Fox Island Historical Society Museum

Location: 1017 9th Ave, Fox Island

Visit the Fox Island Historical Museum to find out more about Fox Islands history. Gift Shop, exhibits, cabin and more.

Gail Jones - President
253-549-2461

The Fox Island Historical Society held its first meeting on February 22, 1897, and as of 2014 has held a President's Day potluck every year since, for over 118 consecutive years.  The potluck is held at the Sylvan Chapel because of the historical significance of having been started there. For many years the museum's artifacts were held in private homes and the chapel.

The original Fox Island Museum started in the late 1800's at the Sylvan Chapel, on Echo Bay.

The Historical Society was reactivated in 1959 and opened the first Museum in the Nichols Community Center in 1959, using one of the school rooms for it's exhibit and holding space.

This phase of the museum's history was organized and kept going by Cecil Fassett, who was the father of Lois Miller, wife of island historian George Miller.  Cecil died in 1973 and before he died, George promised him that he would carry on the work that Cecil began.  Cecil was instrumental in finding most of the Island related exhibits seen presently.

In 1979; George and Lois Miller bought the property on the corner of Ninth and Kamus for the proposed location of the Museum. The fire department at that time was looking to move their location to more central area on high ground.  They acquired the lot where the museum now stands; and with a swap of the Miller property for theirs, the current museum site was born.  It was moved from the garage next to the Nichols Center (the old Fire Station) to its present location.

George Miller
1923 - 2002

2001 Museum Addition

The present Museum building opened in 1980.  The construction of the new Museum started with many donations from Fox Island residents.  Most of them solicited through the great arm twisting of George Miller and many other generous Islanders such as Lila Acheson Wallace of Readers Digest fame.

Subsequent expansion projects culminated in 2001 with the completion of the north wing, which was built from prefabricated wood and foam panels. 

The Fox Island Historical Society held it's official 'Barn Raising' on Saturday, October 20, 2001.  Volunteers Jack MacDuff, Todd Drumm, Jeff Feagin,  Vern Schuelein, and Bob Johnson are shown lifting the first wall section into place.

The Fox Island Historical Society would like to thank the following people who came to help 'Raise The Barn' on Saturday, October 20, 2001:
George Miller, Dave McHugh, Jeff Feagin, Hank Henry, Tom Lockett, John Ohlson, Gary Gruman, Herm Botnen, Bob Johnson, Roger Parker, Jim Harms, Vern Schuelein, Jack MacDuff, Jeff Schuelein, Lois Miller, Lise' Ohlson, Nan Feagin, Hannah Jay, Jeff Stroud, Mountain Construction, Gary Crowell, Bob Beavin, Skip Post, Charles Ziegler.
Thanks to Todd Drumm and Larry Lippert from Premier Building Systems, Larry Booth and Yukichi Uesato.