Lighthouses of Washington

The state of Washington has one of the richest marine-based histories in the nation… let’s explore it!!!

Mariners (not the ball team) were men who navigated the seas in search of food, fortune, and fame.  Borne out of necessity, lighthouses were constructed around the region to warn & guide these mariners safely home.

Many consider a lighthouse just “a building” and subsequently they are taken for granted.  But each one of these lighthouses in Washington has its own heroic tale of bringing these mariners home…tales that might not be recorded on paper and are only passed on verbally from one Light Keeper to the next.

Built in some of the most remote, rugged, exposed…and absolutely breathtaking locations, these lighthouses are a testament of engineering, being built to withstand the ravages of the elements in these exposed locations for many, many years.

Each Lighthouse’s architectural design, rock foundation, spiral staircase, the walkway encircling the lantern room, and the adjoining building are unique.  But sitting at the top of the tower is the jewel that distinguishes one Lighthouse from the next – the light.

Using a Fresnel lens, a small oil flame was concentrated into a beam of light that pierced the stormy Pacific Northwest darkness for many miles and brought man safely home to loved ones.

These beams of light have a flash period and alternating color that told the mariner which Lighthouse they were seeing.  The method used to create this flash and color were often as unique as the lighthouse itself, such as a rotating lens, some of which a

re still in use today, while others have been converted to a more modern, low maintenance flashing electric bulb.

Once every other month or so, we’ll be making a trip to visit these Lighthouses with the goal of visiting each and every one over the next few years.  Even though many can be driven to, what fun is that?  We’ll go by water!

But be warned…some will challenge your paddling skills…and some of our venerable lighthouses might even prove their value as they guide us to land in fog and storm!

Check the WKC Calendar regularly for further info on these trips.

If you wish to learn more about lighthouses:

http://uslhs.org/

http://www.lighthousefoundation.org/

http://lighthousepreservation.org/

http://www.uscg.mil/history/h_lhindex.asp

http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/wa.htm

http://www.lighthousefriends.com/