Anderson Island = Mayberry, RFD
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6/2/2010
If you remember Andy Griffith's shows on TV, you'll love Anderson Island. A lot of seniors have retired to the island, as well as a good number of young families looking to escape the problems associated with urban life. The island is heavily wooded, with two freshwater lakes for boating, fishing, and swimming, deer wandering the woods and streets, no stoplights, no paid law enforcement (they come over when called), a modern fire department and emergency transport, an elementary school (older kids commute to school 'off island' by ferry), a tiny post office in the Island General Store, one sit down restaurant and a coffee shop (NOT Starbucks!), a very nice golf course, a small marina, nature preserve park, historic farm, no taverns (just a small beer/wine bar in restaurant), no medical facilities on the island itself, several churches and home churches. Folks with traditional jobs commute to work by ferry, but many Islanders either live off their retirement incomes or work from home. High speed internet and cable TV are available. Housing is affordable and there is a wide range of available options, from cabins to estates. Many residents live in 'the Riviera', a PUD which approves new construction, maintains roads and provides water. Outside the Riviera there is a more rural feel, and homeowners maintain their own wells. Dependence on the ferry is a two-edged sword, as it limits population growth but is also an extra expense. It is not possible to live on the island if off-island work hours extend beyond the ferry schedule plus driving commute time.
Brian | Lakewood, WA