Lopez Island is the third largest of the U.S. San Juan Islands. Lopez Island is 29.81 square miles (77.2 km2) in land area. The 2000 census population was 2,177.
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Lopez Island was given the name Chauncey Island, after the American naval commander Isaac Chauncey. When the British reorganized the official admiralty naval charts in 1847, Henry Kellett systematically removed many of Wilkes's names. He renamed the island Lopez, for Gonzalo López de Haro, the Spanish naval officer who was the first European to discover the San Juan Islands archipelago.[1]
The Lopez Island Historical Museum collects and preserves the regional history of Lopez and the San Juan Islands. The museum features artifacts reflecting Lopez's contributions to the maritime, fishing and farming industries. The museum has an extensive archive of local historical documents as well as artifacts depicting life on Lopez Island in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Lopez Island is flatter than most of the other major San Juan Islands, making it a popular destination for bicycle tourists. It is also the most rural of the larger islands, and has rolling terrain of forest, farmland, and beaches. Some of the roads, however, are narrow which can lead to occasional traffic and bicycle congestion. But overall the drivers are bicycle friendly and the roads are easier to ride than the other islands.
The island is the first stop of four on the Washington State Ferries' San Juan Islands run. A typical sailing from Anacortes takes approximately 40 minutes. There is a small airstrip on the island with daily commercial flights, and charter floatplanes sometimes land in Fisherman Bay. The island is longest in the north-south direction, with the ferry terminal at the extreme north end.
The island is locally famous for the longstanding custom of waving at every motorist, bicyclist, or pedestrian encountered on the island's roads.[2]
Lopez is home to a large number of tourist related businesses, largely country-style bed and breakfasts, many with ocean views. There is a vineyard and one hotel and resort.
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