deposit in Roche Harbor in 1884, and Islands and Vancouver Island across family members, so be careful where
founded the Roche Harbor Lime and the strait. Closer to the harbor, tennis you sit.
Cement Company. By 1890 the town courts and a swimming pool provide Renting mopeds is a fun way to go
had 800 residents, most working in a great way for the more energetic to around San Juan Island or further afield
the productive limestone quarries and burn some calories. to Friday Harbor, just 15 minutes away.
kilns with warehouses stretched several Art aficionados will love the Here, browsing bookstores, souvenir
hundred feet into the bay, holding 20,000 Westcott Bay Sculpture Park. A shops, seven art galleries, the Whale
barrels of lime. The workers stayed in 10-minute stroll up the gently sloping museum, the Historical museum, and
large bunkhouses or cottages nearby. road, featuring over 100 sculptures the American Legion museum will
McMillin was a seafarer with a 50-foot spread out over a gently rolling, easily keep you entertained for a day.
yacht, the Calcite, and Commodore of 19-acre grassy reserve. Here you can At the end of a relaxing day, the
the Roche Harbor Yacht Club in 1908. admire an amazing variety of whirling Roche Harbor Spa, Afterglow, next to
A few minutes walk from the kaleidoscopes of brightly colored glass Hotel de Haro, offers an outstanding
hotel, a row of immaculately restored and dazzling metal, ceramic sculptures, array of ways to pamper yourself,
old, white, wooden buildings with and smoothly carved stone and wood with massage, facials, and marine
green trim, known as Company Town figurines. pedicures.
Cottages, are available for families to Then, walk across the road up a
rent. They formerly housed workers narrow dusty dirt trail among the firs For more on Roche Harbor visit their
from the limekilns in the Harbor’s and pines to the surreal McMillin family website at: www.rocheharbor.com/
heyday. mausoleum. Somewhat reminiscent
Roche Harbor has many other of Europe’s funerary monoliths, Roy Stevenson is a freelance writer
attractions. Exploring the art galleries, McMillin’s seven-pillared Afterglow residing in Seattle, Washington. He writes
gift and souvenir shops, bookstore, and Vista mausoleum is a testament to on travel and culture, history, military
historical landmarks along the harbor his love for this family. Its towering history, running, sports and fitness for
is a pleasant half-day activity. Hiking concrete pillars and limestone chairs over 80 magazines and newspapers in the
trails wind through the old limestone and tables display symbols from the USA and U.K.
quarries on the hillside for those Masons, Sigma Chi fraternity, the Bible,
who prefer dry land. The trails take and McMillin’s views of life and his
in spectacular views of the San Juan family. The chairs contain the ashes of
48° No r t h , Ap r i l 2009 pA g e 36
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