Island Center Farm History

Ivan and Carolina Olson's Farm

The Olson's came from Sweden where Ivan studied botany. They were relatives of their neighbors (I think the Flodin's, verification required). They planted many ornamental plants and trees still existing on the property today. They built a large greenhouse complex where tomatoes were grown, fueled by a wood fired boiler to extend the season. The tomatoes were sold at the Pike Place Market as well as advertised in the Bainbridge Review.

Overgrown greenhouses

Greenhouse interior with asparagus

Former greenhouse broiler

Greenhouse today

Parmlee/Miracle

Springbrook

Lauter/Matsushita/Loverich

View of Farmland

Original Barn

Francis Loverich with barn in background

Original Barn

Shibayama's life at the Matsushita's Farm

Other images in the area

Johnson Farm

Article on the Johnson's

Island Center Hall

Farm Fair, Island Center

Flier from Farm Fair

Original Farms, now gone

The Sutter home

D.H. Dickey

Chicken Anderson's home

Chicken Anderson

Island Center Cemetery

Island Center has it's own Pioneer Cemetery founded in 1890 and perched high above Fletcher Bay. Buried in this cemetery are many local residents and many of the original settlers to the area. Below is a map that documents some of the earliest farmers buried at Island Center Cemetery to the properties they farmed prior to 1920.

Original Land Grants for Island Center Farms

Samuel Sutter, Andrew Johnson, Andrew Anderson, Charles Peterson. These were the names of the first people to claim land grants in the Island Center Farms area. Their accumulated properties totaled 400 acres.