The Skagit Indians maintained several villages on
Penn Cove. The paramount Skagit Chief lived at Snakelum Point,
southeast across the cove. The village at Monroe's Landing was
called cokwol'a. Cokwol'a was the major village of the Skwdabs, a
subgroup of the Skagit, who occupied an area that included Oak
Harbor, Dugualla Bay, and the lower portion of the Skagit
River.
The people here hunted deer and ducks with nets, farmed
edible cannas, maintained fields of wild berries, and dug horse
clams in front of Monroe's Landing.
This potlatch house stood in front of Monroe's Landing until
about 1910. The traditional potlatch, or sgw'igw'i, was an occasion
for relatives, friends and different tribes to gather for
ceremonies, feasting, and demonstrating strength and wealth during
the winter season. The host distributed gifts to all those who
attended. The guests then invited participants to celebrations
located at their home villages.
The sgw'igw'i brought status to the giver and gave distant
people a chance to exchange ideas. Mountain goat wool and horn from
the Cascade Mountains were brought by Upper Skagit people and
exchanged for dentalium and other decorative shell. News was also
exchanged.