August 9th, 2021
Ship Harbor partners: 2006
Pictured (l t r), Fred Buckenmeyer, Marc Estvold, Jim Falk, Bob Elsner, Dean Maxell, Ray Niver, Bob Hyde and Gary Robinson
Jim Falk, Dean Maxwell and Bob Hyde
Ship Harbor Interpretive Preserve (SHIP) on the northwest side of the city was created thanks to dozens of individuals and organizations working together to protect the wetland and marine ecosystems at this historic site. The Gilbane Development Company purchased the site and donated it to the City of Anacortes, which designed and developed an interpretive trail system. Working partners in the project included the City of Anacortes, Port of Anacortes, Washington State Ferry System, Anacortes School District and Samish Indian Nation. Photos here, from August 2006, include city, port and park foundation representatives. A welcome sign at the head of the SHIP trail reads: “In 1997 the Anacortes Parks Foundation formed a steering committee with representatives from the foundation, the environmental community, Shannon Point Marine Center and members of the public to develop a wetlands interpretive center at Ship Harbor. The committee, with some 60 volunteers, worked for several years on the trail planning, funding, education, site photography, wild and plant life inventories and hydrology monitoring projects. Progress was slow until a developer agreed to purchase the property from the Port of Anacortes and donate the wetlands to the city. By this time, Anacortes Parks Foundation had obtained a shoreline development permit for the project and the city assumed responsibility to carry on the construction of the SHIP interpretive trail system.”