Lögberg-Heimskringla - 11.09.1992, Side 4

Lögberg-Heimskringla - 11.09.1992, Side 4
4 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 11. september 1992 The Point Roberts Story: by Cecil Swanson Point Roberts, for those unaware of its unique location, is a part of the United States (and the State of Washington) politically and geographi- cally. It is also surrounded by water and Canadian soil. To get there, say from Blaine, Washington, which is located at the Canadian border, one must clear U. S. and Canadian customs with their requirements, travel through Canada 25 miles and go through both customs and immigration again when reaching the Point thus getting back into the United States. To escape all of this, one would have to travel by airplane or boat and in the early years boating was the only means of transportation available for getting to or from this piece of land jut- ting out from the Canadian mainland. Utilities for the Point all come, or have come, from Canada; electricity, water, telephone, some food services and dozens of other needed services to sustain life for homes and businesses. Even medical help. Some good Canadian doctors on occasion gave treatment to Point Roberts residents even though they did not have license to practice in the state of Washington! Although the people of the Point built schools and hired teachers only the lower grades could be handled there. The high School students were bused to Blaine to complete their edu- cation. Then in 1963 with smaller num- bers, all students began the daily round trip to Blaine for schooling. The Icelandic settlers began arriving in 1893 and did so for several years fol- lowing. The first ones came from Bellingham: the Kristjan Benson fami- ly, several from Victoria and an influx from Iceland. They settled on the land, built homes and grew great crops—so good that they could write back home about them! For some ten to fifteen years, depending on arrival, they were con- sidered squatters until finally the U.S. govemment reversed the Point’s status as a Military Reserve (never used or occupied) and gave the residents an opportunity to file homestead claims. A one time large fishing industry has now completely disappeared and small farms have been abandoned. Today it is largely a vacation and retirement area with about 50% Canadian people, who after 1953 were allowed to buy iand there. Whatcom County has built and maintains a park at the old Lighthouse location, there is also a large marina for pleasure boats. There are also stores, restaurants, taverns, RV parks, Post Office, Fire Station, community centre, library, small jail, airfield, antique store, golf range and other amenities. The Point, as did many other areas, went through good times and bad but through most of its modem timcs there is no doubt the Icelanders were the ones who held it together. The permanent population is still small but weekends and holidays it is overflowing with people, mostly from Canada, many of whom have summer homes there. It is a veiy pleasant place to visit having recently seen many improvements and enjoys much sunny weather being in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains across the Georgia and Juan De Fuca Straits. There have been many efforts by Canada to annex the Point, but the res- idents, in spite of the difficulties they have faced over the years, remain fiercely loyal to the United States. With the author’s permission, Richard E. Clark, we are reprinting a few paragraphs from his book: Point Roberts, USA. (Arni) Myrdal believed that he could eam a living at Point Roberts. (He was a mechanic and had hesitated, having heard very few optimistic reports about the area). Indeed, he later became foreman of the Alaska Packers Association cannery. So he and his father, Sigurdur, moved to Point Roberts on June 16, 1894. Ten years later, (1904) a gov- ernment survey revealed that the Icelandic commu- nity had grown to ninety-three resi- dents accounting for exactly one-half of the Point Rob- erts population. The stoiy of the Point Roberts squatters and their final opportunity to homestead and own their homes and farms is told by Runa Thordar- son in her “Echoes From The Past”. Finally in 1908 the long awaited dream came true. President (Theo- dore) Roosevelt opened Point Rob- erts for homestead- ers. Each family was allowed the land they were liv- ing on. All the men went to Seattle to the land office. It was a happy day for everyone when they came back on the mail boat, which arrived shortly before noon. While the men were gone, the women planned a big community pic- nic to greet them. It was a beautiful sunny summer day at Tinkham’s Grove. Daga Thorsteinson and her girls baked and fried chicken and helped with the picnic. This was one of the happiest gatherings ever held at Point Roberts. Colonel Edward Tinkham, one of the early settlers who owned property on the west side of the Point suggested it would be appropriate to send a gift of scme kind to President Roosevelt to show their appreciation. Helgi Thorsteinson butchered his largest sheep and donated the skin. This was expertly tanned and a rug made from it by Mr. Elsner who had learned the trade in Germany. It was then sent to President Roosevelt. A letter of thanks was received from the President saying the rug was being used in the White House! From the pen of Lola Loreen: When Laugi Thorsteinson sold the last of his herd of Guernseys in 1954 it was the cnd of an era for Point Roberts. Since the very early days of settlement on the Point there had been many successful dairy farms, often rais- ing high quality purebred animals and shipping cream to Bellingham or sell- ing milk locally. (Most popular breeds were Holstein, Jersey and Guernscy. Most families also kept one cow for home use.)

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