LYCOS RETRIEVER 
San Juan Islands: Washington State
built 267 days ago
San Juan County is currently the fastest growing county in the state, per capita. There are approximately 12,400 people who reside full time in the islands and most of the population lives on the four larger islands served by the Washington State Ferry system, out of the 172 islands in total.
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The San Juans were the focus of the infamous "Pig War" that almost occurred in 1859 between the British and Americans. The San Juans had not been clearly defined, hence some dispute over who rightfully belonged there began to occur. In 1872 an impartial arbitrator from Germany awarded the islands to the US. In 1966 the US Congress designated the land of the two camp (British and US) as San Juan National Historic Park. This is the only park in the United States that honors the peaceful settlement of a dispute.
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San Juan Island is well known for splendid vistas, saltwater shore, quiet woodlands and orca whales. But it was ... here in 1859 that the United States and Great Britain nearly went to war over a dead pig.
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