Our theme for the 2025 edition of the Waggoner Cruising Guide delves into the history and background of how some of our boating destinations, inlets, and bays received their name. The history of Mackaye Harbor is just one example of the many fascinating accounts described in the 2025 Waggoner Cruising Guide theme sidebar articles, 30 in total.
Did you know that there was once a major community called Richardson in Mackaye Harbor along the shores of Jones Bay? The town thrived after the northern boundary dispute with Britain was settled in 1872, when the San Juan Islands officially became US territory. The port was originally founded by George Richardson and his family around 1874. A post office, wharf, and store were constructed in the mid- to late-1800s. Steamships carried people and goods back and forth between Richardson and the mainland. Being the closest port to the mainland, Richardson became an important hub for shipping produce and fish. The community store was the center of social activity and warehouses stored the island’s produce and goods. Mackaye Harbor was once the home of a fishing fleet and fish processors, with two canneries at Richardson.
What became of Richardson? And the much-loved community store? Are there any buildings left today? Find out the answers to these questions and more in the 2025 Waggoner Cruising Guide.
Photo: WA State Library
