The Spanish and the British were the first Europeans to explore Fidalgo Island at the end of the 18th century. Around 1860, American and European settlers discovered the island for themselves and settled here. For thousands of years, the area had previously been home to the Samish and Swinomish, two indigenous groups of the Coast Salish peoples.
Anacortes was officially founded in 1879 by Amos Bowman with the opening of a post office. It was named after his wife Anna, née Curtis. The idea of building the terminus of the transcontinental railroad in their town and the associated prospect of good earning opportunities caused the number of residents to quickly rise to over 2,000. The town was then granted city status on May 19, 1891.
Due to various construction and financing problems and not least due to uneconomical reasons, the realization of a railway line to Anacortes was abandoned. Soon, professional groups such as fishermen, fish processors, farmers, sawmill operators and others were driving the development of the city forward. In 1962, it received the "All-American City Award", an award for communities that are committed to strong cooperation in all areas in order to successfully tackle local problems.