– Day Island had been used for centuries by Indians to hunt duck and shellfish.
1841 – John Wilkes, explored the south sound, and named the Island after his crewman, Stephen Days.
1869 – Days Island was included in a homestead claim of 160 acres, purchased from the US.
1871 – Resold to the Kautz Family, who owned it 36 years.
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1897 – The Kautz’s cabin, the first built on Day Island. It cost $42, which included materials & 4 people’s labor to clear the land, split cedar shakes for the roof, cut logs for walls, flooring, windows, & door. |
1903 (circa) – Northern Pacific Railway, while laying track along the shore, filled in the distance from the south spit to Lemon’s Beach with rocks, turning it from an island to a peninsula. They used the island for construction material.
1907 – purchased by the Day Island Company, which developed the Island into 60’ lots, selling them for $600 each.
Circa 1910
 West Blvd. |
 East Blvd. |
1914 -1918 Bus route on Day Island to Downtown Tacoma. 7 buses a day, 25 cents round trip.
1921 – the Willits Brothers started building straight-grained cedar canoes on the south spit (900 in total). These beautiful canoes have worldwide recognition. One hangs in the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.
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1914 – The Day Island Club was formed to deal with Island problems – a worn out bridge (then at S 19th St), a poor water system, and fire hazards. In 1921, the pump house was enlarged to the current clubhouse, which was under the water tower. The club has continued on, in one form or another, giving a voice and organization to Island residents.
This history was abridged from Marcia Tucker’s book, ‘Day Island, a glimpse of the past’ (Rhododendron Press, 1997). Marcia is a long time resident of the Island.
