Samish Island, Washington
Samish Island was an unincorporated community in Skagit County, Washington, United States.[1] It was on an island with the same name, which is located off the northwest coast of the Washington mainland. It is connected to the mainland by land reclaimed through a system of dikes created in the early 20th century.
Samish Island is named after the Samish people, a Coast Salish people of the Pacific Northwest. Both the Samish and the Nuwhaha peoples historically used the island.[2] The western end of the island is named Xwtl’échqs in the Samish language and sƛ̕əpqs in the Lushootseed language, both meaning "deepwater point" in the respective languages. The eastern end is named A7ts’íqen in Samish and qʷəqʷaliqs in Lushootseed.[3] The narrow isthmus connecting the two areas is named bəsbəsič, meaning "thin cords."[4]
In the late 19th century, the US Navy began to construct a series of dykes and drainage ditches to create a connection to the mainland. In the 1930s, the connection was finished.[5]
Community microgrid
[edit]In 2023, Puget Sound Energy (PSE) installed a community microgrid at the Samish Island Fire Station consisting of a 50 kW / 332 kWh battery energy storage system and an 8 kW solar array. The project was developed as a demonstration project to evaluate battery storage, grid resiliency, and backup power capabilities for the fire station and three nearby residences during electrical outages.[6]
Following installation of the microgrid, neighboring property owners alleged that noise generated by the facility exceeded Skagit County noise limits. The dispute resulted in a county code enforcement case, multiple noise complaints, and regional media coverage. According to KING 5 News, PSE and county officials acknowledged that the facility exceeded applicable noise limits and required mitigation measures.[7]
References
[edit]- ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Samish Island, Washington
- ↑ Sampson, Martin. Indians of Skagit County. Skagit County Historical Society.
- ↑ "Coast Salish Place Names of the San Juan Islands". Samish Indian Nation. January 24, 2023.
- ↑ Bates, Dawn; Hess, Thom; Hilbert, Vi. Lushootseed Dictionary. University of Washington Press.
- ↑ "About Samish Island | Samish Island Community Center". Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ↑ "Battery Storage Projects". Puget Sound Energy. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
- ↑ "Puget Sound Energy's Samish Island microgrid causes problems for nearby residents". KING 5 News. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
External links
[edit]Municipalities and communities of Skagit County, Washington, United States | ||
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| Indian reservation | ||
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48°34′33″N 122°32′28″W / 48.57583°N 122.54111°W
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