Washington Lights | Admiralty Head Lighthouse

Admiralty Head Lighthouse • Coupeville, WA

Admiralty Head Lighthouse is situated atop the tall Red Bluff overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The view of the beach below and the ocean beyond is breathtaking. The area is a fantastic place for a picnic and there are paths that wind down the bluff so visitors may enjoy the beach.

• H I S T O R Y •

In 1858 the United States purchased 10 acres of land costing $400 for the location of the Admiralty Head Lighthouse, which was built in 1860. Later, Fort Casey was built atop Red Bluff during the Spanish-American war to protect the entrance to Puget Sound. The original lighthouse was demolished during the construction of the fort, and a new structure of the same height was erected in its place in 1903. With a 41 foot tower, the light shines 127 feet above sea level. The lighthouse was deactivated and abandoned in 1927, and the New Dungeness Lighthouse inherited its Fourth Order Fresnel lens. The Army renovated the lighthouse during World War II to use as personnel quarters, and then after the war as a training facility for the K-9 dog program. Later, Fort Casey and the lighthouse were acquired by Washington state and incorporated into the state's public park system

• A T T R I B U T E S •

Location:	On the west side of Whidbey Island overlooking the north entrance of Puget Sound.
Year built:	1861
Form:	Conical tower
Composition:	Brick and stucco
Markings:	White w/ a red roof, black roof on tower
Height:	41 feet
Present Optic:	None
Original Optic:	Fourth Order Fresnel
Focal Plane:	127 feet above sea level
Visibility:	16 miles

• S T A T U S •

The lighthouse is on Fort Casey State Park and is accessible to the public. Tours of the interior are available on Wednesdays and weekends, conducted by volunteers. Restored by the Parks Commission, it is being used as an interpretive center.

• D I R E C T I O N S •

Admiralty Head Lighthouse is located in Fort Casey State Park near the Keystone ferry slip, a few miles outside of Coupeville, WA on Whidbey Island.

From Seattle: head North on I-5 or Highway 99 to State Route 525. Follow the signs to the Mukilteo Ferry. You'll land on the south end of Whidbey Island. Continue following State Route 525 to State Route 20. Follow the signs for Fort Casey State Park.

• W A L L P A P E R •

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