Whidbey Island
Whidbey Island is a large island in the northwest corner of Washington State, USA. It is located in Island County, Washington. Whidbey Island is the longest Island in the continental United States. This is because Long Island is actually a peninsula dreged off North America by the Dutch when they settled New York.Whidbey Island was discovered in 1790 by Captain George Vancouver. In May of that year, Joseph Whidbey along with Peter Puget began to map and explore the areas of Puget Sound. Whidbey circumnavigated Whidbey Island in June, and Capt. Vancouver named it after him.
While traveling across Puget Sound, Catholic missionary Father Blanchet stayed on Whidbey Island on May 26, 1840.
In 1850, Isaac Ebey became the first permanent settler on Whidbey Island. He established Fort Ebey on the west side of the north end (Just northwest of Coupeville).
It is connected to the mainland by a bridge over Deception Pass at the northern end and by ferry links at the south end (Clinton to Mukilteo) and the western shore (Keystone to Port Townsend, on the Olympic Peninsula).
Whidbey Island is home to Whidbey Island Naval Air Station and is renowned for Penn Cove mussels. Also, five Washington State Parks are located on the island, Deception Pass State Park, Fort Ebey State Park, Fort Casey State Park, South Whidbey State Park, and Possession Point State Park.
Communities with Post Offices (North to South):
- City of Oak Harbor
- Town of Coupeville
- Community of Greenbank (Not Incorporated)
- Village of Freeland (Not Incorporated)
- City of Langley
- Village of Clinton (Not Incorporated)
- San De Fuca
- West Beach
- Keystone
- Bayview (Not to be confused with Bay View in Skagit County)
- Maxwellton
- Glendale