| City of Anacortes | |||
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| Coordinates: 48°30′7″N 122°37′25″W / 48.50194°N 122.62361°WCoordinates: 48°30′7″N 122°37′25″W / 48.50194°N 122.62361°W | |||
| Country | United States | ||
| State | Washington | ||
| County | Skagit | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Dean Maxwell | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 14.2 sq mi (36.7 km2) | ||
| - Land | 11.8 sq mi (30.5 km2) | ||
| - Water | 2.4 sq mi (6.2 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 23 ft (7 m) | ||
| Population (2000) | |||
| - Total | 14,557 | ||
| - Density | 1,235.7/sq mi (477.1/km2) | ||
| Time zone | PST (UTC-8) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC-7) | ||
| ZIP code | 98221 | ||
| Area code(s) | 360 | ||
| FIPS code | 53-01990[1] | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 1511964[2] | ||
| Website | http://www.cityofanacortes.org/ | ||
Anacortes (pronounced /ˌænəˈkɔrtəs/) is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The name Anacortes comes from Anna Curtis Bowman, the wife of early settler Amos Bowman.[3] The population was 14,557 at the 2000 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included in the Mount Vernon-Anacortes Metropolitan Statistical Area.
There is a Washington State Ferries dock that serves Lopez Island, Shaw Island, Orcas Island, and San Juan Island, as well as Victoria, British Columbia (via Sidney, British Columbia) on Vancouver Island. There is also a Skagit County-operated ferry dock that serves Guemes Island.
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Anacortes was officially incorporated on 19 May 1891.
Anacortes is on Fidalgo Island. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.2 square miles (36.7 km2), of which, 11.8 square miles (30.5 km2) of it is land and 2.4 square miles (6.2 km2) of it (16.93%) is water.
In a recent estimate, there are about 16,300 people as of 2007, 6,086 households, and 4,162 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,236.0 people per square mile (477.1/km2). There were 6,551 housing units at an average density of 556.2/sq mi (214.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 92.66% White, 0.32% African American, 1.14% Native American, 1.64% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 1.48% from other races, and 2.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.15% of the population.
There were 6,086 households out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.84.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,930, and the median income for a family was $49,531. Males had a median income of $38,080 versus $27,080 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,297. About 6.0% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.
Anacortes is on Fidalgo Island. It is surrounded by the north Puget Sound and San Juan Islands on three sides, and by the Swinomish Channel and the flats of Skagit Valley to the east. The weather is milder than other areas of the Pacific Northwest, because it lies within the Olympic Mountain rain shadow. Fidalgo Island gets 21" of rain per year, only half as much as Seattle.
Anacortes was established with a name and a post office in 1877 in the vain hope that it would be selected as the western terminus of the transcontinental railroad. The town was officially incorporated in 1891 shortly after the railroad bust, and became a lumber and fishing center. In the 1950s oil companies built big refineries near town. Two of the five refineries in Washington are located near the town. One is owned and operated by Tesoro (originally built and owned by Shell Oil), the other is owned and operated by Shell Puget Sound Refinery Company (originally built and owned by Texaco). Refining remains the area's largest industry, but the economic base now includes yacht construction/shipbuilding, tourism, and residential services for the nearby Whidbey Island Naval Air Station.
Anacortes is a popular destination for boaters and those traveling on to the San Juan Islands. The city maintains a 220-acre (0.89 km2) city park on the northwestern end of Fidalgo Island called Washington Park. This park features camping, boat launching, and majestic views of the San Juan Islands. The most prominent view is of Cypress Island.
Anacortes Community Forest Lands, 2,800 acres (11 km2) with 50 miles (80 km) of mountain biking and hiking trails, are a rare amenity in a city the size of Anacortes. In adjacent Mount Erie Park, a number of rock climbing routes are popular on the cliffs of the south and west faces of Mount Erie. Mount Erie offers scenic vistas from its 1273 foot peak.[4]
Anacortes hosts many long-distance cyclists, as it is the western terminus of the Adventure Cycling Association's Northern Tier cross-country bicycle route, which ends in Bar Harbor, Maine.
“Shipwreck Day” is a popular single-day, flea market/town garage sale event held annually on the 3rd Saturday in July. City management accommodates the occasion by blocking off several downtown streets.[5]
What the Heck Fest is an annual festival coinciding with "Shipwreck Day." The festival takes place at various locations all over town in a week in the middle of July. Performers present music, movies, literature, and art. The thematic center of the festival is the dinner show that includes a full meal along with the concert, an actual community event.
Each August the Anacortes Arts Festival is held. The festival started in 1962 as the result of efforts by a group of dedicated community arts patrons and is held on blocked-off downtown main street areas. Vendors, merchants, and artisans present their wares in covered booths while jazz and blues musicians are showcased on four different stages.
The Oyster Run is an annual one day biker-friendly motorcycle rally held on the fourth Sunday of September. Beginning in 1981, the event has grown into the largest rally in the Pacific Northwest, with an estimated motorcycle count of 15000 bikes, and growing in numbers each year.[6]
Because Anacortes is located near the San Juan Islands, the area provides one of the best whale watching opportunities anywhere in the world, offering calm waters and a huge variety of widelife, which includes three resident Orca pods. Locally based guided charters guarantee sightings on their one-day adventures.[7]
Anacortes is governed via the mayor-council system. The mayor is elected directly. The city council consists of seven members who are elected from single member wards.
Anacortes has four sister cities:[10]
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Anacortes [1] is a city in the North Cascades region in Washington. It is notable for being the major Washington State Ferries terminal to the San Juan Islands.
The City of Anacortes occupies roughly half of Fidalgo Island, the westernmost island in the San Juans archipelago. The city itself comprises 15 square miles, approximately half of which is public park and recreational lands and waters. The city has 12 miles of shoreline and 67 miles of public trails. Its population is currently 16,000. The city is home to thousands of boats and close to two million visitors each year use Anacortes ferry connections to the other San Juan islands and to Victoria, BC.
Fidalgo Island is a beautiful place, covered in northwest forest, with a number of freshwater lakes, Mt. Erie, many parks, and a thriving small town. The city serves as a wonderful "home port" for boaters exploring local waters or on their way to Alaska--in fact, Anacortes has been named on many "best boating" destination lists over the years.
For more information, please visit www.anacortes.org.
There are many things to do in Anacortes.
Outdoor activies:
The city offers a full service marina--Cap Sante Boat Haven--operated by the Port of Anacortes. The marina is within easy walking distance of old town and easy re-provisioning. A number of boat chartering companies operate out of the Boat Haven, offering half-day whale watching, fishing and transport services, or the rental of boats on a weekly (or longer) basis. There are also a number of kayaking companies, offering equipment and/or tours. Many use Anacortes as "home port" for additional journeys throughout the sound--we are the ferry terminus for both the San Juan Islands and Victoria, BC.
There are over 67 miles of public trails, maintained by the city. The system connects to a number of freshwater lakes, stocked with fish, and a number of other scenic points. Bag lunches are available from local restaurants and delis.
The flavor and character of Anacortes has been largely maintained in the city's old town area. Comprising a roughly ten-block neighborhood, old town is home to a variety of boutiques, restaurants, and hotels. This area is very walkable and a great excursion for shoppers.
The city has a number of cultural pursuits, including a state-of-the-art library, a community theatre, a musuem (housed in the town's old Carnegie Library), book stores, a hometown paper.
Anacortes is home to a variety of interesting hotels, restaurants, and stores. Come check out antiques, book stores, crafts, art galleries. The city is home to the oldest marine hardware store west of the Mississippi.
Anacortes is a boater's paradise, with an award-winning marina and a wide variety of services.
Please access our web site at www.anacortes.org for a full commercial listing and links to individual business sites.
Anacortes offers a wide variety of restaurants, offering all cuisines, from Mexican, to Asian, to Mediterranean and Northwest fare.
Please access www.anacortes.org for a complete listing of restaurants and links to their web sites.
Anacortes offers a wide variety of drinking establishments, from upscale restaurants to wonderful pubs & taverns, many of which offer live music nightly.
More information is available at www.anacortes.org.
Anacortes offers a full spectrum of lodging, with accommodations ranging from high-end European-style hotels to economy rooms. There is truly something for every budget.
For more information, please access www.anacortes.org for more information and links to lodging web sites.
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