San Juan Island National Historical Park
Encyclopedia
San Juan Island National Historical Park, also known as American and English Camps, San Juan Island, is a U.S.
National Historical Park
owned and operated by the National Park Service
on San Juan Island
in the state of Washington. The park is made up of the sites of the British
and U.S. Armies
' camps during the Pig War
. Both of these camps were set up in 1859 as response to a border dispute triggered by the killing of a pig. The camps were occupied for 12 years, until the Treaty of Washington was signed, negotiated by Kaiser Wilhelm I
of Germany. The British abandoned their camp in November 1872, while the American camp was disbanded in July 1874.
The site was designated a National Historic Landmark
in 1961, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1966.
The park is divided into two parts; an American Camp where US soldiers were stationed, and a British Camp, where the British Royal Marines established a garrison. The British Camp is the only part of a US national park that commemorates a British military site and the only one that flies the British Union Flag
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
National Historical Park
National Historical Park
National Historic Sites are protected areas of national historic significance in the United States. A National Historic Site usually contains a single historical feature directly associated with its subject...
owned and operated by the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
on San Juan Island
San Juan Island
San Juan Island is the second-largest and most populous of the San Juan Islands in northwestern Washington, United States. It has a land area of 142.59 km² and a population of 6,822 as of the 2000 census....
in the state of Washington. The park is made up of the sites of the British
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and U.S. Armies
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
' camps during the Pig War
Pig War
The Pig War was a confrontation in 1859 between the United States and the British Empire over the boundary between the US and British North America. The territory in dispute was the San Juan Islands, which lie between Vancouver Island and the North American mainland...
. Both of these camps were set up in 1859 as response to a border dispute triggered by the killing of a pig. The camps were occupied for 12 years, until the Treaty of Washington was signed, negotiated by Kaiser Wilhelm I
William I, German Emperor
William I, also known as Wilhelm I , of the House of Hohenzollern was the King of Prussia and the first German Emperor .Under the leadership of William and his Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, Prussia achieved the unification of Germany and the...
of Germany. The British abandoned their camp in November 1872, while the American camp was disbanded in July 1874.
The site was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1961, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1966.
The park is divided into two parts; an American Camp where US soldiers were stationed, and a British Camp, where the British Royal Marines established a garrison. The British Camp is the only part of a US national park that commemorates a British military site and the only one that flies the British Union Flag
Union Flag
The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...
.