In 1849, Jeremiah Lynch left his home in County Cork, Ireland to seek his fortune in the California gold rush. Luckily, gold eluded him, and by 1883, he had found his way north to the Washington Territory, to what is now the town of Shelton. There he built his home on the shores of Little Skookum Inlet, a small inlet at the south end of Puget Sound. He quickly discovered the beautiful oyster beds on the tide flats of his homestead, and began his practice of sharing his bounty with family, friends and neighbors. This soon grew into the family business, now known as Little Skookum Shellfish Growers. Today’s owners, Lisa and Brett Bishop are the fifth generation of Jeremiah Lynch’s family to dedicate themselves to the legacy which began over 125 years ago. They, with their sons, Jeremiah and Justin, plan to continue farming the tidelands just as it has been.
History
In 1849, Jeremiah Lynch left his home in County Cork, Ireland to seek his fortune in the California gold rush. Luckily, gold eluded him, and by 1883, he had found his way north to the Washington Territory, to what is now the town of Shelton. There he built his home on the shores of Little Skookum Inlet, a small inlet at the south end of Puget Sound. He quickly discovered the beautiful oyster beds on the tide flats of his homestead, and began his practice of sharing his bounty with family, friends and neighbors. This soon grew into the family business, now known as Little Skookum Shellfish Growers. Today’s owners, Lisa and Brett Bishop are the fifth generation of Jeremiah Lynch’s family to dedicate themselves to the legacy which began over 125 years ago. They, with their sons, Jeremiah and Justin, plan to continue farming the tidelands just as it has been.