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Admiralty Light House History
Photo by: @pnwdeparture
If you’re sailing into Admiralty Inlet from the open ocean Point Wilson sits to the West of you and Admiralty Head to the East. This entrance to the vast inland waters of Puget Sound is marked by lighthouses on either side to alert ship traffic at night. Let’s review some of Admiralty Light House History. The original Admiralty Head lighthouse was built in 1861 and had similarities to a church. It was later rebuilt in 1903 and decommissioned in 1922. Today it remains an iconic historical part of Fort Casey State Park. When open, the interpretive center features a real Fresnel Lens along with a fantastic collection of historic photos and even a gift shop. A Spiral Staircase leads to the lookout where you can enjoy expansive views of Puget Sound, the Olympic mountains, and watch the ferry as it crosses to Port Townsend.
Check out the rest of Whidbey’s beautiful destinations from this series here.
Admiralty Light House
Seated high above the waves of Admiralty Inlet rests a structure quite unlike any other. Originally built in 1861 by the U.S. Lighthouse Board, Admiralty Head Lighthouse was constructed in conjunction with the Point Wilson Lighthouse in Port Townsend to assist travelers entering the sound through the shallow waters of the inlet. Deconstructed and rebuilt in 1903 the current lighthouse bears little resemblance to the original “Cape Cod” structure. Army Corps of Engineers built the new lighthouse in a beautiful California Spanish-style and with enough integrity to withstand the residual quakes from the nearby Fort Casey guns. After the lighthouse was decommissioned in 1922 it has served many other functions including housing a K-9 unit during WWII. Today the lighthouse sponsors a gift shop and museum that is open regularly to the public and can be directly supported by purchasing a unique WA Lighthouse License plate from DOL.
Follow the photographer on Instagram @reminiscement
Check out the rest of Whidbey’s beautiful destinations from this series here.
