Silcox Island is an inhabited island in American Lake in Pierce County,

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

. It is in the city of

Lakewood, Washington Lakewood is a city in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 63,612 at the 2020 census. It is the second-largest city in the county, behind Tacoma, and is a suburban bedroom community. Lakewood is adjacent to Joint Base ...

. Although the island has had homes built on it, it is still mostly forested.

History

Silcox Island is named for Albert Silcox, who originally acquired the land. Although at first he and his family were the sole inhabitants, financial needs led him to sell to friends, beginning with George Sells and Sells' son-in-law, Earl Trowbridge. Over time, more and more lots were established and sold. Until 1968, there was no electric or telephone service to the island. After a cable was run from near Bill's Boathouse, most residents had their homes electrified. Although a few homes were connected to septic tanks, many used outhouses well into the 1980s.

Climate

The

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

is warm-summer

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

(Csb). The average temperature is . The warmest month is July at average , and the coolest is December at . Annual precipitation is . The wettest month is March, with , and the driest is July, with .

References

Lake islands of Washington (state) Islands of Pierce County, Washington {{PierceCountyWA-geo-stub