Fine Art Photography In Limited Editions

Historic Orcas Photographs
in three volumes

These historic photos of life on Orcas Island date from the early-to-mid 1900s. They represent the work of a number of early photographers in San Juans such as Jacobson and Ellis. They were sourced from a group of historic postcards originally collected by Mary Campbell Roebuck and subsequently preserved by Judy Beemer. The postcards were actual photographic prints sold by the penny.

I carefully scanned and digitally retouched them to restore their original beauty. I feel grateful to offer these images as high-quality, fine-art prints and to share these historic views, simultaneously distant and familiar, of this island we all love so much.

Volume 1
(Ferries and Bays)

The image Klickitat (Actually Nisqually), showing a docked ferry, was somehow originally titled Motor Ferry Klickitat - Wash, (Nisqually’s sister ship) even though, in the full-size print, the name Nisqually is clearly visible on the bow.

The photo titled Madrona Point Dock dates from a time when a) it was easier to travel around the island by steamer than by horse and wagon, and b) the village of Eastsound was served by two piers. This image is courtesy of the Orcas Island Historical Museum.

The image Aerial View of Olga is from the collection of Joanne Johnston. The shot of the old Olga dock is from the Clara Abrahamsen family.

Volume 2
(Moran State Park)

The jagged, iconic tree, standing on the shore of Cascade Lake (Fir Tree, Cascade Lake), has been beloved by generations of islanders and visitors alike. It still stands today, an enduring testament to solidity and resilience.

Volume 3
(Eastsound, Olga, and around the island)

There were once a row holiday cabins at Crescent Beach (Crescent Beach Cabins), however, they were closed following the Columbus Day wind storm of 1962 which was so strong that it blew some of the roofs off. One of the cabins survives today as a private home.

The Crow Valley photograph Crow Valley Circa 1910 shows a new, whitewashed barn and a variety of crops. The shots of the wagon and Olga Store are from the Clara Abrahamsen family.

In the upper, lefthand side of the image Eastsound Aerial 1950s, in a location now occupied by the Orcas Island Market employee parking lot, stands a single home surrounded by trees. This is the Langell’s Farmhouse which was built in the 1890s. In the 1960s it was my grandparents’ guesthouse. We would stay there and walk to eat dinner at the Inn on Madrona Point until it closed in 1967.