From the church bell to the lighthouse (Point · Wilson)

On June 20, 1878, Congress deducted $ 8.000 for light and fog signals, but since both of the money is not enough, only the fog signal was created. On March 3, 1879, an additional $ 12,000 was allocated to the station. On September 1, 1879, a 12-inch steam whistle installed in the signal building was activated, giving a blast of 8 seconds per minute.

In 1879 the lighthouse was built at $ 923 and the lenses used at point Bonita California were set up.

The lighthouse was a 12 foot square tower, 46 feet high from the roof of a two-story couch. Fixed white light was able to see up to 13 miles. Mariner thanked the new light and fog signal very much, expressing a feeling on 15th December 1879.

In 1894, the light changed every 20 seconds with a red flash from fixed white to fixed white. In the same year an oil well of galvanized iron was built on the site of the lighthouse.

The first keeper was David M Littlefield, a local resident and a veteran of war. He was taking a lighthouse for $ 800 for four years until he returned to Port Townsend and served as a councilor and customs collector.

Whether to believe it or not, was often a shortage of water. That's because Port Townsend is sitting in the rain shadow behind the Olympic Mountains, and in the summer it is raining hardly. Water was necessary to operate the steam whistle. It was collected in a cistern sump and stored in a brick tank.

On September 29, 1896, Stumer Umatila departed from Victoria British Columbia for Pugget Sound. There was a dense fog, and Point Wilson's signal was not working due to lack of water. A ship with a length of 310 feet frequently sounded its flute and navigated by listening to an echo to determine the distance to landing. About one mile west of Point · Wilson, they thrust a rock. Captain JC Hunter could float the steamship again and decided to go to Port Townsend. However, the impact punctured the hull, water began to flood. Captain Hunter recognized the danger and intentionally fled the ship of hundreds of yards from Point Wilson Lighthouse. I lowered the bow anchor to hold the ship in place. All the passengers were lowered safely, but the ship had damages of about $ 100,000. Captain Hunter and his pilot were quoted for "overstateness".

In 1917 during the First World War, all the lighthouse holders were urged to cultivate their own vegetables in anticipation of food shortages. Lighthouse keeper William Thomas agreed and sent the next letter to the inspector of the lighthouse after harvest.

"Teacher: Here I posted some samples of the vegetables I brought up at the station, there are failures, beans after 4 times planting, 4 gallons of beans and 2 gallon of canned good, but small amount , Of course the space is limited) bid) due to some confusion.

Keeper Thomas received praise for his efforts in gardening. In the National Archives, the bulbs of potatoes harvested from sandy soil, palinip, garlic and garlic are shown.

On April 1, 1921, the keeper Thomas & he heard the terrible noise and knew it was in trouble. He called Port Townsend and asked for help.

The noise he heard was that passenger liner Admiralty Line Governor confronted the West Hartland cargo ship. A 417-foot passenger liner was arrested by Seattle from Victoria. It was attacked when a cargo ship was rolling up Port Townsend.

During World War II, Point Wilson 's light was erased to protect the entrance to Fort Wardon and Puget Sound.

Later accident report concluded that the governor's pilot failed to turn right as the cargo ship's running light thought it was a fixed light at Marrowstone Point. The collision was a governor's hull and became a 10-foot gash. The captain of West Heartland orders full speed forward to maintain hold, but to no avail. The governor started sinking into the water of 240 feet, but all but eight of the passengers were able to scramble with a cargo ship.

The explanation of the next accident

Lighthouse Keeper Thomas:

"It was just 12:05 that I heard the crash this morning, when I headed in the direction of the sound I saw the West Heartland hit the starboard side of the governor with my nose.I immediately called the Port Townsend I tried to get the coast guard cutter, Arcata and Snohomish, but neither of them had left the harbor.

Point Wilson's light was automated in 1976 and is being monitored today at the Coast Guard Base computer at Port / Angeles.

Point Wilson Light is an active aid to navigation in Fort Wardon State Park near Port Townsend in Jefferson County, Washington State. Wikipedia

Address: 200 Battery Way, Port Townsend, WA 98368

Height: 46 '# 39;

Open: 1879

Phone number: (360) 344 - 4412

Construction: Concrete