Emelia Lee Bave ~ The Pig War Museum

Lee Bave & Escort in Front of Pig War Museum

I’ll get back to the problem of alleged illegal alien farm animals on San Juan Island soon but first I’d like to mention the work of Emelia Lee Bave. I stopped by to visit Lee yesterday afternoon. She still has a flare for the dramatic and is, at 97 years old, truly a living Island treasure.

Historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, was interviewed on KUOW Weekday this morning. The title of Ulrich’s latest book, Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History has become a popular slogan. Says Ulrich, “History is not just what happened but its what gets remembered.” Lee Bave is one memorable, energetic and creative woman who may have veered slightly outside of the bounds of what is considered “well behaved” to keep the history of San Juan Island’s Pig War alive and vibrant. Bave maintained the Island’s Pig War Museum and was also famous for her performance of the San Juan Saga, a one woman accounting of the Pig War.