San Juan Islands · WA
Friday Harbor
The only incorporated town in the San Juans.
- Population
- 2,613 (2020 census)
- County seat
- 1873
- Incorporated
- 1909
Then
- 1850
The Hudson's Bay Company builds a salmon curing station on San Juan Island, and later a sheep farm.
- 1850s
Joseph Poalie Friday, a Native Hawaiian, herds sheep around the harbor, which takes his name.
- 1873
Friday Harbor becomes seat of the new San Juan County.
- 1909
The town incorporates on February 10.
Now
Friday Harbor is the islands' commercial center, linked to Anacortes by state ferry, and the University of Washington runs a marine station here. This place covers San Juan Island, Shaw Island and western Orcas.