Early Farming on Fidalgo Bay
Nelson School
This photo is of children from the Nelson School weaving the Maypole, Cap Sante at far left. The first Nelson School was constructed in 1884 on land donated by the Nelson family. Noah and Catherine Nelson moved to Fidalgo Island in 1882. The April 15th, 1882 edition of the Northwest Enterprise reported, "Mr. Noah Nelson from Howard, Minn., is on his way to this place." The June 7th, 1884 edition of the Northwest Enterprise reported, "Miss Jessie M. Williams will open school in the new house just completed near Mr. N. Nelson in Section 18." The new Nelson School was built in 1902 for $3200, but was was demolished in 1951 to make way for the San Juan Bowling building, which itself was razed in 2021 .
Nelson House
The Nelson house, a Queen Anne style Victorian era home, was located at 2205 S Avenue. It was built by Noah Nelson circa 1890, and was demolished for the Urban Renewal Project circa 1968, according to the July 18th, 1968 edition of the Anacortes American.
Mary Wooten
From the Anacortes American - December 13, 1928
Funeral services for two pioneer women of Guemes were held at Guemes island church Monday afternoon, when Mrs. Mary Wooten and Mrs. Louise Matthews, whose deaths occurred within a few hours of each other, were laid to rest. Rev. R. K. Anderson had charge of the services, and gave a fine sermon on the lives and characters of the two women.
Mrs. Mary Wooten was 83 years of age, and was the wife of the late Shadrach Wooten, one of the early pioneers of Anacortes. They settled on a homestead, which is now the Nelson addition, and later sold this and purchased a place on Cypress island, where they lived until the death of her husband, 16 years ago. She then moved to Guemes island, where she resided until last July, when she went to the home of her son, A. G. Wooten, where she died on Monday. Her body was buried on Cypress island, beside that of her husband.
Mrs. Wooten was the mother of 12 children, but only two are surviving her—her two sons, Albert G. Wooten and T. J. Wooten, both of Anacortes. There are also several grandsons. Her sister, Mrs. Ellen O’Bryant, of Guemes island, also survives her.
