Semiahmoo Spit - History

History

In 1858, prospectors came to the Semiahmoo area searching for the Fraser River. The spit seemed like a logical place to set up a post as a launching point for further exploration into the mainland. A trading post was soon established at the spit, and the owner drew up plans for Semiahmoo City. Semiahmoo was expected to become a migration boomtown, but it eventually developed into a fishing town, as the spit provided shelter for Drayton Harbor and an abundance of coastal resources. Whatcom County's first salmon cannery opened in 1881 in Semiahmoo; in 1891, the Alaska Packers Association was the largest salmon cannery in the world. Salmon canning was to be the main source of revenue in Semiahmoo until 1980, when the land was purchased by the land development corporation. Recently, a park with a small, seasonal interpretive center was built near the headland, and the Semiahmoo Resort and Golf Course was built near the spit.