Lummi Island, known as Skallaham or Sa-NAM-A-O (“High Mountain”) to its original inhabitants, holds a deep history tied to the Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Lummi Nation. The Lummi people, “People of the Sea,” utilized the island for centuries as a vital seasonal resource for harvesting clams, berries, and fishing, though they did not establish permanent villages due to exposure to northern raiders. They were renowned for developing the ingenious reef net salmon fishing technique.
European charting began in 1792 when Spanish explorers named it Isla de Pacheco. In 1853, the U.S. Geodetic Survey officially named it Lummi Island after the indigenous tribe, who relocated to the nearby Lummi Peninsula reservation following the 1855 Point Elliott Treaty.
The first permanent non-Native settler, Captain Christian Tuttle, arrived in 1871, establishing a homestead that stretched for 320 acres. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, industries like logging, fish canneries (including the Lummi Island Packing Company), and shingle mills defined the island’s economy. Transportation evolved from canoes and sailboats to steamboats and, eventually, a dedicated car ferry service which began in 1962 and continues today as the the Whatcom Chief. Over time, the economy shifted to tourism, summer resorts, and farming, attracting our eclectic mix of residents, farmers, and artists who cherish its remote, rural character.
