63.6

| Jun high F = 68.2

| Jul high F = 72.2

| Aug high F = 72.2

| Sep high F = 67.5

| Oct high F = 59.2

| Nov high F = 51.0

| Dec high F = 46.3

| year high F = 58.7

|Jan mean F = 39.8

|Feb mean F = 42.3

|Mar mean F = 45.3

|Apr mean F = 49.7

|May mean F = 54.7

|Jun mean F = 58.9

|Jul mean F = 62.0

|Aug mean F = 62.0

|Sep mean F = 58.5

|Oct mean F = 51.9

|Nov mean F = 45.2

|Dec mean F = 41.2

|year mean F =

| Jan low F = 34.5

| Feb low F = 35.9

| Mar low F = 38.1

| Apr low F = 41.6

| May low F = 45.7

| Jun low F = 49.6

| Jul low F = 51.7

| Aug low F = 51.8

| Sep low F = 49.4

| Oct low F = 44.6

| Nov low F = 39.4

| Dec low F = 36.0

| year low F = 43.2

| Jan record low F = 6

| Feb record low F = 9

| Mar record low F = 18

| Apr record low F = 27

| May record low F = 31

| Jun record low F = 33

| Jul record low F = 35

| Aug record low F = 33

| Sep record low F = 19

| Oct record low F = 23

| Nov record low F = 10

| Dec record low F = 4

| year record low F = 4 | precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation inch = 3.56

| Feb precipitation inch = 2.48

| Mar precipitation inch = 2.31

| Apr precipitation inch = 1.83

| May precipitation inch = 1.57

| Jun precipitation inch = 1.37

| Jul precipitation inch = 0.8

| Aug precipitation inch = 1

| Sep precipitation inch = 1.53

| Oct precipitation inch = 2.64

| Nov precipitation inch = 3.84

| Dec precipitation inch = 3.79

| year precipitation inch = 26.73

| Jan precipitation days = 17

| Feb precipitation days = 13

| Mar precipitation days = 14

| Apr precipitation days = 12

| May precipitation days = 9

| Jun precipitation days = 8

| Jul precipitation days = 4

| Aug precipitation days = 5

| Sep precipitation days = 8

| Oct precipitation days = 12

| Nov precipitation days = 17

| Dec precipitation days = 17

| Jan snow inch = 2.1

| Feb snow inch = 1.1

| Mar snow inch = 0.5

| Apr snow inch = 0

| May snow inch = 0

| Jun snow inch = 0

| Jul snow inch = 0

| Aug snow inch = 0

| Sep snow inch = 0

| Oct snow inch = 0

| Nov snow inch = 0.4

| Dec snow inch = 1

| year snow inch = 5.1

|source 1 = {{cite web

|url=http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?wa0176 |title=ANACORTES, WASHINGTON (450176) |access-date=November 18, 2015 |publisher=Western Regional Climate Center }}

|date=November 2015

}}

{{US Census population

|1890= 1131

|1900= 1476

|1910= 4168

|1920= 5284

|1930= 6564

|1940= 5875

|1950= 6919

|1960= 8414

|1970= 7701

|1980= 9013

|1990= 11451

|2000= 14557

|2010= 15778

|2020= 17637

|estyear=2021

|estimate=17832

|estref={{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html |date=June 22, 2022|title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2021|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=June 22, 2022}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|author=United States Census Bureau|author-link=United States Census Bureau|access-date=February 24, 2014}}
2020 Census

}}

As of the 2010 census,{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=December 19, 2012}} there were 15,778 people, 6,980 households, and 4,461 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1342.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 7,680 housing units at an average density of {{convert|653.6|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 91.5% White, 0.7% African American, 1.0% Native American, 1.9% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.6% from other races, and 3.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.0% of the population.

There were 6,980 households, of which 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.1% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.75.

The median age in the city was 47.2 years. 19.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.4% were from 25 to 44; 29.9% were from 45 to 64; and 22.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.9% male and 52.1% female.

File:Anacortes 28299.JPG

Anacortes is on Fidalgo Island. Rosario Strait and the San Juan Islands are to the West while to the South, Deception Pass separates Fidalgo and Whidbey Islands. To the East, the Swinomish Channel separates Fidalgo Island from the mainland. The weather is milder than other areas of the Pacific Northwest, because it lies within the Olympic Mountain rain shadow. Fidalgo Island gets 21 inches of rain per year, only half as much as Seattle.

First known as Ship Harbor, Anacortes was established with a name and a post office in 1879 in the vain hope that it would be selected as the western terminus of the transcontinental railroad. The town was officially incorporated in 1891 shortly after the railroad bust, and became a lumber and fishing center.

File:Workers at the Robinson Fisheries Co, Anacortes, Washington, nd (COBB 94).jpeg in the Cutting and Skinning Department]]

In the 1950s, oil companies built big refineries near Anacortes. Two of the five refineries operating in Washington are located near the town. One is owned and operated by Marathon Petroleum (opened in 1955, it was originally built and owned by Shell Oil and later operated by Andeavor [formerly Tesoro]), operating as the Marathon Anacortes Refinery, the other was owned and operated by Shell Puget Sound Refinery Company (opening in 1957, and originally built and owned by Texaco). However, HollyFrontier has now bought the refinery. Refining remains the area's largest industry, but the economic base now includes yacht construction/shipbuilding, tourism.

Anacortes has a mayor–council government with an elected mayor and seven city councilmembers, of whom three are elected from single member wards. The remaining four are elected at-large.

The city government operates a municipal broadband system that began operation as a pilot in late 2019 and will expand to the entire city in 2023.{{cite news |last=Allison |first=Jacqueline |date=April 17, 2019 |title=Anacortes broadband plan taking shape |url=https://www.goskagit.com/news/local_news/anacortes-broadband-plan-taking-shape/article_be627ba4-7598-5396-87dc-d8ec3d4cabd6.html |work=Skagit Valley Herald |access-date=September 16, 2019}}{{cite news |last=Nickelsburg |first=Monica |date=September 12, 2019 |title=This island town is building a public broadband network. Is it a model for bridging digital divide? |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2019/small-island-town-building-public-broadband-network-model-bridging-digital-divide/ |work=GeekWire |access-date=September 16, 2019}}

File:Anacortes 28294.JPG

Anacortes is a popular destination for boaters and those traveling on to the San Juan Islands.{{citation needed|date=May 2022}} The city maintains a {{convert|220|acre|km2|adj=on}} city park on the northwestern end of Fidalgo Island named "Washington Park". This park features camping, boat launching, and views of the San Juan Islands. The most prominent view is of Cypress Island.

As a result of Anacortes' proximity to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the area provides opportunities for whale-watching. The waters off of Anacortes and Fidalgo Island are home to several varieties of marine-life, including three resident Orca pods.{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}

Anacortes Community Forest Lands, {{convert|2800|acre|km2}} with {{convert|50|mi|km}} of mountain biking and hiking trails, are a valuable amenity in a city the size of Anacortes. In adjacent Mount Erie Park, a number of rock climbing routes are popular on the cliffs of the south and west faces of Mount Erie.{{citation needed|date=May 2022}} Mount Erie offers scenic vistas from its 1273-foot peak.{{cite web | title =Climbing Area: Mount Erie | work =Climbing Area Information | publisher =Washington Climbers Coalition | url =http://www.washingtonclimbers.org/Climbing/erie.htm |access-date=November 1, 2007| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20070223022917/http://www.washingtonclimbers.org/Climbing/erie.htm |archive-date=February 23, 2007| url-status =dead }}

Anacortes hosts many long-distance cyclists,{{citation needed|date=May 2022}} as it is the western terminus of the Adventure Cycling Association's Northern Tier cross-country bicycle route, which ends in Bar Harbor, Maine.{{clear left}}

• "Shipwreck Day" is a single-day, flea market/town garage sale event held annually on the 3rd Saturday in July. City management accommodates the occasion by blocking off several downtown streets.{{cite web|url=http://www.skagittourism.com/event_show.cfm?id=17|title=skagittourism.com|access-date=February 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120212010748/http://www.skagittourism.com/event_show.cfm?id=17|archive-date=February 12, 2012|url-status=dead}}
• What the Heck Fest was an annual festival coinciding with Shipwreck Day.{{cite web|url=http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2011/07/20/i-went-to-what-the-heck-fest-and-all-i-got-was-this-sort-of-enlightening-communal-experience-heavily-rooted-in-the-mysterious-geography-that-s|title=I Went to What the Heck Fest and All I Got Was This Sort of Enlightening Communal Experience Heavily Rooted in the Mysterious Geography That Surrounds Anacortes, WA|work=The Stranger|access-date=October 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130402144130/http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2011/07/20/i-went-to-what-the-heck-fest-and-all-i-got-was-this-sort-of-enlightening-communal-experience-heavily-rooted-in-the-mysterious-geography-that-s|archive-date=April 2, 2013|url-status=dead}} It began in 2001 and held its last festival in 2019. The festival took place at various locations in Anacortes a week in the middle of July. Performers presented music, movies, literature, and art. The thematic center of the festival is the dinner show that includes a full meal along with the concert, an actual community event.{{cite web|url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/upcoming-mount/|title=upcoming Mount Eerie shows, What the Heck Fest in WA}}{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=20050527&id=s2hWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-_IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4481,6097041|title=The Spokesman-Review – Google News Archive Search}}
• The first weekend of August hosts the Anacortes Arts Festival. Started in 1962 as the result of the efforts of a group of community arts patrons, the festival is held in the midst of blocked-off downtown main street areas. Vendors, merchants, and artisans present their wares in covered booths while jazz and blues musicians are showcased on four different stages.{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}
• The Oyster Run is an annual one day motorcycle rally held on the fourth Sunday of September. Beginning in 1981, the event has grown into the largest rally in the Pacific Northwest,{{citation needed|date=May 2022}} with an estimated motorcycle count of 15000 bikes, and growing in numbers each year.{{Cite web |url=http://oysterrun.org/goskagit.com.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=December 19, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107005302/http://oysterrun.org/goskagit.com.pdf |archive-date=January 7, 2009 |url-status=dead }}
• The Anacortes Farmers Market began in 1989 and occurs every Saturday from May to October, with a special holiday market the weekend before Thanksgiving and monthly winter markets from January to April.{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}

• Jake Anderson – Fisherman and television personality featured on Deadliest Catch
• Michael Arrington – Entrepreneur and blogger, founder of TechCrunch{{cite web|url=http://uncrunched.com/2012/04/03/tess/|title=Tess|work=Uncrunched|access-date=February 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304040533/http://uncrunched.com/2012/04/03/tess/|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=dead}}
• Richard Bach – writer
• Craig Bartlett – animator
• Duane Berentson – educator, businessman, politician
• Karl Blau – indie rock and folk musician
• Phil Elverum – independent musician
• Donald Hume – Olympic rower and gold medalist at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
• Burl Ives – folk singer, author, and actor
• Rien Long – former NFL defensive lineman
• The Lonely Forest – indie rock band
• William Cameron McCool – NASA astronaut and Space Shuttle Columbia pilot{{citation|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/local/106987_mccool03.shtml|date=February 3, 2003|title=McCool's 'excitement was infectious' / Anacortes mourns shocking loss of generous, inspiring neighbor|publisher=Seattle P-I|access-date=February 19, 2011}}
• Kathi McDonald – blues and rock singer
• James K. Okubo – Medal of Honor recipient
• Eddie Roberts – Boxer, actor and seaman
• Charley Schanz – former Major League Baseball pitcher
• Harry Everett Smith – music anthologist, experimental film maker
• Lowell Wakefield – founder of Wakefield Seafoods{{cite web|title=Lowell A. Wakefield.|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Lowell+A.+Wakefield.-a08769927|website=Freelibrary|access-date=March 24, 2015}}

Anacortes' sister cities are:{{cite web |title=Sister Cities|url=https://www.cityofanacortes.org/740/Sister-Cities|website=cityofanacortes.org|publisher=City of Anacortes|access-date=May 7, 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.goskagit.com/anacortes/news/anacortess-new-sister-city-is-comarnic-romania/article_b68bacb4-f4a7-11eb-95b7-7f367c974c95.html|title = Anacortes's new sister city is Comarnic, Romania| date=August 4, 2021 }}

• {{flagicon|ROM}} Comarnic, Romania
• {{flagicon|RUS}} Lomonosov, Russia
• {{flagicon|JPN}} Nikaho, Japan
• {{flagicon|CAN}} Sidney, Canada
• {{flagicon|CRO}} Vela Luka, Croatia

• Anacortes School District
• Northwest Educational School District 189
• The Tempestry Project

{{Reflist}}

{{Wikivoyage|Anacortes}}

{{Commons}}

{{Americana Poster|Anacortes}}

• [http://www.cityofanacortes.org/ Official City Government Website]
• [http://www.anacortes.org/ Chamber of Commerce]
• [http://www.portofanacortes.com/ Port of Anacortes]
• [http://www.anacortessistercities.com/ Anacortes Sister Cities Association]

{{Skagit County, Washington}}

{{Seattle Metro}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities in Washington (state)

Category:Populated places established in 1891

Category:Populated places on Puget Sound

Category:1891 establishments in Washington (state)

Category:Cities in Skagit County, Washington