Neah Bay, Washington
Encyclopedia
Neah Bay is a census-designated place
(CDP) on the Makah Indian reservation in Clallam County, Washington, United States. The population was 794 at the 2000 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.1 km²), all of it land.
, and 9.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.42% of the population.
There were 282 households out of which 37.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.2% were married couples living together, 17.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.38.
In the CDP the age distribution of the population shows 34.0% under the age of 18, 12.5% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 5.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 123.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 128.8 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $21,635, and the median income for a family was $24,583. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $27,917 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $11,338. About 26.3% of families and 29.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.6% of those under age 18 and 32.6% of those age 65 or over.
. The town is named for the water body Neah Bay, which acquired its name in the early 19th century. A number of names were used for the bay before it was established as Neah Bay. In August 1788 Captain Charles Duncan, a British trader, charted a bay at the location of Neah Bay, but did not give it a name. In 1790 Manuel Quimper
took possession of the bay for Spain and named it "Bahía de Núñez Gaona" in honor of Alonso Núñez de Haro y Peralta
, viceroy of New Spain
. In 1792 Salvador Fidalgo
began to build a Spanish fort on Neah Bay, but the project failed within the year. While Fidalgo was working on the fort George Vancouver
charted but did not stop at the bay. American traders called Neah Bay "Poverty Cove". In 1841 the United States Exploring Expedition
under Charles Wilkes
mapped the region and named Neah Bay "Scarborough Harbour" in honor of Captain James Scarborough of the Hudson's Bay Company
, who had provided assistance to the expedition. The Wilkes map contained the first use of the word "Neah", but for the bay's island, now called Waadah Island
. The bay was first called Neah in 1847 by Captain Henry Kellett
during his reorganization of the British Admiralty charts. Kellett spelled it "Neeah Bay".
In 1929, the Neah Bay Dock Company
, a subsidiary of the Puget Sound Navigation Company
, owned a wharf and a hotel at Neah Bay.
fishing is good during summer runs. However - Neah Bay is mostly known for the best halibut
fishing in the lower 48 states. The US halibut season generally lasts a handful of days in May and June, ending when a seasonal quota is attained. When the US halibut season is closed, some fishermen obtain Canadian fishing licenses and launch from Neah Bay, running approximately 10 miles (16 km) to the portion of Swiftsure Bank that lies in Canadian waters.
Popular spots for halibut include "The Garbage Dump", located just inside the Strait of Juan de Fuca
, and Swiftsure Bank - a few miles out into the open ocean. Larger boats (including many of the commercial charter boats available) often travel 30 nautical miles (55.6 km) or more into the open ocean, to such places as Blue Dot and 72-Square.
. It houses and interprets artifacts from a Makah village partly buried by a mudslide around 1750 at Ozette
, providing a snapshot of pre-contact tribal life. The museum includes a replica longhouse, canoe
s, basketry and whaling and fishing gear. Many people visit Neah Bay to hike the Cape Trail or camp at Hobuck Beach. While camping tourists spend time surfing and fishing.
maintains a base in Neah Bay on the Makah Indian reservation. The base is maintained for search and rescue, environmental protection and maritime law enforcement operations.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) on the Makah Indian reservation in Clallam County, Washington, United States. The population was 794 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Neah Bay is located at 48°21′56"N 124°36′56"W (48.365436, -124.615672).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.1 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 865 people, 282 households, and 181 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 335.8 people per square mile (129.9/km²). There were 322 housing units at an average density of 136.2/sq mi (52.7/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 12.1% White, 0.2% African American, 77.1% Native American, .7% from other racesRace (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 9.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.42% of the population.
There were 282 households out of which 37.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.2% were married couples living together, 17.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.38.
In the CDP the age distribution of the population shows 34.0% under the age of 18, 12.5% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 5.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 123.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 128.8 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $21,635, and the median income for a family was $24,583. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $27,917 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $11,338. About 26.3% of families and 29.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.6% of those under age 18 and 32.6% of those age 65 or over.
History
The name "Neah" refers to the Makah Chief Dee-ah, pronounced Neah in the Klallam languageKlallam language
Klallam or Clallam is a nearly extinct Straits Salishan language that was traditionally spoken by the Klallam peoples at Beecher Bay on Vancouver Island in British Columbia and across the Strait of Juan de Fuca on the north coast of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington...
. The town is named for the water body Neah Bay, which acquired its name in the early 19th century. A number of names were used for the bay before it was established as Neah Bay. In August 1788 Captain Charles Duncan, a British trader, charted a bay at the location of Neah Bay, but did not give it a name. In 1790 Manuel Quimper
Manuel Quimper
Manuel Quimper Benítez del Pino was a Spanish Peruvian explorer, cartographer, naval officer, and colonial official. He participated in charting the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Sandwich Islands in the late 18th century. He was later appointed a colonial governor in his native Peru at the...
took possession of the bay for Spain and named it "Bahía de Núñez Gaona" in honor of Alonso Núñez de Haro y Peralta
Alonso Núñez de Haro y Peralta
Dr. Alonso Núñez de Haro y Peralta was archbishop of Mexico from September 12, 1772 to May 26, 1800, and viceroy of New Spain from May 8, 1787 to August 16, 1787.-Origins and education:Núñez de Haro was born in the diocese of Cuenca, Spain, probably on October 31, 1729, although some...
, viceroy of New Spain
New Spain
New Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...
. In 1792 Salvador Fidalgo
Salvador Fidalgo
Salvador Fidalgo y Lopegarcía was a Spanish explorer who commanded an exploring expedition for Spain to Alaska and the Pacific Northwest during the late 18th century.-Early career:...
began to build a Spanish fort on Neah Bay, but the project failed within the year. While Fidalgo was working on the fort George Vancouver
George Vancouver
Captain George Vancouver RN was an English officer of the British Royal Navy, best known for his 1791-95 expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern Pacific Coast regions, including the coasts of contemporary Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon...
charted but did not stop at the bay. American traders called Neah Bay "Poverty Cove". In 1841 the United States Exploring 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...
under 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...
mapped the region and named Neah Bay "Scarborough Harbour" in honor of Captain James Scarborough of the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
, who had provided assistance to the expedition. The Wilkes map contained the first use of the word "Neah", but for the bay's island, now called Waadah Island
Waadah Island
Waadah Island is an island situated in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, just north of Neah Bay in northwestern Clallam County, Washington, USA. The island has a land area of 164,940 square meters and has no human population.-References:...
. The bay was first called Neah in 1847 by Captain Henry Kellett
Henry Kellett
Vice Admiral Sir Henry Kellett KCB was a British naval officer and explorer.-Naval career:Kellett joined the Royal Navy in 1822...
during his reorganization of the British Admiralty charts. Kellett spelled it "Neeah Bay".
In 1929, the Neah Bay Dock Company
Neah Bay Dock Company
The Neah Bay Dock Company was a subsidiary of the Puget Sound Navigation Company. In 1929 the Neah Bay Dock company owned a wharf and a hotel in Neah Bay, Washington.-Reference:...
, a subsidiary of the Puget Sound Navigation Company
Puget Sound Navigation Company
The Puget Sound Navigation Company was founded by Joshua Green in 1913. It operated a fleet of steamboats and ferries on Puget Sound in Washington and the Georgia Strait in British Columbia...
, owned a wharf and a hotel at Neah Bay.
Economy
The local economy is sustained mostly by fishing and tourism. During the summer Neah Bay is a popular fishing area for sports fishermen. Any visitor to the Makah land must buy a recreational permit for US$10.http://www.makah.com/permits.htm The permit is good for the calendar year.Notable residents
- Bob GreeneBob Greene (Makah)Robert "Bob" Greene Sr. was an American Makah elder. Greene was the oldest living Makah man and the second-to-last surviving Makah veteran of World War II at the time of his death in 2010...
- second-to-last surviving Makah veteran of World War II. - Steven Jesse Bernstein - underground writer and performance artist
Fishing
Fishing for bottom fish, such as ling cod, kelp greenling, black rockfish (sea bass),china rockfish, yellow eye and canary rockfish among others. Ling cod is good in spring and summer, while salmonSalmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
fishing is good during summer runs. However - Neah Bay is mostly known for the best halibut
Halibut
Halibut is a flatfish, genus Hippoglossus, from the family of the right-eye flounders . Other flatfish are also called halibut. The name is derived from haly and butt , for its popularity on Catholic holy days...
fishing in the lower 48 states. The US halibut season generally lasts a handful of days in May and June, ending when a seasonal quota is attained. When the US halibut season is closed, some fishermen obtain Canadian fishing licenses and launch from Neah Bay, running approximately 10 miles (16 km) to the portion of Swiftsure Bank that lies in Canadian waters.
Popular spots for halibut include "The Garbage Dump", located just inside the Strait of Juan de Fuca
Strait of Juan de Fuca
The Strait of Juan de Fuca is a large body of water about long that is the Salish Sea outlet to the Pacific Ocean...
, and Swiftsure Bank - a few miles out into the open ocean. Larger boats (including many of the commercial charter boats available) often travel 30 nautical miles (55.6 km) or more into the open ocean, to such places as Blue Dot and 72-Square.
Tourism
Neah Bay's significant attraction is the Makah MuseumMakah Museum
The Makah Museum also known as Makah Cultural and Research Center is a museum on the Makah Indian reservation in Neah Bay, Washington. It houses and interprets artifacts from a Makah village partly buried by a mudslide at Lake Ozette around 1750, providing a snapshot of pre-contact tribal life...
. It houses and interprets artifacts from a Makah village partly buried by a mudslide around 1750 at Ozette
Ozette Indian Village Archeological Site
The Ozette Indian Village Archeological Site is the site of an archaeological excavation at Ozette on the Olympic Peninsula near La Push, Washington, USA. The site was a village occupied by the Makah people until a mudslide inundated the site around 1700....
, providing a snapshot of pre-contact tribal life. The museum includes a replica longhouse, canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
s, basketry and whaling and fishing gear. Many people visit Neah Bay to hike the Cape Trail or camp at Hobuck Beach. While camping tourists spend time surfing and fishing.
Coast Guard
The United States Coast GuardUnited States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
maintains a base in Neah Bay on the Makah Indian reservation. The base is maintained for search and rescue, environmental protection and maritime law enforcement operations.
Response Tug
In order to prevent disabled ships and barges from grounding and causing possible oil spills in the western Strait of Juan de Fuca or off the outer coast, the state funded an emergency response tug stationed at Neah Bay. It has saved 41 vessels since its introduction in 1999.External links
- Neah Bay Halibut Fishing
- University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections – The Pacific Northwest Olympic Peninsula Community Museum A web-based museum showcasing aspects of the rich history and culture of Washington State's Olympic Peninsula communities. Features cultural exhibits, curriculum packets and a searchable archive of over 12,000 items that includes historical photographs, audio recordings, videos, maps, diaries, reports and other documents.
- Makah Cultural and Research Center Online Museum Exhibit History and culture of the Makah tribe.