It's one thing to look at old photos of an early settlement in Washington. It's quite another to view those photos and then walk past those very same buildings today.
"Most of the buildings are still here," explains Richard Castellano, Executive Director of the Island County Historical Society.
Coupeville has a rich history that's still alive today.
It's hard to imagine, but Coupeville was once one of the bustling centers for a growing western Washington, boasting a population greater than Seattle's.
Castellano notes early settlers saw that the natural landing of Ebey's Landing was, "a very logical place for a deep water port."
The town was founded in 1882 by Captain Thomas Coupe, making it the second oldest settlement in Washington.
The town also has another distinction says Castellano, explaining that it's, "the only town that exists inside a National Historical Reserve." The Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve was the first ever such reserve, established in 1978 and covering 24 square miles around Coupeville.
