Treasure Island
History
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Treasure Island was once known locally as “Oak Island” because of its unusual stand of oak trees. On government charts it’s called Reach Island. The name complements Stretch Island, its larger neighbor to the south, named for Samuel Stretch, a gunner’s mate on the 1841 Wilkes Expedition.
The first resident was Joseph Pickford, who homesteaded and built a cabin on the island in 1885. Pickford left the island in 1890 and later sold it to Alfred Zizz in 1905 for $1000.
The Zizz family lived on the island for 47 years. They built a house, planted fruit trees, kept chickens and cows, and had oyster beds. Alfred and his wife, Natella, raised two children, Zane Zenas and Cleo Viriginia. In 1952 they sold the island to three developers.
The developers logged the island, built a bridge and roads, and put in a water system. The island was platted into 261 lots and tracts plus the bridge tract, and a set of deed restrictions was placed on property in the plat. The developers also organized the original Treasure Island Country Club and turned over ownership of the bridge, roads, water system, community beach, and dock to the Club.
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The Seattle Home Mortgage Company and Pope and Talbot played a major role in the sale and financing of the lots by the developers.
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Treasure Island Country Club observed its 50th anniversary in 2003.
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