Guemes Island

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Agricultural land on Guemes Island
Agricultural land on Guemes Island
Location of Guemes Island in the San Juans
Location of Guemes Island in the San Juans

Guemes Island is a small island in the southeastern part of the San Juan Islands chain in western Skagit County, Washington state, USA. Guemes Island is just north of the town of Anacortes, and is accessible via a short ferry ride. The island has a land area of 21.528 km² (8.3119 sq mi) and a population of 563 persons as of the 2000 census.

The community located on Guemes Island is generally referred to as Guemes.

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[edit] Island Life

Guemes Island has a rural character with limited facilities. The only retail store on the island is Anderson's General Store. There is also a quiet, rustic resort which has been in business since the mid 1940s. There is a one mile stretch of public beach on the southwest shore of the island and two small parks.

[edit] History

Guemes Island was named by the Spanish explorer José María Narváez as Isla de Guemes, during the 1791 expedition of Francisco de Eliza, in honor of the Viceroy of Mexico, Juan Vicente de Güemes Padilla Horcasitas y Aguayo, 2nd Count of Revillagigedo.[1][2]


[edit] Politics

The majority of residents on Guemes Island are Democrats. In the 2004 US Presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 360 votes (67.54%), while George W. Bush received 153 (28.71%). A total of 533 votes were cast, for an exceptionally high voter turnout of 91.3% among registered voters.

Although Guemes is in the centrist Skagit County, it is part of the San Juan Islands, most of which are in San Juan County, which gave John Kerry an overall similar margin. Guemes Island is more politically akin to the San Juan Islands than neighbouring, barely left-of-centre Anacortes.

[edit] Demographics

The following Census statistics represent a block group that also contains the neighbouring islands of Cypress Island, Sinclair Island, and Vendovi Island. As of the census[3] of 2000, there are 605 people, 292 households, and 180 families residing in the block group. There are 626 housing units. The racial makeup of the block group is 95.70% White, 1.16% African American, 0.83% Native American, 0.00% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.99% from other races, and 1.32% from two or more races. 1.32% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 292 households out of which 22.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.2% are married couples living together, 3.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% are non-families. 30.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 39.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 1.95 and the average family size is 2.38.

In the block group the population is spread out with 16.0% under the age of 18, 2.6% from 18 to 24, 11.6% from 25 to 44, 41.3% from 45 to 64, and 27.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 53 years. For every 100 females there are 119.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 104.8 males.

The median income for a household in the block group is $40,039, and the median income for a family is unavailable. Income by sex is also unavailable, as is per capita income. 8.1% of the population is below the poverty line. Family poverty statistics are unavailable. Out of the total population, 36.1% of those under the age of 18 and 0.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Phillips, James W. (1971). Washington State Place Names. University of Washington Press. ISBN 0-295-95158-3. 
  2. ^ McDowell, Jim (1998). José Narváez: The Forgotten Explorer. Spokane, Washington: The Arthur H. Clark Company, p. 55. ISBN 0-87062-265-X. 
  3. ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.

[edit] External links

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