Businesses promoted travel to Sidney in 1922 | Local History

The season's first ferry of the season to Sidney, March 28, was celebrated by chambers of commerces, Washington State Ferries and elected officials from Canada and Washington as the 50th anniversary of the run.

Not true, a reader wrote BitterEnd blog. WSF spokeswoman Joy Goldenberg did some research and found that this is the 50th anniversary of the current Sidney ferry landing: The Sidney ferry landing is located at the end of Ocean Avenue. Previously, it was located four blocks north at the end of Beacon Avenue.

Now, Elaine Walker, news editor of The Anacortes American, weighs in with these facts from her newspaper's archives.

"I figured it was the 50th anniversary of something," Walker e-mailed. "Here's something I copied out of 1922 Anacortes Americans when I did a ferry history story last year. Of course, I can't find the story right now, but the ferry started either in 1922 or the year before."

In an ad published in the May 4, 1922 Anacortes American, the Bank of Commerce ran a map of the Anacortes-San Juan Islands-Sidney route and trumpeted its savings plan, which could enable customers to acquire "the comforts and delights of a home in the island of enchantment for your declining years. We pay 4 per cent on savings."

An Aug. 10, 1922 ad taken out by the Elks Lodge of Washington, ran the same route map, with a picture of a seagull and people driving a convertible from the Saanich Observatory ("Biggest Telescope in the World").

"Follow The Birds to Victoria," the ad states. "Extend your trip for a few days — Take the ferry to Victoria and spend a day or two on the island of a thousand miles of wonderland.

"A Delightful Four Hour Trip Through the San Juan Islands. Victoria and Island Publicity Bureau Invites You."

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