A red 1935 Ford Champion fire engine parked inside the Camano Island Fire Museum, with exhibits and firefighting gear on the walls around it

Camano Island Fire Museum

Photo courtesy Camano Island Fire Museum

Go on the second Saturday of the month. That’s the one afternoon the Camano Island Fire Museum opens to the public, from 1 to 4 PM, so this stop takes a little planning.

The museum opened on September 12, 2026, inside the island’s first fire hall at 985 Orchid Road, right next to the 1906 Camano City Schoolhouse. It’s small and it’s local, a look at who answered the calls on this island and how. Pair it with a walk through the schoolhouse, then use our day on Camano Island guide for the rest of your Saturday.

What You’ll See

  • The 1935 Ford Champion pumper. This is the centerpiece. The engine first served the Stanwood City Volunteer Fire Department, and the Camano Schoolhouse Foundation bought it from the Stanwood Lions Club.
  • The Sparklers. Camano’s first Fire Auxiliary gets its due here, along with the all female firefighting crew established on the island in the 1970s.
  • Tools of the trade. Vintage and modern firefighting and medical gear line the walls, and each piece comes with a short note on where it came from and how it was used.
A visitor reads the wall of emergency medical history panels at the Camano Island Fire Museum, past a mannequin in a blue medic uniform

Give the wall panels some time. They trace fire and medical service on the island back to 1945 and name the people behind it: past and present first responders, chiefs and fire commissioners.

If you grew up on Camano, or you know someone who wore the uniform here, this is the part you’ll want to read closely.

Photo courtesy Camano Island Fire Museum

The Story Behind It

In 1945, the school district deeded the one room Camano City Schoolhouse and its grounds to the newly formed Island County Fire District 1 for $200. That deal made room for the island’s first fire hall.

The Camano Schoolhouse Foundation bought the fire hall in 2018, and the 1935 pumper became the centerpiece of its new museum. The museum’s grand opening came with a 9/11 tribute and dedication, with the North Snohomish Firefighter Honor Guard on hand and longtime Camano Island resident Senator Mary Margaret Haugen as guest speaker. A plaque on the museum wall recognizes her work on behalf of fire and medical services across the state.

A firefighter honor guard in dress uniform stands beside a memorial bell and flowers at the Camano Island Fire Museum grand opening
The 9/11 tribute at the museum’s grand opening. Photo courtesy Camano Island Fire Museum.

Tips for Your Visit

  • Check the museum website before you drive out. With one open afternoon a month, a change to the schedule means a wasted trip.
  • Leave time for next door. The museum is tied to the Camano (1906) Schoolhouse Foundation and Archives, and you can see those too.
  • Make a day of it. Cama Beach Historical State Park and Camano Island State Park are both on the island.

Plan Your Visit

Address: 985 Orchid Road, Camano Island, WA 98282
Website: camanoschoolhouse.org
Public hours: Second Saturday of each month, 1 to 4 PM
Admission: Check the museum website before you visit.
Directions: View on Google Maps