The Pig War

The Pig War was the dispute over ownership of the San Juan Islands beween the American and British. It lasted from 1859 to 1872~. It had been decided in 1846, by The Treaty of Oregon, that the border between the United States and Canada should be the 49th parallel. However, the situation was complicated by the fact that the British had made claims to Vancouver Island, which extends considerably below the 49th parallel. The treaty said that border should separte Vancover Island from the mainland by the channel the runs between them. Unfortunatly, there were two channels in the location described. The first of these was Haro Strait which runs down the west side of the San Juan Islands and Rosario Strait which was on the east side of the islands.

To further complicate the issue the Hudson Bay Company had made claims to San Juan Islands before the treaty was signed and several years later the US government also made claims to the island. By the end of the 1850s San Juan Island had a significant number of american farmers as well as a large sheep herds owned by the Hudson Bay Company. Needless to say there were signficant tensions between the two groups.

The spark for the "war" finally came in 1859 when an american shot a pig owned by the Hudson Bay Comapary that he found rooting in his garden. In retaliation the Britsh threatend to arrest and remove all the american farmers from the island but the US army came to their rescue establsihing themselves on the southern end of the island, which is now known as American Camp. Over the next few years both sides grew their numbers on the island the Americans had nearly 500 soldiers in american camp and the British had several war ships located in nearby Griffin Bay. Over the next

Eventually a decision was reached between the two contries. It was decided that until the situation could be resolved, the island would be run under joint military occupation. The number of american soldiers was reduced to less the 200 and britsh war ships landed and set up camp on the north end of the island, today this is known as English Camp. Millitary occupation lasted for 12 years until the issue was given to the third party, Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany, it was decided that the border should run through Haro Strait. One month later british troups pulled out and the islands were officially part of the United States.

Source: National Park Service