It started with a potato. Specifically, a pig eating a potato that didn't belong to it. Most people hear the name Pig War on San Juan Island and assume it’s some kind of quirky folklore or a local tall tale told to tourists on the ferry from Anacortes. It sounds fake. But in 1859, the United States and Great Britain—the world’s most formidable superpower at the time—nearly went to a full-scale shooting war over a dead Berkshire boar and a patch of garden tubers.
History is usually written as a series of grand movements, but sometimes it’s just a bunch of stressed-out men with guns standing in the mud.
The setting was San Juan Island. Back then, the boundary between British North America (now Canada) and the United States was, to put it lightly, a mess. The Oregon Treaty of 1846 was supposed to fix things. It said the border followed the 49th parallel to the middle of the channel separating the continent from Vancouver Island. The problem? There are two channels. Haro Strait and Rosario Strait. San Juan Island sits right in the middle of them. Both countries looked at the map, pointed at the island, and said, "That's mine."
For over a decade, everyone just kind of lived there in a state of awkward, mutual squatting. The British Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) ran a massive sheep farm called Belle Vue. Meanwhile, American settlers started moving in, claiming land under the Donation Land Claim Act. It was a ticking time bomb.
The Shot Heard 'Round the Potato Patch
June 15, 1859. Lyman Cutlar, an American farmer, looks out his window and sees a large black pig rooting around in his garden. This wasn't the first time. Cutlar was already annoyed. In a fit of frontier rage, he leveled his rifle and shot the pig dead.
The pig belonged to Charles Griffin, the manager of the HBC sheep ranch. When Cutlar offered Griffin $10 in compensation, Griffin basically told him to shove it, demanding $100 instead. Cutlar's response? He claimed he shouldn't have to pay anything because the pig was trespassing. The British authorities then threatened to arrest Cutlar.
That’s when things got weirdly intense.
👉 See also: Finding Your Way: What the Lake Placid Town Map Doesn’t Tell You
The American settlers called for military protection. They reached out to General William S. Harney, who was the commander of the Department of Oregon. Harney was... let's just say he wasn't known for his diplomatic subtlety. He was a hothead who hated the British. He immediately dispatched Captain George Pickett (who would later gain fame at Gettysburg) and 66 soldiers of the 9th Infantry to San Juan Island.
Escalation on the Waterfront
When Pickett arrived, he didn't just quietly set up camp. He threw down the gauntlet. He posted a proclamation stating that all the island was U.S. property.
The British didn't take that sitting down. James Douglas, the Governor of British Columbia, sent three British warships under the command of Captain Geoffrey Hornby. The instructions were simple: get the Americans off the island, but try not to start a war if you can help it.
Imagine the scene at Griffin Bay. On one side, you have Pickett and a handful of soldiers dug into the hills. On the other, you have massive British frigates with heavy cannons pointed directly at them. By August, the Americans had increased their presence to nearly 500 men and 14 cannons. The British had five warships, 70 guns, and over 2,000 sailors and marines.
It was a standoff. A massive, ridiculous standoff.
For weeks, the soldiers on both sides exchanged insults but never bullets. British Rear Admiral Robert L. Baynes eventually arrived and famously refused to engage, reportedly saying he wouldn't "involve two great nations in a war over a squabble about a pig." He was probably the only person in the room with a lick of common sense.
✨ Don't miss: Why Presidio La Bahia Goliad Is The Most Intense History Trip In Texas
Twelve Years of Joint Occupation
Eventually, word reached Washington D.C. and London. Both governments were horrified. President James Buchanan sent General Winfield Scott—the "Old Fuss and Feathers" himself—to go fix Harney’s mess.
Scott was a negotiator. He worked out a deal where both nations would maintain a small military presence on the island until a permanent solution could be found. This led to the creation of American Camp on the south end of the island and British Camp on the north end (at Garrison Bay).
For the next 12 years, the Pig War on San Juan Island turned into one long, polite dinner party.
The soldiers got bored. To pass the time, they held athletic competitions, celebrated each other's national holidays, and visited each other's camps to drink and play cards. It is genuinely one of the most peaceful "occupations" in human history. They even built a beautiful formal garden at British Camp, which you can still visit today.
The dispute was finally handed over to an international arbitrator: Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany. In 1872, he ruled in favor of the United States, declaring that the Haro Strait was the true boundary. The British packed up their things, and the "war" officially ended without a single human casualty. Well, except for the pig.
Visiting the Sites Today
If you're heading to Friday Harbor, you have to see these spots. It’s not just for history buffs; the geography of these camps explains why the standoff lasted so long.
🔗 Read more: London to Canterbury Train: What Most People Get Wrong About the Trip
American Camp is located on the windswept prairie of the island's southern tip. It’s rugged, exposed, and has incredible views of the Olympic Mountains. You can walk through the remains of the officers' quarters and see where Pickett’s men dug in. It feels like a frontier outpost.
British Camp, on the other hand, feels like an English estate. It’s tucked away in a sheltered cove with calm waters and lush trees. The British lived in relative comfort compared to the Americans. The blockhouse is still there, looking exactly like something out of a period drama.
The contrast between the two camps tells you everything you need to know about the different mindsets of the two empires at the time.
Why the Pig War Still Matters
It sounds like a comedy of errors, but the Pig War is a masterclass in how not to handle a border dispute—and how, luckily, cooler heads can prevail. It solidified the map of the Pacific Northwest as we know it. Without this weird conflict, San Juan Island might be a Canadian province today.
More importantly, it’s a reminder that geography defines destiny. The San Juan Islands were (and are) a strategic gateway. Controlling them meant controlling the shipping lanes into the Puget Sound and the Georgia Strait.
Actionable Steps for Your Visit
- Start at the National Historical Park Visitor Center: They have a small museum in Friday Harbor, but the real action is at the camps.
- Hike Young Hill at British Camp: It’s a bit of a climb, but it gives you a bird’s eye view of Garrison Bay. You can see exactly how the British ships were positioned.
- Check out South Beach at American Camp: It’s the longest beach on the island. While you're there, look for the foxes—they’re famous (and bold), but don’t feed them.
- Visit the English Garden: Even if you don't care about history, the garden at British Camp is stunning in the summer. It’s a weirdly peaceful monument to a time when two nations almost killed each other over a potato thief.
- Look for the commemorative plaque: There is a monument at British Camp dedicated to the only casualty of the war. Yes, the pig.
The Pig War isn't just a funny name on a brochure. It’s a weird, tense, and ultimately civil chapter of American history that proves sometimes, the best way to win a war is to just wait it out until everyone gets hungry for dinner.
Next Steps for Research:
If you want to dig deeper into the primary sources, look for the journals of Augustus S.S. Wilkerson or the official correspondence of Captain Geoffrey Hornby. The San Juan Island National Historical Park archives hold the original maps used during the 1872 arbitration, which offer a fascinating look at how the Kaiser eventually drew the line in the water.