Remembering the island’s past…

I still remember the blast of heat from the fire in 2004....

When Josie & I went to Mike & Julia Vouri’s nice presentation for their new San Juan Island book on Tuesday, I couldn’t help but remember that it was this week in 2004 that longtime islander Wade Sundstrom’s barn burned down.

My son (and ace photographer) Shay & I heard about it, and ran out to shoot it before the emergency guys got there…he came up with some pictures that were used by the Seattle media later that evening.

A great piece of the island’s history was lost that day…people were telling stories about their connection to the barn for the next few weeks. It wasn’t like losing a friend…that building WAS a friend.

Here’s the original writeup in the Update that day (with a bunch of other news about folks & projects you know, including FHHS football & soccer’s state runs that year, as both ended up in the state final four.)

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