The broad and deep
Puget Sound
hooks far into Washington, a clutter of tiny islands and ragged peninsulas teeming with yachts, oceangoing ships, fishing trawlers and even nuclear submarines. At first, the dense forest deterred homesteaders, but soon small logging communities sprang up, and the Sound became a vital waterway. As more settlers arrived, the demand for land grew, and in the 1850s treaties confining Native Americans to reservations were put before tribal leaders. Some signed, including Chief Sealth of the Suquamish, but others refused and accusations of forgery flew. A legacy of injustice was created, with which modern courts still struggle.
The southern end of the Sound is increasingly urban, and from the colorless vantage point of the I-5 freeway, this is all that less inquisitive visitors see of it. Although there's little to attract visitors to industrial
Tacoma
or the small state capital of
Olympia
, all around are appealing mountains, forests and lakes. Popular weekend escapes include rural parts of
Whidbey Island
, and the beautiful
San Juan Islands
further north.
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