What is the history of Bainbridge Island, Washington?
In 1841, U.S. Navy Lieutenant Charles Wilkes visited the island while surveying the Northwest. Lt. Wilkes named the island after Commodore William Bainbridge, commander of the frigate USS ConstitutionConstitution in the War of 1801. Bainbridge Island was originally a center for the logging and shipbuilding industries. The island was known for huge and accessible cedars, which were especially in demand for ships’ masts. The original county seat of Kitsap County was at Port Madison on the north end of the island. However, by the end of the 19th Century the island had been Clearfellingclear cut and the Sawmillmills and shipyards slowly died off. The city of Bainbridge Island has occupied the entire island since February 28, 1991, when the former Winslow, WashingtonCity of Winslow (around 1.5 square miles (3.9 km sq) of land on Eagle Harbor, incorporated August 09, 1947) annexed the rest of the island. Bainbridge Island’s claim to fame is that it is the birthplace of the sport of picklebal
