803Several beds of very pure
limestone run through the islands, the most prominent crossing
Orcas and the northwest tip of San Juan where a massive ledge rises
at Roche Harbor. Troops stationed at nearby English Camp during the
joint occupation were the first to make lime, used for many
building and manufacturing purposes and a key ingredient of
concrete. Over the next 15 years various would-be entrepreneurs,
including Lyman Cutlar, attempted to exploit lime deposits at Roche
Harbor, on the west coast of San Juan (where Lime Kiln Point State
Park is now located), and on Orcas.
001Large-scale production at
Roche Harbor began in 1886 after Indiana-born lawyer John S.
McMillin (1855-1936) acquired a controlling interest in the
property. Blessed with a deep bay adjacent to the rich limestone
deposits, Roche Harbor grew rapidly, becoming the largest lime
works in the west and the leading employer in the county. For 50
years until his death, McMillin ran the plant and the company town
that he built around it. As head of the Republican party, he
dominated San Juan County politics for
decades.