> Hundreds of families made their living at plywood mills in past decades. My grandfather and father were among shareholders who owned Anacortes Veneer, a cooperative. The mill was then owned and operated by Publishers, but in the early Eighties, became a cooperative again when local shareholders purchased the mill from Publishers. This photograph illustrates the high level of interest drawn by the last effort to operate the mill on the Anacortes waterfront. Included in the photo are company representative Frank Moe, Anacortes Mayor Jim Rice and Governor John Spellman (elected in 1980). Co-op leaders included Bob Bellum and Carl Sundman. The mill operated for several years before closing for the last time. The facility burned. Remnants are now visible on the Fidalgo Bay shoreline adjacent to Tommy Thompson Trailway.
A fourth generation Skagit County native who was moved kicking and screaming from this island community in 1960. I finally reclaimed an Anacortes address in 1980, and I have been in constant celebration of my return since that time. Many of us who call Anacortes home love Fidalgo Island for its natural assets: among them are rugged beaches, pristine lakes, thousands of acres of forestland and some awesome views of the Skagit Valley and surrounding islands. Another element of my love affair with this community is its people, both natives and immigrants. They will “star” in many of my journal entries.
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