Why does this beacon stand so proudly? The West Point Light has been a steadfast guide for mariners entering and leaving Seattle since 1881. It stands as a sentinel at the northern entrance of Elliott Bay.
Imagine a time long before Seattle’s towering skyline. The Duwamish, Suquamish, Tulalip, and Muckleshoot nations thrived here. They called this point PKa’dz Eltue, meaning “thrusts far out”. In 1841, Lieutenant Charles Wilkes renamed it West Point.
The Lighthouse Board recognized the need for a navigation aid in 1879. They envisioned fog signals guiding ships safely. Construction soon began on West Point Light.
The original station featured a square brick tower covered in stucco. It stood only 23 feet tall. The lantern room housed a fourth-order Fresnel lens. This lens, crafted in Paris, focused the light. A weight-driven mechanism rotated the lens every two minutes. This created the characteristic red and white flashes. The West Point Light began operation in November 1881.
Initially, a 1,600-pound fog bell warned ships. However, it proved ineffective. A steam whistle replaced it. Later, in 1906, a Daboll trumpet fog signal was installed. Compressed air powered the trumpet. It blasted a three-second signal every thirty seconds. Today, mariners can activate the foghorn. They key their radio mic five times on channel 81A. The horn operates for thirty minutes.
Life at West Point Light could be lonely. The keepers’ quarters were in a Cape Cod-style cottage. Electricity didn’t arrive until 1926. There was no road initially. One visitor described the isolation. “It might be that the lighthouse was on an island in the Pacific”.
George T. Fonda served as head keeper for nearly 25 years. He faced thick fog and fierce gales. Keepers maintained the light and fog signal daily. They even assisted ships in distress.
Tragedy struck the station. In 1902, an assistant keeper’s wife was found dead on the beach. In 1913, Assistant Keeper James E. Shaw drowned. He fell overboard from a boat near West Point Light.
Louis A. Pettersen, another keeper, rescued a drowning man in 1915. He rowed through violent seas to save him. Pettersen was awarded the efficiency flag for his meticulous service.
The opening of the Lake Washington Ship Canal in 1917 increased traffic. More vessels passed West Point Light.
In 1985, West Point Light became the last automated lighthouse in Washington.
Today, the West Point Light remains a vital aid to navigation. It is part of Discovery Park. The lighthouse is a popular destination for visitors. It continues to flash its alternating red and white signal. It guides mariners through the Salish Sea. The West Point Light stands as a testament to maritime history and enduring service.