Local History

Our community is invested in preserving its history, and you can help.

Anacortes Museum

Our community is invested in preserving its history! The Anacortes Museum has three locations you can visit:

Anacortes Museum

The historic Carnegie Library building hosts the museum's primary exhibits and offices.

Maritime Heritage Center

These exhibits, adjacent to the farmer's market at the Depot, tell the story of our maritime history.

W.T. Preston Snagboat

This historic snagboat operated on rivers that fed Puget Sound in the last century.

Even when the museum is closed, there's so much more you can explore online:

• Check out the museum's online exhibits
• Check out a new article on the 1918 Spanish Influenza in Anacortes, including the original Anacortes American stories.
• Browse old Anacortes newspapers, including the Northwest Enterprise (1882-1887) and the Anacortes American (1890-1923 and 1989-1996)
• Browse the photo database of over 55,000 keyword-searchable photgraphs. Help the museum identify, add to and correct photo descriptions by clicking the “send feedback” tab on website photographs.
• Take a self-guided history walking tour
• Watch the Anacortes Museum Channel on YouTube for local historic films and new museum features

Want more? Visit the Research Page and if you don't find the answer you are looking for, send an email to coa.museum@cityofanacortes.org for help.

Anacortes.wiki

The Anacortes.wiki website is where you can contribute to the history of Anacortes! Find local authors, special spots around town, and more. Part of the LocalWiki network, it's a website you can edit!

Historic Preservation

• Anacortes Historic Preservation Board
• Anacortes Register of Historic Places

Get Involved

• Holding onto a piece of Anacortes history? Consider donating it to the Museum.
• The Anacortes Museum Foundation, with generous donations from the community, helps support museum events that keep our history alive.