Case Inlet
Encyclopedia
Case Inlet, in southern Puget Sound
in the U.S. state
of Washington, is an arm of water between Key Peninsula
on the east and Hartstine Island
on the west. Its northern end, called North Bay, reaches nearly to Hood Canal
, creating the defining isthmus
of Kitsap Peninsula
. Case Inlet is the boundary between Pierce County
and Mason County. The southern end of Case Inlet is connected to Nisqually Reach, part of the southern basin of Puget Sound. Herron Island
lies in Case Inlet.
Case Inlet was named by Charles Wilkes
of the Wilkes Expedition
of 1838-1842, to honor Augustus L. Case, one of the expedition's officers. From the 1870s to the 1920s, transportation needs of the communities along Case Inlet were served by a small flotilla of steamboats
.
, GNIS
entry
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Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Washington, is an arm of water between Key Peninsula
Key Peninsula
The Key Peninsula is a finger of land in Puget Sound, Washington, United States . It is approximately long and extends south from the Kitsap Peninsula. It is part of Pierce County, Washington. Some of its towns include:...
on the east and Hartstine Island
Harstine Island, Washington
Harstine Island is an unincorporated community in Mason County, Washington, United States, located on a similarly named island. The island is located west of Case Inlet in southern Puget Sound, north of Olympia. It has a land area of , and had a population of 1,002 as of the 2000 census...
on the west. Its northern end, called North Bay, reaches nearly to Hood Canal
Hood Canal
Hood Canal is a fjord forming the western lobe, and one of the four main basins, of Puget Sound in the state of Washington. Hood Canal is not a canal in the sense of being a man-made waterway—it is a natural waterway.-Geography:...
, creating the defining isthmus
Isthmus
An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas usually with waterforms on either side.Canals are often built through isthmuses where they may be particularly advantageous to create a shortcut for marine transportation...
of Kitsap Peninsula
Kitsap Peninsula
The Kitsap Peninsula is an arm of land that is part of the larger Olympic Peninsula in Washington state that lies west of Seattle across Puget Sound. Hood Canal separates Kitsap Peninsula from the rest of the Olympic Peninsula...
. Case Inlet is the boundary between Pierce County
Pierce County, Washington
right|thumb|[[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] - Seat of Pierce CountyPierce County is the second most populous county in the U.S. state of Washington. Formed out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory...
and Mason County. The southern end of Case Inlet is connected to Nisqually Reach, part of the southern basin of Puget Sound. Herron Island
Herron Island
Herron Island is an island in central Case Inlet in the southern part of Puget Sound in the state of Washington, USA. The Pierce County island has a land area of 1.2326 km² and a population of 152 persons as of the 2000 census....
lies in Case Inlet.
Case Inlet was named by Charles Wilkes
Charles Wilkes
Charles Wilkes was an American naval officer and explorer. He led the United States Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842 and commanded the ship in the Trent Affair during the American Civil War...
of the Wilkes Expedition
United States Exploring Expedition
The United States Exploring Expedition was an exploring and surveying expedition of the Pacific Ocean and surrounding lands conducted by the United States from 1838 to 1842. The original appointed commanding officer was Commodore Thomas ap Catesby Jones. The voyage was authorized by Congress in...
of 1838-1842, to honor Augustus L. Case, one of the expedition's officers. From the 1870s to the 1920s, transportation needs of the communities along Case Inlet were served by a small flotilla of steamboats
Case Inlet steamboats
Case Inlet steamboats served the small communities along the shore of Case Inlet in southern Puget Sound from the 1870s to 1924.-Geography:Case Inlet runs in northerly direction from the Nisqually Reach and divides the Key Peninsula on the east side of the inlet from Hartstine Island and the Kitsap...
.
External links
, USGSUnited States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
, GNIS
Geographic Names Information System
The Geographic Names Information System is a database that contains name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features located throughout the United States of America and its territories. It is a type of gazetteer...
entry
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