Admiralty Head Lighthouse

Nineteenth century mariners coming into Puget Sound from the Pacific Ocean needed to know where the Strait of Juan de Fuca ended and the sound began. The government lit the light on Admiralty Head for the first time on January 21, 1861, using whale oil for the lamp. The fourth-order Fresnel lens dispersed the light over a 270-degree area up to 16 miles out at sea. In 1897, the government bought an additional 123 acres adjoining the lighthouse for a coastal defense base dubbed Fort Casey. The army moved the lighthouse to its present location to make room for 10-inch guns.

The new lighthouse was finished in 1903, using a Spanish architectural style. The adjacent home was said to be among the most comfortable homes in the area with its indoor bathroom and laundry room. As steam replaced sail, routes into Puget Sound changed, and the light at Admiralty Head was no longer needed. In 1994, Washington State University Extension – Island County proposed housing the Lighthouse Environmental Programs in exchange for volunteers keeping the lighthouse open to the public. The Keepers of Admiralty Head Lighthouse is a membership group which raises money for restoration and enhancement projects in the lighthouse. The lighthouse is located in Fort Casey State Park.