Admiralty Head Light
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| Location | Coupeville, Washington |
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| Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
| Year first constructed | 1903 |
| Year first lit | 1903 |
| Deactivated | 1922 |
| Foundation | Surface |
| Construction | Brick and stucco |
| Tower shape | Conical, with an attached Spanish-style structure, 2-story residence |
| Markings / pattern | White brick tower with black lantern |
| Height | 30 feet (9.1 m) (120 feet (37 m) above sea level) |
| Original lens | Fourth order Fresnel lens (removed in 1927) |
The Admiralty Head Light is a deactivated aid to navigation located on Whidbey Island near Coupeville, Island County, Washington, on the grounds of Fort Casey State Park.[1][2] The restored lighthouse overlooks Admiralty Inlet. It was the companion to the Point Wilson Light, which sits four miles away on Admiralty Inlet's western shore.[3]
History
Two lighthouses have been built on Admiralty Head. Only the second remains. Admiralty Head, the east entrance point of Admiralty Inlet, is the southeast extremity of a succession of bluffs extending northward along the western shore of Whidbey Island to Point Partridge, where the bluffs attain their highest elevation.
- Original lighthouse
In 1858, the United States purchased 10 acres (4.0 ha) on the headland for $400. The original lighthouse was a wooden, two-story house with tower projecting from the gable. It was completed in 1861.[4] It had a fourth order Fresnel lens, which was visible at 16 miles (26 km).[5] In 1890, construction of Fort Casey forced the relocation of the lighthouse to a spot close to the site of the present lighthouse. It was demolished in 1928.[3]
- Present lighhouse
A second, 30-foot-tall (9.1 m) lighthouse, constructed of brick and stucco, was built in 1903. The design by Carl Leick incorporated thick walls meant to withstand earthquakes[4] and the concussion of Fort Casey's guns.[6] The lighthouse was deactivated in 1922, and the lantern moved to the New Dungeness Lighthouse in 1927. During its later occupancy by the Army, the lighthouse was used as a training facility for the K-9 dog program.[3] In 1990, the U.S. Postal Service issued a 25-cent stamp featuring the Admiralty Head Light.[7]
- Restoration
The lighthouse has been restored by Washington State Parks and is sponsored by the Lighthouse Environmental Program (LEP), a collaborative function between Washington State University's Extension Office and local environmental programs.[4] In 2012, an historically accurate reconstruction of the lantern house was installed atop the tower. The work was done by student volunteers from three Whidbey Island high schools.[2][8]
References
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- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Admiralty Head Lighthouse. |
- Admiralty Head Lighthouse Keepers of Admiralty Head Lighthouse
- Admiralty Head Lighthouse Washington Lighthouses
- Looking into the Admiralty Head Lighthouse Washington State Magazine
- Commons category link is locally defined
- Lighthouses completed in 1903
- Houses completed in 1903
- Towers completed in 1903
- Lighthouses in Washington (state)
- Buildings and structures in Island County, Washington
- Museums in Island County, Washington
- Lighthouse museums in Washington (state)
- Transportation in Island County, Washington
