Ketron Island, Washington

Ketron Island, Washington
saʔilc
CDP
Interactive map of Ketron Island, Washington
CountryUnited States
StateWashington
CountyPierce
Elevation
[1]
256 ft (78 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
20
Time zoneUTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code
98388
Area code253
GNIS feature ID2584988[1]

Ketron Island (Lushootseed: saʔilc)[2] is an island and a census-designated place (CDP) in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The island had a population of 17 people according to the 2010 census, and 20 people at the 2020 census.

Ketron Island is located in southern Puget Sound just off the shoreline from Steilacoom. It lies between the mainland near the city of Steilacoom and Anderson Island near the extreme south end of Puget Sound. The island has a land area of 221 acres (89 hectares). The former Washington State Ferries vessel, the M/V Olympic, lies in her final resting place on the eastern shore of the island, near the ferry terminal.

History

Crash site of the 2018 Horizon Air Q400 incident

The British explorer and navigator George Vancouver camped on Ketron Island in May of 1792.[3]

The island's name in the Lushootseed language is saʔilc, meaning "bad rock".[2] The island was originally named "Kittson Island" in English by Charles Wilkes during the Wilkes Expedition of 1838–1842, but was misspelled "Ketron" by his cartographers. The island was named for William Kittson, an employee of the Hudson's Bay Company, who supervised the construction of Fort Nisqually in 1833 and served as its chief factor.[4]

The entire island was bought by an entrepreneur in 1946 with plans to build 200 homes, but this attempt was abandoned due to the cost of a sewer system.[5]

On August 10, 2018, an empty Horizon Air Q400 was stolen from Seattle–Tacoma International Airport and crashed on the southern tip of Ketron Island, killing the sole occupant, Richard Russell, also known as the "Sky King".[6]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
201017—
20202017.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
2000[8] 2010[9]

Ketron Island first appeared as a census designated place in the 2010 U.S. census.[9]

Racial and ethnic composition

Ketron Island CDP, Washington – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2010[10] Pop 2020[11] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 14 14 82.35% 70.00%
Black or African American alone (NH) 1 0 5.88% 0.00%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 0 0 0.00% 0.00%
Asian alone (NH) 0 0 0.00% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) 0 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other race alone (NH) 1 0 5.88% 0.00%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 0 4 0.00% 20.00%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1 2 5.88% 10.00%
Total 17 20 100.00% 100.00%

Transportation

Ketron is accessible only by ferry. The Steilacoom/Anderson Island/Ketron Island run is the only one operated by Pierce County.[12] The ferry service to Ketron is available four times per day. The ferry runs between 5:45 AM to 8:00 PM Monday through Sunday.

The ferry Steilacoom II was put into service in January 2007 to work side by side with the aging ferry Christine Anderson. The Steilacoom II still serves with the Christine Anderson to transport islanders from both Ketron and Anderson Island.

Education

The island is served by the Steilacoom Historical School District.[13] Steilacoom High School is the district's comprehensive high school.

References

  1. 1 2 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Ketron Island, Washington
  2. 1 2 Hilbert, Vi; Miller, Jay; Zahir, Zalmai (2001). sdaʔdaʔ gʷəɬ dibəɬ ləšucid ʔacaciɬtalbixʷ - Puget Sound Geography. Original Manuscript from T.T. Waterman. Lushootseed Press. p. 324. ISBN 979-8750945764.
  3. ↑ Majors, Harry M. (1975). Exploring Washington. Van Winkle Publishing Co. p. 81. ISBN 978-0-918664-00-6.
  4. ↑ Phillips, James W. (1971). Washington State Place Names. University of Washington Press. ISBN 0-295-95158-3.
  5. ↑ Ocker, Kenny (August 10, 2018). "Where is Ketron Island? Who lives there?". The News Tribune. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Turboprop stolen from Sea-Tac has crashed on Ketron Island in Pierce County". The News Tribune. August 10, 2018. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Decennial Census by Decade". United States Census Bureau.
  8. ↑ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Washington" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 26, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  9. 1 2 "2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Washington" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 24, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  10. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Ketron Island CDP, Washington". United States Census Bureau.
  11. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Ketron Island CDP, Washington". United States Census Bureau.
  12. ↑ Pierce County's Ferry fleet Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ↑ U.S. Census Bureau Geography Division (December 23, 2009). 2020 Census – School District Reference Map: Pierce County, WA (PDF) (Map). 1:80,000. U.S. Census Bureau. p. 3. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
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47°09′25″N 122°38′05″W / 47.15694°N 122.63472°W / 47.15694; -122.63472

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