The Fascinating Archaeological Discovery That Put Bainbridge Island On The Map
By Rachel Raimondi|Published July 04, 2023
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Rachel Raimondi
Author
Writer some days, editor other days, nerd all days. Love to travel to lesser-known spots and give them the love they deserve. Independently owned motor inns, Mom and Pop restaurants, uncrowded National Parks and trails.
In between these, spend my free time virtually adventuring through point-and-click games. Native New Yorker but can frequently be found roaming other parts of the United States.
Bainbridge Island is known for many things, such as farms, outdoor recreation, and some jaw-dropping scenery. But did you know that it is also home to an over 3,000-year-old petroglyph rock? It is one of the most interesting archeological discoveries in Washington.
You can reach Bainbridge Island in just a 35-minute ferry ride from Seattle.
It is 27.8 square miles with much to do and see, such as ....
... Haleets Rock, meaning “marked face.” Also known as Figurehead Rock, it is a glacial erratic boulder, about 5 X 7 feet in size, located approximately 100 feet from the shore at Agate Point.
This is a public beach where visitors frequently come to take in the scenery, water, and rock-hunting and fishing opportunities.
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While at first glance it may seem like any other sandstone rock on a shore, upon closer examination, you’ll find that it is covered in ancient tribal petroglyphs that face toward Puget Sound.
Haleets Rock appears to be composed of carved wide-eye faces.
The belief is that they were carved by a native Suquamish tribe that inhabited this area. It is estimated that they were made sometime between 1,000 BC and 500 CE.
In 1934, a bronze geodetic disc was placed on the rock to mark its place on the Earth's surface.
As far as its purpose or what it may have indicated remains a mystery. Does it correlate with the rock’s location to the water? Does it mark the tribe’s territory?
Many people have their own ideas about what it means or what the markings even are. Are they actually faces? Is it a sunburst? Moons? Could it be a boundary marker? A calendar? What is your take?
After you've finished examining this intriguing archeological discovery in Washington, consider visiting Bloedel Reserve, a 150-acre area with gorgeous gardens, lakes, lawns, and walking trails to explore. I imagine myself strolling through here while continuing to contemplate Haleets Rock.
You can also head to the 17-acre Fay Bainbridge Park for playing along the shoreline and taking in the lovely Puget Sound and Cascade Mountain views. There is also the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, which showcases arts and crafts of the Puget Sound region.
