The Colonel Walter Crockett, Sr. farm is one of Whidbey Island's earliest homesteads dating back to 1851. The 11.5-acre farm is all that remains from the original 640 acre Land Claim and overlooks Crockett Lake with stunning views of Admiralty Head.
Walter Crockett, Jr. inherited the farm from his father who passed away in 1869 at the age of 83. Walter, Jr., continued to farm the land and in 1895 he hired the Lovejoy Brothers to construct a large barn on the homestead. This barn was built of old growth timber with a "mortise and tenon" technique to secure the beam work. In this type of construction, wood dowels were used to secure the beams, so no steel bolts or plates were used.
The barns architectural style is unique. Barns of this era were built with a gambrel style roof to provide more loft space. In the case of Crockett's barn, the architectural style hales from an earlier time and may reflect Walter Crockett's own preferences from growing up in Virginia and Missouri.
The Crockett farmhouse is said to be the first stick built house on the island. The structure may have incorporated an earlier house into it's design, as the current architecture would suggest an 1870's Victorian, with later additions dating to the early 1900's. The house and barn fell into disrepair but in 1985, the property was purchased and the buildings were restored and served as a Bed & Breakfast for many years.
Crockett Farm is situated within the boundaries of the Ebey's Landing Reserve, affording many opportunities to view wildlife habitats and ocean beaches' much as they were before human settlement.
Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve provides a vivid historical record of Pacific Northwest history, including the first exploration of Puget Sound by Captain George Vancouver in 1792; early settlement by Colonel Isaac Ebey and Colonel Walter Crockett, important figures in Washington Territory; growth and settlement resulting from the Oregon Trail and the Westward migration; the Donation Land Laws (1850-1855); and the continued growth and settlement of the town of Coupeville.
Within the fast growing Puget Sound region, Ebey's Landing NHR has quickly become the remaining area where a broad spectrum of Northwest history is still clearly visible in the landscape. The historical landscape of the reserve appears to today's visitors much as it did a century ago, when New England sea captains were drawn to Penn Cove. Historic farms are still farmed, forests harvested and century-old buildings used as homes or places of business.
Unlike many National Park units, the 25 square mile historical reserve encompasses a mixture of federal, state, county and private property, all managed in a way that preserves its historic essence. This means that changes in the cultural landscape will continue but in a way that respects the past.
There are two state parks within Ebey's Landing NHR as well as the historic waterfront town of Coupeville, one of the oldest towns in Washington State.
