Forks Washington Timber Museum
James
Island Information
James Island, west of the Quileute village of Lapush at the
mouth of the Quillayute River, is the largest of the group
of sea stacks, called Los Frayles by Bruno Heceta in 1775.
It wasn't an island until the Corps of Engineers rerouted
the Quillayute River, isolating the sea stack from the
village. Called Aka-lat (on top of the hill) by the Quileute
Tribe, this precipitous horse shoe shaped rock, accessible
only on the northeast (ocean) side by way of a steep,
difficult path ascending to the 150-200 foot fir topped
summit, was a secure fortress protecting the Quileutes from
raids by the Makahs, who paddled down from Neah Bay seeking
women and slaves.
The tribe would temporarily move its entire village of long houses to the top during sieges and build fires to heat stones that they put into waterfilled canoes. Attackers were greeted with cascades of hot water pouring off the steep cliffs, or by falling fir logs pushed from atop the island. In garden plots on top of the island, the tribe grew 10-foot high nettles,
The tribe would temporarily move its entire village of long houses to the top during sieges and build fires to heat stones that they put into waterfilled canoes. Attackers were greeted with cascades of hot water pouring off the steep cliffs, or by falling fir logs pushed from atop the island. In garden plots on top of the island, the tribe grew 10-foot high nettles,
James Island
which were
harvested and twisted into twine to use in weaving fish nets. It was
also the burial place of chiefs, whose bodies were wrapped in
blankets woven from dog's hair and laid in cedar canoes.
According to stories, the island was named for Francis W. James, a custom's inspector who was the first white man to climb to the top of the spectacular sea stack in 1885. Another story has it named after a settler who built a house on top of the rock. According to "Origin of Washington Geographic Names," the prominence was named for the tribe's chief Jimmy.
According to stories, the island was named for Francis W. James, a custom's inspector who was the first white man to climb to the top of the spectacular sea stack in 1885. Another story has it named after a settler who built a house on top of the rock. According to "Origin of Washington Geographic Names," the prominence was named for the tribe's chief Jimmy.