Our Museum Is Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.
Good news! The South Whidbey Historical Museum is open Saturdays and Sundays 1 to 4 p.m.
During the pandemic, we have been adding to our collection with photographs, documents, and artifacts. These all must be recorded with accession records and a means to make them available to use. This process is carried out by archivists diligently going through the collection.
Digitizing work on the old Island County Fair Scrapbooks has been completed thanks to the support of Board Member Charlie Pancerzewski and his wife, Gayle, a descendant of the pioneer Bainter, Cattron and Wainio families.
When you become a member or renew your membership to SWHS, expect to receive more newsletters with untold stories about our island. Our goal is to publish four more newsletters between now and next summer. If you or your business would like to sponsor one of these newsletters, contact us via email or phone us at (360) 221-2101.
On social media, follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SouthWhidbeyHistory. More than 3,100 people currently follow our South Whidbey Historical Society posts.
The Society is providing 501(c)(3) nonprofit donation pass-through status for a major project begun by Kyle Walker. (See info about her project from the pull-down menu).
Bill Haroldson, SWHS Board President
Your Support Matters
We are always grateful for financial donations. Simply click on the donation page to donate safely via PayPal, or mail a check to SWHS / PO Box 612 / Langley, WA 98260.
Donating Local Historical Items
We love receiving items of local historical interest! If you have items to donate, our curator would love to hear from you. We’ll find a convenient and safe manner to pick them up or meet you.
Join Our Legacy Circle
When you remember the South Whidbey Historical Society in your will or estate plan, you help keep your community Historical Society and Museum serving our community.
Become Involved
Finally, we are seeking additional volunteers who may become Board members, and future docents for when our community opens up again –– a time we all look forward to. Email us at SWHMuseum@gmail.com or you can telephone the museum at (360) 221-2101. We likely won’t be there but please leave us a message and we will return your telephone call or email.
Click on the video play button below to learn more about the Museum and its collection.
The South Whidbey Historical Society collects, preserves and presents information, stories and artifacts of our history, weaving together the diverse experiences of our people as context for today’s decision makers and inspiration for tomorrow’s leaders.
We accomplish this mission by maintaining a Museum in Langley to house our collections and through our displays at the Island County Fairgrounds. In addition, the Society sponsors regular “Then and Now” evening presentations that focus on South Whidbey Island history and maintains our “Virtual Museum” which contains digital images of our collections.
CLICK HERE TO DONATE VIA PAYPAL
Posts From Our Facebook Page
Langley 130 Years Ago…
Wonder what was going on in Langley 130 years ago? Well, just like today, there was a bear around, real estate was being sold, tourists were visiting, berries were ripening, and fish were abundant.Read on for this August 14, 1891 Island County Times...
Double Bluff Resort
Before it became a public picnic area, the entrance to Double Bluff Beach was a fishing resort known for fly-fishing of silver salmon. It was originally owned by Chris Jensen and later sold to Esther and Crawford Johnston, and still later to Orie and...
South Whidbey Goes to the Chickens (and the Turkeys)
This article was from our recent Then and Now newsletter...Corydon and Ella (Hart) Melendy moved from South Dakota just three years into their marriage. Ella’s sister had moved to South Whidbey in 1896 and taught school in a one-room log schoolhouse (possibly the...
Fishin’ for Trout at Auvil Lakes
Our most recent newsletter has been delivered. If you would like to receive it, just go to our website and become a member at www.southwhidbeyhistory.org.Here is one of the articles from this issue about Auvil Lakes, which were located near the end of Log Cabin Road...
Island County Fair
The Whidbey Island Fair runs Thursday through Sunday.Help support the South Whidbey Historical Society and Museum by using our parking lot directly across from the Fair next to the Fire Station.The McLeod Cabin, Brooks Hill Cabin and the Ray Gabelein...
Puget Sound Garden Spot
Whidbey Island has always been a paradise... from the indigenous tribes who lived here year 'round or came for summer fishing and clamming, to early settlers to present day new residents. Check out these land prices in a 1910 advertisement in the publication The...
A Brief History of Our South End Communities…
(Click on the town name to open the page.)
