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Idaho State University

The San Juan Island Pig War

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On June 15, 1859, Lyman Cutler, a US citizen living on San Juan Island, Washington Territory, shot a pig that was rooting around in his garden. It was owned by Charles Griffin, an English citizen employed by the Hudson’s Bay Company. He offered to pay $10 for the pig but Griffin demanded $100. The incident almost caused a third war with Great Britain over which country owned the San Juan Islands. This presentation will explain how the war was avoided.