Thursday, November 26, 2009

Washington’s Lighthouses: Point No Point

The Point No Point Lighthouse, built in 1879, is considered to be the oldest lighthouse on Puget Sound. A visit to the lighthouse and the surrounding beach park makes for a great day trip. For info on lighthouse tours, see Friends of Point No Point Lighthouse.

Point No Point Lighthouse
The lighthouse is located on the northeast point of the Kitsap Peninsula and overlooks the main shipping lane in Puget Sound.

Point No Point: shipping lane
The lighthouse is part of the 61-acre Point No Point Park, which includes a half-mile accessible shoreline. Along the sandy beach, you can find all sorts of washed up items, including logging debris.

Point No Point: log washed up on the beach
On your way to Point No Point Park you might want to stop and take a look at the unique architecture of the boat house on NE Point No Point Road. The house is the actual bridge of a U.S. naval ship, the M/V Jupiter Inlet.

Point No Point: tug boat house
History of Point No Point
From the northern tip of the Kitsap Peninsula, a low sand spit extends east for over a quarter of a mile into the waters where Admiralty Inlet and Puget Sound come together. In 1841, Charles Wilkes of the U.S. Exploring Expedition approached the spit thinking it was a substantial point. On finding that it was much smaller than he had expected, Wilkes named the spit Point No Point.

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Previously, Native Americans had given the point a more descriptive name - Hahd-skus, meaning long nose. The Point No Point Treaty was signed on the spit in 1855 by Territorial Governor Isaac Stevens and leaders of the Chimacum, Skokomish and S'Klallam tribes.

Point No Point: treaty marker
Renting Out the Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage
With the cooperation of the U.S. Lighthouse Society, Kitsap County Parks, and thePoint No Point: vacation rental Friends of Point No Point, the historic lighthouse keeper's home is available as a vacation rental. Come and experience the century-old history this unique property has to offer by spending time as keepers of the light. However, unlike the lighthouse keepers of days gone by, you won’t have any bothersome lighthouse duties to attend to! For more info, see Vacation at the Point No Point Lighthouse.

Redmond Library Board

1 comment:

Bob Yoder said...

Very well done. Thank you!!

It reminded my of a trip my family took years ago to the lighthouse.

As I recall, the salmon fishing can me very good on the point.

Bob