Rare Tour Inside Two Central Whidbey Log Homes

Join Historic Whidbey and current owners of

these two iconic homes

Sunday, September 14th, 2025

 

You will get a rare intimate look inside these Swift family homes and be able to hear the Swift family’s tales of Whidbey and the Sea.

Scroll down for ticket information.

Fulling House

Architectural Landmarks

These private log homes are both living architectural artifacts and treasure troves of Washington’s narrative history.  Both are landmarks in the Central Whidbey Island National Historic District, and the Fairhaven may be the oldest continually occupied residence in the state of Washington.  Yet, as private homes they are rarely open to the public.

Fairhaven House

City of Sea Captains

Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve is best known for its stunning farmlands overlooking mountains and sea, but the Town of Coupeville at its heart was once known as the “City of Sea Captains.”  New England mariners were attracted to Penn Cove with its protected anchorage and scenery evocative of the bays and inlets of their native Massachusetts, Maine and New Brunswick.

James Henry Swift

One of these nautical men was Captain James Henry Swift, a long-time whaler out of New Bedford and Fairhaven, Massachusetts, who would sail the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Oceans for over 40 years.  Swift first explored Penn Cove in 1855, hauling timber to Europe for spars.  Charmed, he bought the Coveland donation land claim and log cabin of Jacob Smith in 1857 for $3,000.  

Bringing his family out to join him in 1863, they christened the 1852 cabin “Fairhaven” after the family’s home town.  Swift continued to sail the North Pacific into the 1870s, but the family turned to farming, eventually raising horses for the Hudson’s Bay Company in Victoria.

Moving from Coveland

Capt. Swift's daughter Hattie, her husband Puget Race, and their descendants owned the “Fairhaven” from the Captain’s death in 1892 until 1993.  But in 1928 Hattie and Puget Race moved it to Coupeville, realizing that the amenities of the Town across the Cove had distinct advantages over the rural north shore.  Carefully disassembled, each log numbered, it was reassembled on the bluff just west of the Coupeville Wharf. 

Maude Fullington, Hattie Swift’s sister, repeated the process at the same time with another Coveland cabin: an 1859 log cabin built by Francis DeLouri near the Swift farm.  Naming it the “Anchorage,” she bought it and had it moved in the same fashion to a nearby waterfront Coupeville lot.  Today the two cabins flank what is today the Coupeville Town Park – two extremely attractive residences and monuments to Coupeville’s past. 

About the TOUR

Join Historic Whidbey and the current owners on Sunday, September 14th, 2025 for a rare intimate look inside these Swift family homes and to hear the Swift family’s tales of Whidbey and the Sea.

This fundraising tour for Historic Whidbey includes music, refreshments and timed tours starting at the Town Park at noon, 1:15 and 2:30.

Tickets are limited so don’t delay!

price: $75 per person.

Victory in the Capitol!!

The boards of the Whidbey Island Maritime Heritage Foundation (Schooner Suva) and Historic Whidbey (Haller House) are thrilled to announce that our long-awaited "Nautical Northwest" specialty license plate was passed by the Legislature last month and Senate Bill 5444 was signed into law yesterday by Governor Bob Ferguson!  Proceeds of plate sales will support our two nonprofits in preserving Whidbey Island's heritage resources.

We began this process in 2020, but perseverance has won the day.  This bill authorized thirteen different new plates, but it also places a moratorium on any new plate applications until 2029.  We feel very lucky to be the "last car on the ferry"!

When will the plates be available?

Great question!  There are still a number of technological hurdles to pass before production can be scheduled.  Some of the organizations on the bill have been trying to pass even longer than we have and so we will be in line behind them.  We don't expect the plates to be available until later in 2026, but we will keep you posted!  

Boatloads of thanks to all our supporters for making this victory possible!!

Historic Whidbey's Lynn Hyde (far left) joins fellow beneficiaries of the bill from the Seattle Metro Pickleball Association, the Washington Tree Farm Program and the Washington State Beekeepers Association as Gov. Bob Ferguson signs Senate Bill 5444. 

One if by land & two if by sea!

Celebrating the 250th anniversary of

Paul Revere’s famous ride!

Schedule of Events

Sunday, April 13 

“The truer story of Paul Revere’s Ride”
a history talk with historian Lynn Hyde
Coupeville Library
788 NW Alexander Street
6:30 p.m., (admission is free, in-person only)  

Friday, April 18

For Kids: Reading of Longfellow’s famous poem,
“The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere”
Kingfisher Book Store
16 Front Street NW
10:00 a.m. – preschoolers, with Meg Olson 
4:00 p.m. – elementary schoolers, with Joann Roomes

Evening: SHHH! Express messenger

Paul Revere rides from Boston

with urgent news from the Sons of Liberty!!
Island County Historical Museum
908 NW Alexander Street
7:45 p.m., reception & reading by Patrick Hussey to follow

Bring your lanterns!! TELL NO TORIES!!

For more information contact: coupevillechamber.com
(360) 678-5434, ext. 102

Thank you to Humanities Washington!

Historic Whidbey would like to thank:

for their generous award of a SHARP grant during the recent pandemic. 

Their support helped keep our engine running!

Funding for Historic Whidbey has been provided by Humanities Washington and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) approved by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Joseph R. Biden.  This 2022 SHARP grant (Sustaining Humanities through the American Rescue Plan) was indispensable, enabling us to continue our mission through the the Covid-19 pandemic.

Our board extends their deepest gratitude!

Pullin' Nails

While winter delays construction progress, Historic Whidbey has been planning out 2023 and what we hope to get done. A lot of projects are on the list for 2023, and we are really excited to share those with you in the future.

With the help some active Board Members, we have completed the arduous process of removing the thousands (literally) of nails that once held the old lathe boards to the wall. Unfortunately, the plaster was not in good enough condition to keep, so the decision was made to remove the old plaster and put-up drywall as well as additional structural pieces that will assist the house to remain standing for much longer in the future. Even to endure large earthquakes.

NOTE: The old lathe boards are available for sale at Aqua Gifts across the street. These roughly ~12in long boards are bundled together and only cost $5 each. This bundle is great for kindling, enjoying in your fireplace or while out camping. I have also heard a few people have decorated with these old boards, so the opportunities are endless. Recycling and supporting a local cause, we make it pretty easy!

Remember to hit that donate button below to keep our train chugging along and getting more and more projects done!