Flat, unassuming Blake Island sits in the middle of Puget Sound, its every neighbor dotted with settlement, population, commerce. There's Bainbridge to the north, West Seattle to the east, Vashon to the south, and mainland Kitsap the closest, just to the west. Yet (almost) no buildings interrupt Blake's thick carpet of evergreens; it is a dot of forest amidst marine traffic and the booming development around the Salish Sea. 

But Seattle's just-out-back island is anything but blank. Today the Blake Island Marine State Park may be known for its sailboat-friendly campsites and miles of hiking trails, but its history is entwined with Seattle's—as, most likely, is its future.

The Suquamish Tribe used the 476-acre island as camping grounds, and some reports call it the birthplace of Chief Seattle. Like much of Puget Sound, the island got its moniker from white explorers, in 1841. (But according to nonprofit encyclopedia HistoryLink, it was also known as the more fascinating Smuggler's Island.) And like most flat swaths of forest around the region, it was promptly logged of its massive cedar and douglas fir trees in the nineteenth century. The forest that blankets the island today is second-growth.

The twentieth century saw a brief detour during which it was called Trimble Island, after the wealthy Seattleite who bought it, built a mansion on it, then subsequently traded it to an investment company during the Great Depression. Rumors swirled about its use by the military in World War II, and it was floated as a site for the Century 21 World's Fair of 1962; trespassers abounded, and some even accidentally burned down the Trimble mansion in the 1940s. Eventually, the state acquired the property, turning it into a state park in 1959.

As a state park, Blake began to welcome visitors. Particularly those who came for what was then billed as an indigenous experience (albeit one created by a Seattle caterer, not indigenous himself). As a concession, Tillicum Village was a private business operating on state park land, similar to Lake Wenatchee State Park's horseback rides or Millersylvania's glamping tents. 

Tillicum Village visits included a meal of salmon cooked with traditional methods, plus dancing and storytelling from the concession's many native employees in a replica cedar longhouse. The four-hour excursion was one of the city's signature tourist activities, and an abbreviated version was used as a field trip for local schoolkids.

"There wasn't a bad seat in the house," says Argosy Cruises president and CEO Kevin Clark; his company had always provided transportation to Tillicum Village diners, but acquired the whole business in 2009. Dancers largely came from Lummi Island and British Columbia, and native artisans carved totems. Though the logistical struggles of a wood-built island facility were many—"I can't believe this place never burned down," marvels Clark—the space served its purpose well. Clark notes that other than one rock path, it was pretty accessible for guests with mobility issues.

But the pandemic hit Argosy hard. Even when tourist activities resumed, the company was limited on passenger numbers; they shifted to kayak rentals and outdoor experiences on Blake. By the time Argosy could restart what was then called the Tillicum Experience, Clark says, the maintenance backlog of the aging buildings was significant. Plus, Seattle's waterfront revamps had limited parking for tourists. Argosy discontinued its concession in 2021 and the buildings—and carved totems—went back to the state's care.

Today, a state parks rep says, the Tillicum buildings are in rough shape: roof leaks, deteriorating siding, and sewer issues. While the state is open to new recreational opportunities on the island, with a planning team likely to discuss strategies this fall, it's still up in the air whether concessions (tour operators, food providers, etc.) will be part of it. 

For now Blake is open to all comers provided they can boat themselves to its shores. There is a moorage dock and 24 mooring buoys. A campground has 44 campsites on land, along with restrooms. There are also a few rangers on the island, and hiking trails criss-cross its terrain. Blake Island is the closest Washington state park to downtown Seattle, but it still feels like a secret to anyone that manages to get there.