Admiralty Head Light

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]

Admiralty Head Light
LocationCoupeville, Washington
Coordinates48°9′38.75″N 122°40′52.2″W
Year first constructed1861 (Original)
1903 (Current)
Year first lit1903
Deactivated1922
FoundationSurface
ConstructionBrick and stucco
Tower shapeConical, with an attached Spanish-style structure, 2-story residence
Markings / patternWhite brick tower with black lantern
Tower height30 feet (9.1 m) (120 feet (37 m) above sea level)
Focal height40 metre 
Original lensFourth order Fresnel lens (removed in 1927)

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
  1. "North Head Light". Inventory of Historic Light Stations: Washington Lighthouses. National Park Service. Archived from the original on May 10, 2004. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
  2. "Fort Casey State Park". Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. Archived from the original on May 27, 2015. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
  3. "Admiralty Head, WA". Lighthousefriends. Archived from the original on August 17, 2013. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
  4. "History of Admiralty Head Lighthouse". Washington State University. Archived from the original on March 3, 2005. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
  5. "Historic Light Station Information & Photography: Washington". U.S. Coast Guard. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
  6. "Lighthouses Issue". Smithsonian National Postal Museum. Archived from the original on August 10, 2013. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
  7. Rowlett, Russ (October 19, 2014). "Lighthouses of the United States: Washington". University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
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