Iceberg Point ~ Isles de Pierres Origin Washington Geographical Names

Iceberg Point, the southwest cape of Lopez Island, in San Juan County. It was named by the United States Coast Survey in 1854. Captain George Davidson of that service says in Pacific Coast Pilot, page 561: "On part of its southern cliff near Iceberg Point we discovered in 1854 remarkable deep and smooth marks of glacial action."

Idlewild, a map of Whatcom County shows a town by that name on the shore of Lake Whatcom. A real estate man named Hughes took up the land in 1889, beautified it, had a painting made and asked $10,000 for the tract. Following a panic the receiver of a bank sold it at auction for $450. It is now frequented by fishermen and picnic parties, but there is no town. (J. D. Custer, Park, in Names MSS., Letter 209.) See Newhall's Point for use of the same name in San Juan County.

Ilia, on Snake River, two miles south of Almota, in Garfield County. E. L. Henningway secured fifty acres there in March, 1879, and erected a warehouse. (Illustrated History of Southeastern Washington, page 548.)

Illinois Inlet, a narrow body of water extending into the north side of Cattle Point, San Juan Island. Named in honor of the State of Illinois being represented at the Puget Sound Marine Station. (Walter L. C. Muenscher, in A Study of Algal Associations of San Juan Island, page 81, in Puget Sound Marine Station Publications, Volume I.)

Ilthoyape, see Kettle Falls and Kettle River.

Ilwaco, a town in Pacific County, near the mouth of the Columbia River. The petty Indian chief for whom the town was named told Isaac Whealdon that his name was El-wah-ko Jim. He was more than ordinarily intelligent and was very proud of his wife, who was a chief's daughter. (Mrs. L. D. Williams, daughter of Isaac Whealdon, in Names MSS., Letter 173.) A former name of the place was Unity, founded by J. L. Stout. (History of the Pacific North-west, Volume II., page 588.)

Image, in Clarke County, five miles east of Vancouver. It was formerly known as Russel Landing. The name was given on account of an island in the river having received the name of Image Canoe Island, from Lewis and Clark in 1805. (L. C. Oilman, in Names MSS., Letter 590.)

Index, a town in the southeastern part of Snohomish County and just north of Index Mountain. It is claimed that the mountain got its name from the sharp pinnacle at its summit, pointing upward like an index finger.

Indian or Great Peninsula, a name given by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841, to the land lying between Hood Canal and Puget Sound, now known as Kitsap County.

Indian Cove, on the southeast shore of Shaw Island, in San Juan County. The name first appears on the British Admiralty Chart 2689, Richards 1858-1859.

Indian Creek, a branch of Hawk Creek, near Peach, in Lincoln County. There was an Indian settlement there in the old days. (Postmaster at Peach, in Names MSS., Letter 159.)

Indian Henry's Hunting Ground, see Mount Rainier.

Indian Point, the southwest cape of Whidbey Island, in Island County. It was named by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841. On Kroll's Map of Island County it is shown as "Indian Head," probably because the neighboring cape is Skagit Head.

Indian Rapids, in the Columbia River, near Squally Hook. On August 2, 1811, David Thompson found many shells there and gave the name "Muscle Rapid." This was identified as the present Indian Rapids by T. C. Elliott. (The Champlain Society: Thompson's Narrative, note on page 520.)

Inglewood, a town on the east shore of Lake Sammamish, in King County. In 1888, L. A. Wold platted the town on his preemption claim and gave it the present name. H. K. Hines: An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, page 773.)

Ingraham Glacier, see Mount Rainier.

Inland Empire, a name frequently used for Eastern Washington, Northeastern Oregon and Northern Idaho, with Spokane as a sort of metropolis or capital. See Edmond S. Meany's History of the State of Wathington, page 267.

Inskip Bank, see Nisqually Flats.

Interior, a town six miles southeast of Almota in Whitman County. It was named by the Interior Warehouse Company, who have a grain tramway and warehouse there. (John Knight, Wawawai, in Names MSS., Letter 225.)

Intyclook River, see Entiat River.

Iowa Rock, off the southwest coast of Lopez Island, in San Juan County. In 1909, Dr. R. B. Wylie, of the University of Iowa, was in charge of the botany work at the Puget Sound Marine Station and named this rocky island, Iowa Rock. See Flora of Iowa Rock in the Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, Volume XVI., pages 99-101. (T. C. Frye, in Names MSS., Letter 192.)

Irby, a town in the southwestern part of Lincoln County, named after John Irby, an old settler there, who later moved to Wenatchee. (A. H. Chase, in Names MSS., Letter 464.)

Irondale, a town on Port Townsend Bay, in Jefferson County, so named because of proposed iron works there.

Ironsides Inlet, see East Sound.

Isabella Lake, a small body of water south of Shelton, in Mason County. The first settler in the vicinity of the lake was John Campbell, about 1852, who probably named the lake for some member of his family. (Grant C. Angle, in Names MSS., Letter 83.)

Isla de Aguayo, see Sinclair Island.
Islas de Aguayo, see Clark and Barnes Islands.
Isla De Bonilla, see Smith Island.
Isla De Carrasco, see Protection Island.
Islas Los Deseados, see Flattery Rocks.
Isla De Dolores, see Destruction Island.
Isla De Guemes, see Guemes Island.
Isla De Mata, see Matia Islands.
Isla De Moralesa, a name given by the Spaniard Eliza in 1791 to Stuart and neighboring islands in San Juan County.
Islas Morros, see Allan and Burrows Islands.
Isla De Pacheco, see Lummi Island.
Isla De Patos, see Patos Island.

Isla Y Archipelago de San Juan. Under this name the Spanish captain, Eliza, in 1791, included what are now known as San Juan, Decatur, Blakely, Orcas and Shaw Islands. They are all shown as one large island. In the same way the Spaniards Galiano and Valdez, in 1792, used the briefer name of Isla de San Juan.

Isla Sucia, see Sucia Islands.
Isla de Vicente, see Cypress Island.
Isla de Filusi, see Tatoosh Island.
Isla de Zepeda, see Point Roberts.

Island County, organized by the Oregon Territorial Legislature, by the act of January 6, 1853, before the creation of Washington Territory. The name came from the fact that the county is composed of Whidbey, Camano and other islands.

Island of Sorrows, see Destruction Island.

Ilandale, a post office on the eastern shore of Lopez Island, in San Juan County. The name is descriptive.

Isles De Pierres, a name given by the Wilkes Expedition, 1841, to several granite knolls, capped with basalt, and resembling islands in the northern portion of Grand Coulee, near the boundary of Grant and Douglas Counties. They were found to be 714 feet high. Lieutenant H. E. Johnson, of the expedition, called the southern one "Ram's Head."

Issaquah, a town and creek near the southern end of Lake Sammamish, in King County. The name has appeared on early maps in various forms. Arthur A. Denny says: "The name of Squak, or Squawk, as I would spell it, is a corruption of the Indian name of Squowh, or, as some would think to hear the Indians speak it, might more properly be written Isquowh." (Pioneer Days on Paget Sound, page 62.) At one time the town was known as "Gilman," in honor of L. C. Gilman. See also Preston.

It-Kow-Chug, see Lake Washington.

Itame Shoal, off the entrance to Henderson Inlet, in the northern part of Thurston County. The name first appears on the chart of the Wilkes Expedition, 1841. There is no hint as to its meaning. It is contained on the United States Coast & Geodetic Survey Chart 6460.

Washington AHGP | Geographic Names

Source: Washington Historical Quarterly, Volume 8 - 14