In 1926 Almanak in Winnipeg published an article by Margrét Jónsdóttir, better known as Margrét J. Benedictsson. The article BLAINE was part of a collection of articles on the History of Icelandic Settlements in the West. Below is a translation from the book ICELANDERS on the Pacific Coast published by The Icelandic Club of Greater Seattle in 2004. The translators were Baird Bardarson, Theodore R. Beck, Arna Garðarsdóttir, Willard Larson, Arni Magnusson and Sverrir H. Magnusson.
Blaine
“Blaine is a small town in the northwest corner of the United States – the northernmost in Whatcom County in the State of Washington. It was created in 1888 and was legally established in 1891. It has a count of 4000 inhabitants. The town takes over an area which is around three miles in length and a mile and a half to two miles in width.”
View from Blaine and the Vicinity
“To the north spread out before us are the Vancouver mountains; they are high and awesome, often covered in clouds; the highest peak are white the year around – in most years. To the east are hills, but south of them a mountain range takes over some miles in the distance. In this mountain range is Mt. Baker with its head always white as a white-haired oldster. In the summer we see black ridges on it, which stretch wide up under its cap, although hollow depressions between them are full of snow the year around. South of Mt. Baker tower three peaks, which are called the Sisters. This mountain range lays south along the coast; in exceptional places mountains and hills get all the way to the sea. Out on one such hill stands the town of Bellingham, the county seat of Whatcom County, and has 35.000 to 40.000 inhabitants. These mountains are in some places rather far from the sea, except there where the fjords cut far into land. Although the mountains are quite far from Blaine – most in blue haze- they increase the beautiful view. They rise high and grand 30 to 50 miles in the distance and constantly remind one that behind them is a hidden world. From the mountains down to the sea lie fertile and beautiful regions and deep valleys, more beautiful and fertile than most places. There is also the view to the west, where Ægir (the ocean) reigns, powerful in its omnipotence. From this abysmal depth rise high islands, and – so I repeat the poet’s words – “farthest in eternal sea” towers Vancouver Island, seen distinctly in bright weather, So nowhere is there wasteland or emptiness. Everywhere there is continuing life and color, decoration and grandeur – unending change. The near view is no less various and glorious. Within the fjord the sea almost bathes the feet of the farms and buildings – and their inhabitants when they want. Here the sun dries in its golden chariot ouver our fjord on its way to its night abode. The brightness of its company mirrors in the fjord all later parts of the day, so one is tempted to believe that there is truly a “golden bridge” and all you need to do is to walk out on it, in order to join it on its precious journey. When the sun has gone to rest, the moon follows with similar splendor. Sunset is beautiful in the Westfjords of Iceland, but it is no less beautiful here.
Weather
“Maybe nowhere in the world is the climate as fortunate as exactly here. It occurs to no one to believe that anything is wrong here. Although our opinion is that it is better here than in some other places. When earthquakes, hurricanes and big floods upset people´s work and destray them aouthward on the Coast, such do not come to this area. When frost and torrential rains rage over Eastern and Southern States, yes, and cloudbursts, floods and various other wonders ‘ the same peace and mild weather prevail here – never cold, never too hot. Sometimes, as the people´s measure, there is too long or too short a rain period or too long a drought – so we don´t miss mentioning anything.”
Settlement begins – employment
“As is said before, Blaine became a legally established town in 1891. As any town on the Coast, it grew fast, and people expected it to become a large town in a short time. A large forest reached the sea’s edge. All around was thick forest. The fish were near the beach. Rich men from the east bought up land. Building sites were sold and bought for large sums; houses rushed up in a short time. Sawmills were rushed up and workmen flocked here from everywhere. The majority of these sawmills have now ceased working, except one, which gives work to about 200 people, when it is in full production, which is not done except in summer and into the fall. Another sawmill is outside of town, which always works, but it does not create many jobs. From the turn of the century to 1910 many fish canneries were here, which also had boats. One or more can crabs and other shellfish, which usually were caught before the salmon season. In these years everyone worked when the canning started; women and teenagers packed with their hands into the cans and were well-paid while it lasted. Now it is long finished. The machines pack instead of people and the fish is disappearing. The situation here is the same as at Point Roberts.
Here in Blaine for some time there were seven big cannerie; now there is only one of them left (Alaska Packers’ Association) which is worth mentioning. But that one is also a big and powerful association. As may be seen, jobs are now fewer than there had been before. It seems Blaine was always meant to be a small town, although it has various conditions to become big in the future.”
Icelanders
“No one kept records among the Icelanders who moved to Blaine or settled there. Moreover there was no homestead land here to be had. People came to buy each plot at an expensive price, whether in or out of town. But people in the East heard the sound of “good times” in Blaine. When “times” were dull in other places, they came, and friends and cousins followed, but few experienced the “good times”, because the “good times” stayed a short time. The largest, as one group of Icelanders, came from Selkirk, Manitoba, although there were some Icelanders that came before them. But they came themselves from everyplace and scattered. Thus they continued to arrive, one or two families at a time. In the same way, they built and settled. From the East, people came streaming, and ran aground here. It was not possible to come farther west, because there was the ocean. But it has been good for most, and few have had a desire to return east, wheather living in town or on a farm.”