Residential street in Rockport.
Rockport Post Office. 2009.
Rockport is a census-designated place in Skagit County, Washington. The population was 109 at the 2010 census, up from 102 at the 2000 census. As of 2000, none of the population or families were below the poverty line.
Based on per capita income, Rockport ranks 48th of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked.
Geography[]
Rockport is located at 48°29′8″N 121°35′53″W (48.485606, -121.598145). The community sits at an elevation of 276 feet above sea level.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 0.4 square miles, all of it land. The Skagit River and Sauk River merge at Rockport. Rockport is east of Concrete and west of Marblemount.
Climate[]
The climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year round. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Rockport has a marine west coast climate, abbreviated "Cfb" on climate maps.
Rockport's climate is mild during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 60's and very cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 30's.
The warmest month of the year is August with an average maximum temperature of 75.40 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 31.70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperature variations between night and day tend to be moderate during summer with a difference that can reach 22 degrees Fahrenheit, and fairly limited during winter with an average difference of 12 degrees Fahrenheit.
The annual average precipitation at Rockport is 71.39 Inches. Winter months tend to be wetter than summer months. The wettest month of the year is November with an average rainfall of 11.37 Inches.
Downtown Rockport. 2009.
History[]
The community of Rockport was homesteaded by Leonard Graves, around 1885. Mr. Graves later moved to Edison. Albert von Pressentin, a settler from Michigan operated a store in Hamilton before he came up the Skagit River to Sauk City in 1890. Sauk City was located down the river one mile west of Rockport. He did a lot of business with Monte Cristo Mine, near Darrington. The goods were carried into the mine by pack trains.
Von Pressentin overheard two strangers in the store discussing the route for the new railroad to Rockport. Von Pressentin immediately left his store and rode his horse all night to get to Edison by day break, so he could find Mr. Graves, and purchase his homestead at Rockport. On the way back von Pressentin stopped at the court house and had the deed recorded. He wasn't taking any chances on Mr. Graves getting word about the railroad and backing out on selling to him.
The von Pressentin family moved to Rockport in 1891 by canoe and moved into a log house. Von Pressentin built a store in Rockport and continued to operate the store in Sauk City until it burned down. Von Pressentin was bought out in 1908 by Johnson and Jensen.
The town of Rockport was named by the Great Northern Railroad in 1902. The freight and passenger train (mixed) hauled lumber, shingles, and cattle. The heavy mining equipment was hauled into Rockport by train and then taken by wagons and sleds to the mines. The train came to Rockport three times a day from Burlington. The morning train departed from Rockport at 6 a.m. and returned at noon; the afternoon train left at 1 p.m. and returned at 9 p.m. The railroad owned a depot, a section foreman's house, and a house for the section crew.
Seattle City Light built a gas-powered railroad called the Skagit River Railway into Newhalem, which began to run on a temporary basis in 1920 and was later expanded with an electrified extension to Diablo. The Toonerville Trolley touring railcars became a major tourist attraction. The City Light train met the other train at the depot in Rockport. Seattle City Light started an excursion train, and many people came to Rockport to start the tour. Automobiles were parked on all the streets, in the yards, and in the garages. The City Light later built a depot of their own and had beautiful landscaped grounds, and places to park cars on the east end of Rockport. A large building was erected for the passengers and tourists so that they would have shelter while waiting for the train. Donuts and coffee were served during the wait. These tours were discontinued just before World War II started, but were revived after the War until 1954.
There were ten to twelve large ferry boats [and sternwheelers] on the Skagit River during the early 1900's. The first ferry to cross the Skagit River at Rockport was built by Ed Carnicle, a valley carpenter, in 1903. It was operated by Skagit Bill Pressentin. In October 1961, a bridge was completed and was dedicated with Rona Pressentin, wife of Skagit Bill, having the honor of cutting the ribbon. The new bridge linked Rockport with Darrington, and thus created a shorter route to Seattle. This made the ferries obsolete.
Children walked to Sauk City to go to school until a school was built in Rockport in 1903. A larger school was completed in 1909/1910.
Rockport boasted three shingle mills operating in the town in the early 1900s. The first telephone line was put into Rockport by the Quackenbush sisters in 1905. The first light plant was put in by Hugo Bauman and Mrs. Tose. They did this when they purchased the Rockport Hotel from Johnson and Jensen about 1913.
By 1950, the Rockport Fire Department was started.