Camano Island Inn's History

The Camano Island Inn is located on a site long associated with human occupation. The site of the Kikialos tribe's permanent settlement is near the inn. They occupied the area prior to 1855. The Kikialos subsisted on salmon, bottom fish, shellfish, and a multitude of plants and berries available near the site.

After 1855, pioneers began to settle the area. A shingle mill was started in 1904 and a small town, Camano City, began to take shape. Camano Island's first school was built near the inn in 1904. The building that is now the Camano Island Inn was barged to the site shortly thereafter, to serve as a boarding house for mill workers.

Once the island was logged, the mill closed. In 1923, the dock at Camano City collapsed after being struck by the steam ship "Atalanta" in high seas. This brought about change at Camano City. The boarding house became a fine hotel, hosting guests from around the world. Overland transport soon replaced steamship commerce. The local residents began subsistence farming, rather than logging, and tourism began to develop on Camano Island. Several fishing resorts and "autoparks" were located on Camano Island. The Camano City Hotel operated until the late 1950's, when it became a private residence, and later, a nursing home.

The present owners, Jon and Kari Soth, began remodeling the facility in 1995, and opened for business on July 3rd 1998.