Happy Birthday

Skagit County!

It was 125 years ago today that a bunch of "uppity" Skagitonians won their "independence" from their Whatcom County overlords. The new county with just over 2,800 residents then set out to establish their new county seat. Flourishing and "established" La Conner lost that bid to "big ambitions" Mount Vernon. Today Skagit County has 117,000 residents- not exactly a backwater any longer, but in Western Washington terms still quite rural and lightly populated.

Now a bunch of "uppity" Skagitonians, me included are trying to make sure that our home doesn't grow too big-like our northern neighbor Whatcom with its 190,000 residents and our southern neighbor Snohomish with its *gulp* 700,000 people. Yikes! Through the Skagit Land Trust and the Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland we are trying to keep our home somewhat free of the urban sprawl that plagues points north and south. Care to join us? Consider joining one of these two organizations and get involved with helping to keep this wedge of green between Seattle and Vancouver BC a haven for agriculture, wildlife, and outdoor recreation.

(photo- Pioneer Park in La Conner)