Orcas Island, Horseshoe-shaped island in San Juan County, United States.
Orcas Island is an island in Washington, San Juan County, United States, situated between the mainland and Vancouver Island. The horseshoe-shaped landmass covers about 148 square kilometers (57 square miles) and includes several bays, forests, and Mount Constitution, which rises 734 meters (2,409 feet) above the Salish Sea.
The name comes from Horcasitas, a Spanish count who funded expeditions to the Pacific Northwest in the 18th century. Henry Kellett formalized the name in 1847 while charting the region's waters for the British Navy.
The Lambiel House Museum near Eastsound shows how an early settler family lived and worked on the island. Visitors can step inside the small building and see the tools, furnishings, and everyday objects that shaped life here more than a century ago.
Washington State Ferries connect the island to the mainland several times daily, with crossings taking about an hour. Most shops and lodging are in Eastsound, which also serves as a starting point for drives to other parts of the island.
The Rosario Resort houses a German organ from 1913 inside a five-story building overlooking the water. The instrument was originally built for a private home in Spokane and later moved here, where it is still played occasionally.
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