Sinclair Island (Washington)

Sinclair Island is an island in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a part of, and lies off the western shore of mainland Skagit County. The island has a land area of 4.109 km2 (1.586 sq mi) and is home to only a few private residents.

The name Sinclair was given by Charles Wilkes during the Wilkes Expedition of 1838–1842. It honors Arthur Sinclair, who was captain of General Pike during a naval battle of the War of 1812.[1]

Settlers in the 1890s referred to the island as Cottonwood Island, after the lumber harvested there for making barrel heads and staves.[2]

  1. ^ Phillips, James W. (1971). Washington State Place Names. University of Washington Press. ISBN 0-295-95158-3.
  2. ^ "Sinclair Island - Sinclair Island is located one mile north of Guemes Island at the convergence of Rosario and Georgia Straits. Reportedly the Lummi and Samish called it Skut-lus. Wilkes named the island Sinclair Island in 1841, probably for Arthur Sinclair Sr., Commander of the Argus in the War of 1812. Early settlers knew it as Cottonwood Island because, during the 1890s, they logged cottonwood trees there for lumber from which they made barrel heads and staves used by the Roche Harbor Lime Company. (Ref. 1, 2, 3, 6) Source: "The Exploration of Whidbey, Fidalgoand Guemes Islands and the Origin of Local Place Names," written and compiled by Terry Slotemaker | Anacortes Museum".