- photo by Martin Lynn
This is the end of Waterspot1.
It's the end of a long chapter for us. I have raked up my last pinecone. We were lucky to have had this unique experience, and will treasure our happy memories.
Wild burros at Lake Pleasant.
This was once the smokestack at the Carnation milk processing plant in town. Instead of tearing it down it has been painted with tulips and it is a noted landmark since you see it from quite a distance.
Burrows Island the the passage by Washington Park.
And this one on a former underpass, for kids.
Mount Vernon is located along a very big, wide bend in the Skagit River and has parks on both sides. It was placid and pale green today, colored still from snowmelt runoff. The river is 150 miles long and starts in Canada. Anacortes gets its water from this river.
A wonderfully cluttered antique shop!
Another look at the big leaning maple and some other views along the Guemes Channel Trail.
The R.V. Welts building is home to a cool looking bar.
We even stopped in at the Tulip Festival Headquarters on Kincaid Street, where they have all the beautiful posters from the festival over the years. Different artists and photographers create them each year.
July 14 -15, 2025
Mount Vernon is internationally known for the annual Tulip Festival and is in the heart of the extensive farming operations in the Skagit Valley. We found it to have a lively downtown with many historic buildings and interesting shops and restaurants. The town has lined the streets with flowers and trees making it an inviting and charming place to explore.
No thanks to Google Maps we finally found where to park and get started on our tour. We passed a memorial to the workers who cleared a massive two-mile long log jam of debris here that was 14 feet deep, and so old that massive trees were growing in it. The project ran from 1886 -1889, all by hand labor using just logging tools. But it opened the river and enhanced the growth of Mount Vernon.
"May their names be honored as long as the river runs free." per the memorial!
It was known for the spectacular view from its outside patio and the dining room, and being more remote and uncrowded, had a quiet and laid-back vibe. We hiked the Kaibab Trail part way down into the canyon during our stay. Arizona is shocked at the loss of this favorite place, as are we.
We also saw this wonderful statue called "Grandpa and Me." It is of John Knox and his grandfather Jasper Gates, made from a charming old photograph of the two of them together. Gates, a civil war veteran, was the first settler in what became Mount Vernon; he died in 1923 at age 83 and Knox in 1977. The town has built a pretty sidewalk patio for this expressive piece that honors its first pioneer. It is actually on the site of his first cabin and his 1870 claim.
We took a walk from the condo down to skyline marina and the beach along Burrows Bay to see what was new. We had a nice day for it but found very little has changed. The beachfront properties are still for sale and nothing new has been built. And this is good since it leaves a view for all of us.
Mount Vernon has many tributes to its famous Tulip Festival, including this one on the Riverwalk.
It's a small place but still has an original counter with stools and a couple old-guy regulars settled in! They have collected antique metal lunchboxes, just like the one I carried to school every day, and they are artfully displayed around the restaurant. It was very cool!
And lunch was great too!
The marina is much the same. We walked by these two bucks in the park on our way down there. That is the path I take to get to my Sunday yoga class.
This is one of the beaches where the Elephant Seal, Elsie Mae, hangs out but we did not see her. We did see the "Stay Back" warning sign though.
Besides the neon sign on the Lincoln Theatre, I saw this one on the McLean building, which is home to The Skagit Table, a health food restaurant featuring "fresh cooking from the valley." Gluten free, soy free, etc. It is rare to see neon signs anymore.
We saw other tulip art here and there, like this electrical power box on a street corner.
Plus, they developed the attractive Riverwalk which goes along the Skagit River and through downtown.
A downtown mural with an incoherent message.
A fancy old clock that says "Strauss Jewelers Mt. Vernon WA." Telling the wrong time but otherwise looking good! This family business at 401 S. First Street (at Montgomery) closed in 2024 after 38 years. The clock is considered a local landmark; we didn't see any others but sources say it is one of 4 historic jewelry store clocks in town. Anacortes has two similar street clocks that date from the 1900's,
There were other historic buildings along First Street, where most of the downtown stores are, that have been re-purposed but survived. Most looked like the 1930's. I am always glad to see some of these preserved. This one is now home to a tattoo parlor, an antique shop and In Good Spirit - which sells "metaphysical" products.
Opening Day of Salmon fishing at the Sunset Beach boat dock. The boat parking was completely full as was the overrun lot by 10 AM.
This was pretty amazing from a doggie photo perspective. I took a picture of Elmo and his person on the Guemes Trail in September 2021. He was just a new puppy then. We ran into them in July 2025 in Washington Park where I recognized him and his person and I snapped him again! She said she used to walk there and he is 4 years old so it's a match. He is the same energetic and friendly pup. And there can't be two Westies here named Elmo. Small world! That or I take too many dog photos!
- National Park Service
This is the end of waterspot8. Go to Waterspot9 to continue.
- photo by Grand Canyon Historical Society
These are from our hike into the Canyon from the Lodge, 37 years ago on our honeymoon. This was back in the film days and I somehow have just a few photos.
We have been exploring the Skagit Valley nearby and we had an interesting visit to Mount Vernon, about 25 miles from Anacortes. We finally got our view of the Skagit River from there. It is an historic town, first settled in 1870, but the town wasn't platted until 1877. And Bruce lived there for his 8th grade and delivered papers on his bike!
Waterspot8
But first some sad news from home. An uncontrolled, lightning-started fire has burned thousands of acres on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon - seen here from the South Rim. It completely burned the historic Grand Canyon Lodge and most of the cabins, which is special to us since we stayed there for our honeymoon in 1988.
Pine Square is a former part of Pine Street which has been landscaped and turned into a pretty walking mall.
Elmo, 2025.
- photo by Grand Canyon Historical Society
- photo by Dave Snyder
Mount Vernon and the Skagit River
We saw more than one microbrewery here. Another one was along the riverwalk and I think there are others as well.
- photo from Grand Canyon Historical society
We stopped by the now-historic Lincoln Theatre, built in 1926. Bruce didn't remember a lot about Mount Vernon but he does recall seeing the movie Journey to the Center of the Earth there! Released in 1959 it was based on a Jules Verne Novel and nominated for three academy awards.
Mount Vernon, Washington * July 15
Bruce actually scaled that rock to pose for these pictures with the spectacular view behind him. He was certainly old enough to know better and climbing the rocks is definitely not approved by the Park Service, but fortunately he survived!
- photo by Carol
By now lunch was high on our list! We made a quick stop at the Chamber of Commerce to collect some maps, and they sent us next door to The Lunchbox Diner. Which turned out to be just right and a great trip back in time!
A last look at the Division Street Bridge we were soon to travel over on our way home to Anacortes, as we walked back along the Riverwalk to our car.
Mount Vernon has a train station and more that we didn't explore, but we were pleasantly surprised at all the shopping and restaurants and how much there was to see. They have brought the old downtown to life and made great use of the waterfront along the river.
Stuff like these restaurants are there, plus a spa and some law offices, among other businesses.
We had beautiful weather (yes!) for exploring Mount Vernon and the Riverwalk today.
They have their own famous bridge on Highway 536 that crosses the river on Division Street by downtown.
We didn't see any of these guys today except for the bronze ones along the way. But they are most surely here.
This beach was once covered with canneries and the old pilings and foundations remain and are especially visible at low tide..
ETC GALLERY
Another art piece we saw was this totem pole with a lot of salmon and other native animals.
Forte Chocolates, a tempting locally owned chocolatier.
San Juan Enterprise hauling a couple of red dump trucks past Washington Park.
Washington Park can get crowded on weekends with tourists so we went to the Ship Harbor trail instead.
We are noticing the effects of many more visitors this year. There are more using the marina and not enough parking so we find cars parked in front of the condo and left for days. The same is true in other neighborhoods around the ferrys.
On the way to Mount Vernon we stopped to get a picture of the Summit Park Church on Thompson Road. It is a similar style as the Fir-Conway Church and dates from about the same time, but is a more modest size. Built in 1910 by the Ladies Aid Society, it was non-denominational and pastors from other local churches in Anacortes held services there on a rotating basis. It is now an independent Bible Church, and a standout landmark you notice outside of Anacortes.
A nice big bookstore!
You can't imagine our amazement to see who was actually playing there the next night! This is a small theatre in a small town for a big star! We've seen him in Phoenix but wished we knew about this so we could see him here.
Elmo, 2021.
Another deco-style building could use some TLC but is still in use.
Lots of blooming stuff in the vacant lots. I think these went on the market four years ago, but have not exactly been snapped up despite the location and the view. Very expensive.
More stores - music, wedding dresses, pies, flowers, yarn! Something for everyone.
We aren't really used to seeing these places, but Mount Vernon has one!
There was a very low tide on this day, and the water was a long way from shore.
Walking around Skyline and Anacortes