Shilshole Bay Live Cam

Early Indigenous Heritage of Shilshole Bay

Long before the docks and marinas of modern Seattle, the shores of Shilshole Bay were home to the Duwamish and Suquamish peoples, whose fishing villages thrived on the bountiful waters of Puget Sound. The Lushootseed word “Shilshole” is believed to mean “threading a needle,” referencing the narrow channel leading into Salmon Bay. For millennia, Native tribes navigated these waters in cedar plank canoes to harvest salmon, clams, and shellfish, practicing sophisticated tidal ecology knowledge that sustained their communities.