Vashon-Maury Island

Images of America: Washington

by Bruce Haulman, Jean Cammon Findlay

Vashon-Maury Island lies between Seattle and Tacoma and is connected to the mainland by the Washington State Ferries. The bridge proposed in the 1950s and 1960s did not materialize, which helped retain the island's isolation and rural lifestyle. Like other Puget Sound islands, its original economy was based on logging, fishing, brick-making, and agriculture, especially its strawberries. Island industries included the largest dry dock on the West Coast, shipbuilding, and ski manufacturing. Distinct from the other islands, Vashon-Maury is the only one whose major town is not on the water. Originally inhabited for thousands of years by the S'Homamish people, the island's first white settler arrived in 1865. Today, 145 years later, the population is more than 11,000.

128 pages, Paperback

First published July 11, 2011

Reviews

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a 5-star book for us Vashon Islanders, but I can't bestow such a rating on this book of exclusively local interest. Proust, this ain't. That said, this is essential reading for someone like me who moved to the island and wants to make sense of the visual vestiges of Vashon's past.

The production value is adequate, but a few color photos would be nice. As this book is chiefly photos with captions, it gets a bit monotonous with its grainy black-and-whites. An image of a Native American islander from the 1890's has equal weight with an image of a septic-pumping truck from the 1990's.

I didn't expect the author to cite Jacques Derrida late in the book. This is both a nod to the intellectuals and nearly pointless.

This photo chronicle of Vashon-Maury history concludes with as much flourish as we might see with the ending of a sidewalk in a suburb. I sensed that the author might be suddenly winding up his efforts as I read the final photo's caption. My suspicions were confirmed when I turned the page and found myself in the index.

[Sam Plauche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yay Vashon! Book on the history of the hometown! I loved it, if you’re not from Vashon-Maury or tied to those islands in some way you probably won’t care about this book.

[Phillip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best one of these I have read. Spotty sketch. Good historical pictures missing thematic threads.