Jessie Stensland reports from Coupeville for the Whidbey News-Times. Read the whole story.
The discovery of remnants of Native American settlement in Coupeville has caused a snarl in a project to reconstruct a historic boardwalk.
Coupeville Mayor Molly Hughes said the unearthing of disturbed midden on the Front Street bluff led to the removal of large trees but hopefully won’t delay the overall project timeline. Midden is discarded shells and other materials that accumulated with generations of Indigenous people who lived in an area. Hughes said no human remains were found, in contrast to rumors.
Hughes said the area is known to be historically sensitive, so the town hired an archeology consultant to oversee the project…. [T]he consultant communicated with local tribes and concluded that the material needs to be protected… [T]he midden is being removed from the area and re-buried in a secret location under the supervision of the tribes.
The wrinkle, however, was that the midden descended into the root balls of several big trees. Hughes said the town contacted an arborist who determined that there was no way to save the trees and retrieve the historic material.
They Said It
Hughes said a large tree with several trunks as well as another “good size” tree were cut down. A dying tree in the area was also partially removed. She said the removal of the trees opened up a spectacular view of Penn Cove, but she understands that some folks may not be happy about the turn of events.
“Coupeville loves their trees,” she said, emphasizing that the removal of the trees wasn’t planned.
On the Ballot in November 2025
| TOWN OF COUPEVILLE |
|---|
| Councilmember Position 4 Evan Henrich. Incumbent Michael Moore did not file for another term. |
| Councilmember, Position 5 Kristo Allred Brandon Roos Incumbent Pat Powell did not file for another term. |
