Submitted by Walter Neary, Historic Fort Steilacoom.
Join us 2 p.m. PT on Sunday, June 13, for an online talk by historian and author Mike Vouri about the Pig War of 1859 in Washington Territory.
Long before the San Juan Islands were a vacation destination, they were the focus of an international crisis ignited by an unlikely incident: The shooting of a pig in a potato patch. This was the famous Pig War of 1859, when military and naval forces of the United States and Great Britain almost came to blows in midsummer after the death of the Berkshire boar. In the end, not a single shot was fired by opposing forces. The nations opted for peace, an outcome commemorated more than 100 years later with the creation of San Juan Island National Historical Park.
Mike Vouri is the author of five books about national, state and regional history, including The Pig War: Stand-off at Griffin Bay. Prior to his 21-year stint as chief of interpretation/historian at San Juan Island National Historical Park (retired 2015), Vouri was a public affairs officer/history curator for the Whatcom Museum of History and Art, a reporter for the Bellingham Herald and an assistant director for the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs. He currently is a group leader and lecturer for the Skagit Valley College Road Scholar program.
Reservations for this talk will end at noon on June 13. You can sign up here on Eventbrite.
Fort Steilacoom occupies an important position in the history of the Pacific Northwest. The fort played a significant role in the settling of Washington Territory. Beginning with its establishment in 1849 and ending with its closure in 1868, Fort Steilacoom served as a beacon of American power and promise, promoting the migration of settlers to Washington and securing American interest in the region. Historic Fort Steilacoom Association is a non-profit organization and all donations are tax deductible.
The Historic Fort Steilacoom Association’s mission to share and preserve the first U.S. Army post in Puget Sound. The museum has recently reopened once a month for tours.
