New exhibit explores untold stories of Filipino communities along Washington’s waterfronts

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, July 1, 2026

Submitted by the Lopez Island Historical Society & Museum.

A powerful new traveling exhibit, “Filipinos and Washington’s Waterfront,” is making its way to Lopez Island Historical Society’s Port Stanley Schoolhouse, July 1, sharing more than a century of Filipino history, labor and life along the shorelines of Washington state.

“Filipinos and Washington’s Waterfront” uncovers personal stories that have long gone untold — stories of cannery workers, longshoremen, Navy sailors, faith leaders and families. Lopez Island Historical Society will supplement the exhibit with a brief history of Filipino cannery workers on Lopez Island.

The exhibit was developed in partnership between the Filipino American National Historical Society and the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area, with generous support from the National Park Foundation and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Additional funding for FANHS is provided by 4Culture and the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture.

“Washington’s waterfronts have always been more than just scenic places. They’re also gateways to connection, opportunity, and belonging,” said Alex Gradwohl, program director for the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area.

Through historic photographs, oral histories and firsthand accounts, the exhibit shares the voices of Alaskeros who shipped out each spring from Seattle docks to salmon canneries, seafarers who worked aboard ferries and cruise ships, cooks who fused Filipino cuisine with Pacific Northwest seafood and families who celebrated weddings and traditions by the water. It also showcases Filipino American leadership in labor organizing, military service and cultural preservation along the waterfront.

“These stories have always existed, but too often they were kept in personal memory or family archives,” said Dr. Dorothy Cordova, director of FANHS and the exhibit’s lead researcher. “This history is definitely part of American history. Filipino stories are the tales of immigrants [who] came to America by water for many different reasons. This exhibit brings them to light—not just to honor the past, but to inspire pride and connection in future generations.”

The exhibit will be on view at Port Stanley Schoolhouse from July 1 through Aug. 30. Admission is $5. On Thursday, Aug. 6, Cordova and Maria Batayola will be in conversation at the Port Stanley Schoolhouse, 6:30 p.m., adding historical depth and cultural context to the exhibit. Suggested admission is $10.

For more information, visit lopezmuseum.org.