Vashon Island

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Location of Vashon Island in the state
Detailed map of the island including the ferry connections
Washington State Ferries North Pier (Vashon Heights)

Vashon is a census-designated place (CDP), i. H. a dependent area in King County , Washington State . The CDP is located on the island of the same name, which is also called Vashon-Maury Island and is the largest island in Puget Sound south of the Admiralty Inlet . At the time of the United States Census 2000, 10,123 people lived on the island . The per capita income of Vashon is up to 32 out of 522 Census-designated places in Washington State.

geography

Vashon's geographic coordinates are 47 ° 25 ′  N , 122 ° 28 ′  W Coordinates: 47 ° 25 ′  N , 122 ° 28 ′  W (47.416198, −122.468211).

According to the United States Census Bureau , the CDP has an area of ​​95.8 km²; It is 60 percent larger than Manhattan - but the population is 150 times smaller.

traffic

Vashon is not connected to the mainland by bridges, but can be reached by two ferry connections. From the ferry terminal in Tahlequah , ships run to Tacoma and from the Vashon Heights Dock at Point Vashon, the ferries to Southworth and Fauntleroy in West Seattle and downtown Seattle - this connection is set as Washington State Route 339 .

history

The island got its name on May 28, 1792 by the explorer George Vancouver , who named it after his friend James Vashon of the Royal Navy . At that time, Vashon Island was separated from Maury Island . Today, an isthmus built by the US Army Corps of Engineers connects the two islands.

Demographics

At the time of the United States Census 2000, Vashon Island was inhabited by 10,123 people. The population density was 105.7 people per km ². There were 4867 housing units at an average of 50.8 per km ². The Vashon Island population was 93.61% White , 0.45% Black or African American , 0.70% Native American , 1.56% Asian , 0.06% Pacific Islander , 0.87% said others Belonging to races and 2.75% named two or more races. 2.56% of the population declared to be Hispanic or Latinos of any race.

The residents of Vashon Islands distributed to 4193 households out of which 30.9% were living in children under 18 years of age. 56.2% of households were married, 7.9% had a female head of household without a husband, and 32.3% were not families. 23.8% of households were made up of individuals and someone lived in 8.0% of all households aged 65 years or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.86 people.

The population was divided into 23.2% minors, 4.6% 18–24 year olds, 25.1% 25–44 year olds, 34.0% 45–64 year olds and 13.1% aged 65 and over or more. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 women there were 94.5 men. For every 100 women over 18, there were 91.0 men.

The median household income in Vashon Iceland was 58,261 US dollars and the median family income reached the amount of 67,010 US dollars. The median income for men was $ 50,201 compared with $ 36,426 for women. The per capita income was $ 31,983. 6.0% of the population and 4.6% of families had an income below the poverty line , including 5.2% of minors and 2.2% of those aged 65 and over.

economy

The island's economy is shaped by a significant number of commuters, most of whom work in Seattle and Tacoma, although in the past orchards and strawberry farms have played a large role in the local economy. Pressure from urbanization has largely eliminated commercial farming on the island. Many smaller farms supply the residents with fresh products such as milk and eggs. The tradition of a strawberry festival in July was maintained despite the structural change.

The island has lost a number of employers in recent years; K2 Sports moved its production to the People's Republic of China and Seattle's Best Coffee closed its roastery on the island after SBC was taken over by Starbucks . The largest worker on the island is now Pacific Research Laboratories .

Notable residents

  • Karen Cushman , youth writer whose work The Midwife's Apprentice won the Newbery Award in 1996.
  • Berkeley Breathed (* 1957), author of the political comic strip series Bloom County , lived here for some time and wrote a children's book about a bicycle in a tree - such an object is actually on the island.
  • Booth Gardner (1936–2013), former Governor of Washington State.
  • Betty MacDonald (1907-1958), writer, lived on Vashon Island and set the plot of her novel Onions in the Stew (German title: Die Insel und ich , translated by Elisabeth Schnack ) here.
  • Basil Poledouris (1945–2006), film composer, spent the last four years of his life here.
  • Dan Savage (* 1964), editor of The Stranger newspaper and author of the "Savage Love" sex advice column , lived here with his partner and an adopted son.
  • Edith Derby Williams , historian and granddaughter of former US President Theodore Roosevelt , lived on the island from the 1960s until her death in 2008.
  • Eyvind Kang (* 1971), composer and musician, lives here.
  • Paul Seibert (1921–1997), non-fiction author.

Attractions

Vashon Island is home to one of the few Russian Orthodox monasteries in the United States , the Monastery of the Most Merciful Savior .

Web links

Commons : Vashon Island, Washington  - Collection of pictures, videos, and audio files