Bow is an
unincorporated community
An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...
in
Skagit County, Washington
Skagit County is a county in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, the population was 129,523. The county seat and largest city is Mount Vernon. The county was formed in 1883 from Whatcom County and is named for the Skagit I ...
. It is located near the towns of
Bay View,
Edison,
Burlington
Burlington may refer to:
Places Canada Geography
* Burlington, Newfoundland and Labrador
* Burlington, Nova Scotia
* Burlington, Ontario, the most populous city with the name "Burlington"
* Burlington, Prince Edward Island
* Burlington Bay, no ...
, and
Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon is an American landmark and former plantation of Founding Father, commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first president of the United States George Washington and his wife, Martha. The estate is on ...
. Bow is included in the
Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon is an American landmark and former plantation of Founding Father, commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first president of the United States George Washington and his wife, Martha. The estate is on ...
-
Anacortes, Washington
Metropolitan Statistical Area
In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...
. Bow overlooks
Samish Bay
The Samish are a Native American people who live in the U.S. state of Washington. They are a Central Coast Salish people. Through the years, they were assigned to reservations dominated by other Tribes, for instance, the Swinomish Indians of the ...
.
The
narrow gauge
A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and .
Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller structu ...
Bow Hill Railroad, complete with a working steam locomotive, is located in the Bow area. It can be found on the private property of
Diz Schimke, who allows the public to ride the train during Christmastime in exchange for donations to the Alger food bank.
History
Bow was originally known as Brownsville, after William J. Brown, who homesteaded the townsite in 1869.
The advent of the railroad resulted in a population boom and the need for a post office. Apparently inspired by the growth brought by the railroad, Brown suggested the new name of Bow, after the large railway station in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, England, which in turn was named for the bow or
poplar tree. Although this is the most common belief, there are some who believe it was named after homesteader James T. Bow.
An alternate story claims that the settlement is named for a Norwegian immigrant family that settled in that area in the 1890s. Their last name was Boe.
Geography and location
Bow is located in Skagit County, Washington, in the Mount Vernon-Anacortes metro area. It is located on Samish Bay, and is surrounded by dikes and contains part of a traditional
flood plain
A floodplain or flood plain or bottomlands is an area of land adjacent to a river which stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls, and which experiences flooding during periods of high discharge.Goudi ...
.
References
External links
Bow information from Go Northwest website
{{authority control
Unincorporated communities in Washington (state)
Unincorporated communities in Skagit County, Washington