History
The San Juan Islands were originally an ancient mountain range. During the Ice Age, the islands were scoured by huge glaciers, scarring the mountains and compressing the lowlands below sea level.
Native Americans hunted and fished the San Juans as long as 1,500 years ago. In 1791, the Spanish explored the area and named San Juan Island after the Viceroy of New Spain. In 1792, the British assumed title from Spain and in 1853 the Hudson's Bay Company developed Bellevue Farm as a cattle station and trading post on San Juan Island.
Westcott Bay is located on San Juan Island in northwest Washington State near the Canadian border. The bay was named by Captain Henry Kellett to honor Commander George Blandon Westcott, a British naval hero at the 1798 Battle of the Nile. Captian Kellett is credited with making the first detailed charts of the area in 1846 for the British Admiralty. Kellett retained many of the original Spanish place names, assigning general use names to some locations and naming others after naval officers such as Westcott.
Nearby English Camp on Garrison Bay, now a National Park was occupied by British Marines during the Pig War of 1859-1872 which led to the final boundary settlement between England and the United States. Early settlers, such as Joe Rueff and the Scurr brothers developed the limestone works at Roche Harbor and farmed.
Westcott Bay Orchards located on the Northwest side of Westcott bay, is one of several old orchards in the area which date back to the 1880's when San Juan Island was a major fruit producing area for the Puget Sound region. The original orchard was replanted in the mid 1990's and released its first cider in 1999.
We welcome visitors but do not keep regular hours, please call ahead - 360.378.3880 to arrange for a visit.