Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve

Ferry House Contending in Million-Dollar Preservation Grant Competition - Vote Today!

The historic Ferry House on Ebey's Prairie has been chosen under a highly competitive selection process as one of 25 finalists to compete for $1 million in funding for restoration and preservation. This is our own American idol for historic places around Puget Sound, and your vote counts! Vote today and every day until May 12 at www.partnersinpreservation.com and sign up for a daily reminder to vote at . There will be an open house and celebration at the Ferry House on Sunday, May 2 from noon - 3 p.m. with food, music, and a rare guided tour.
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The Sun is Shining at Ebey's

Ebey's Reserve, on Central Whidbey Island receives only half the rain of nearby Seattle - sunny skies are often above while the rest of the region is covered in a layer of clouds. The reason lies to the West and the Olympic Mountains, whose peaks cause passing clouds to drop their water, creating a rain shadow. Ebey's visitors and residents can comfortably enjoy exploring and experiencing this unique landscape.

Stories within a Cultural Landscape

Some stories of the Reserve's history include Isaac Ebey, the first European-American settler to claim land on Central Whidbey Island before Washington became a state. Isaac wrote to his wife, Rebecca in 1851 saying, "My claim is acknowledged by all to be one of the best in Oregon (Territory).  I think it is the best claim on the Pacific.  If you could see my potatoes, onions, carrots, cabbages, parsnips, peas, it would almost make your mouth water."

A Unique Partnership

The reserve is a non-traditional unit of the National Park system. It is the first unit of its kind in the system, with most of the land under private ownership. A unit of local government, the Trust Board of Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, is charged with management as called for in the legislation creating the Reserve. The Trust Board is a partnership of local, state and federal governments working collaboratively to ensure the historic and natural resources of the reserve are protected for future generations to enjoy and experience.

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