New Dungeness Lighthouse
Encyclopedia
New Dungeness lighthouse was first lit on 1857 and was the second lighthouse established in the Washington territory. The original New Dungeness lighthouse was a 1 ½ story duplex with a tower rising from the roof. The tower stood at 100 feet painted black on the top half and white on the lower section.
Over time, the tower developed structural cracks from the artillery at nearby forts. In 1927, the cracks in the tower were so severe that the lighthouse inspector feared that the tower would topple. It was decided that year that the tower would be lowered to it current height of 67 feet. With the new tower dimensions, the original 3rd order Fresnel lens was too large for the tower. To save costs, the lantern room from the decommissioned Admiralty Head lighthouse
was removed and placed atop the shorter tower. The newly painted tower was relit with a revolving 4th order Fresnel Lens.
In the mid-1970s the Coast Guard decided to remove the Fresnel lens and decided to test a DCB airport style beacon. The beacon only lasted a few years until it was replaced by a much smaller AGA-acrylic revolving beacon that provided the same range as the DCB, but with a 150-watt bulb instead of the 1,000-watt DCB bulb. In 1998 the Coast Guard replaced the AGA with a newer Vega Rotating beacon.
In 1994, the Dungeness Lighthouse was one of the few lighthouses in the United States to have a full-time keeper. Michelle and Seth Jackson and their dog Chicago were the last to hold post as lighthouse keepers. In march of '94 the Coast Guard boarded up all the windows at the station, checked all the electrical equipment and left. The station didn't stay boarded up long. Within months, the United States Lighthouse Society started the New Dungeness chapter and were able to secure a lease from the Coast Guard. The station has been completely restored.
Today, the lighthouse is manned weekly by society members who pay a fee to stay at the light.
Henry Blake
was the first keeper of this lighthouse. The USCG Coastal Buoy Tender
WLM-563 Henry Blake based in Everett, Washington
is named after him.
Over time, the tower developed structural cracks from the artillery at nearby forts. In 1927, the cracks in the tower were so severe that the lighthouse inspector feared that the tower would topple. It was decided that year that the tower would be lowered to it current height of 67 feet. With the new tower dimensions, the original 3rd order Fresnel lens was too large for the tower. To save costs, the lantern room from the decommissioned Admiralty Head lighthouse
Admiralty Head Lighthouse
The Admiralty Head Light is a lighthouse located in Fort Casey State Park near Coupeville on Whidbey Island, Washington.Admiralty Head is the east entrance point of Admiralty Inlet and the southeast extremity of a succession of light bare bluffs which extend north of Point Partridge, where they...
was removed and placed atop the shorter tower. The newly painted tower was relit with a revolving 4th order Fresnel Lens.
In the mid-1970s the Coast Guard decided to remove the Fresnel lens and decided to test a DCB airport style beacon. The beacon only lasted a few years until it was replaced by a much smaller AGA-acrylic revolving beacon that provided the same range as the DCB, but with a 150-watt bulb instead of the 1,000-watt DCB bulb. In 1998 the Coast Guard replaced the AGA with a newer Vega Rotating beacon.
In 1994, the Dungeness Lighthouse was one of the few lighthouses in the United States to have a full-time keeper. Michelle and Seth Jackson and their dog Chicago were the last to hold post as lighthouse keepers. In march of '94 the Coast Guard boarded up all the windows at the station, checked all the electrical equipment and left. The station didn't stay boarded up long. Within months, the United States Lighthouse Society started the New Dungeness chapter and were able to secure a lease from the Coast Guard. The station has been completely restored.
Today, the lighthouse is manned weekly by society members who pay a fee to stay at the light.
Henry Blake
Henry Blake (lighthouse keeper)
Henry Blake was the first New Dungeness Lighthouse keeper.A USCG Coastal Buoy Tender WLM-563 based in Everett, Washington is named after him.-External links:*http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-a/awl/bclass/wlm/hblakebio.htm*...
was the first keeper of this lighthouse. The USCG Coastal Buoy Tender
USCG Coastal Buoy Tender
The United States Coast Guard commissioned a new Keeper-class of coastal buoy tenders in the 1990s that are 175 feet in length and named after Lighthouse keepers.Keeper Class cutters serve the Coast Guard in a variety of missions...
WLM-563 Henry Blake based in Everett, Washington
Everett, Washington
Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...
is named after him.