Bush Point

Bush Point - Shet'lh-shet'lhuts

Shet'lh-shet-lhuts (burnt leaves) another Snohomish tribal territory, was located on the west side of South Whidbey Island, at Bush Point in the Freeland, WA area. This settlement boasted three longhouses, a potlatch house, and a cemetery for the residents that lived there.

Bush Point was originally named “Willow Point,” and it was once the perfect location for human trafficking operations (predominantly Chinese labor), illegal rum smuggling and native potlatch houses. This pile of sand nestled strategically against the western shore of Whidbey Island came into the possession of the first white settlers by being won in a poker game.

Willow Point represented one of the three permanent villages the Snohomish had on Whidbey Island. The first caucasian settler at Bush Point was in 1865.