Photos: The history of Pacific Northwest lighthouses | Seattle Refined

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<p>Waves curl and crash just beneath the cliffside Cape Disappointment Lighthouse in Ilwaco, WA. It’s hard to image how a sight like this could be disappointing, but long before there were lighthouses along the Long Beach Peninsula, high waves and dense visibility claimed many ships entering the mouth of the Columbia River, thus earning the name "Graveyard of the Pacific." (Image:{ }Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)</p>

The oldest lighthouse in Washington, Cape Disappointment Lighthouse, opened in 1856, standing at 53 feet tall and used to provide navigational aid to marine traffic entering from the south. Uniquely, a 1,600-pound bronze bell once issued a fog warning but was discontinued shortly after due to the discovery of dead spots. Several renovations occurred over decades, including updated rotational lights in 1950, full automation in 1998 with lights shining 17 miles out to sea, and a new black and white stripe paint design. (Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

Cape Disappointment State Park features two "postcard picture" lighthouses: Cape Disappointment Lighthouse and North Head Lighthouse. Seen here at sunset, the century-old North Head Lighthouse is about a six-minute drive from Cape Disappointment Lighthouse located inside the state park and guides marine traffic approaching from the north.{ }(Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

Completed in 1898, North Head Lighthouse became the main navigational aid at the convergence of the Columbia River and Pacific Ocean due to the need for a second beacon - and due to the sheer amount of shipwrecks in the area. Today, the fully automated, 66-foot tall lighthouse with Cape Cod influence sits on a beautiful bluff offering visitors a glimpse of the Pacific and migrating whales if you’re lucky. (Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

Nestled on a sandy point extending out into the Puget Sound, the West Point Light, commonly known as the Discovery Park Lighthouse, provides active navigation to Seattle’s maritime traffic at West Point. (Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

Opened in 1881, and decades later fully automated in 1985, the 23-foot stucco and brick structure is listed on the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. Today, the Victorian-era beacon is one of Seattle’s most visited areas inside Discovery Park. (Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

The sun sets on the Mukilteo Lighthouse as ferry traffic drifts by the small Victorian-style, operational light station, flashing a steady, navigational beam every five seconds. (Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

Opened in 1906, the Mukilteo Light Station featured a unique design, built of wood rather than brick and concrete, and created an aesthetic other lighthouses in the Pacific Northwest would soon adopt. (Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

Fully automated in 1979, the 38-foot tall Mukilteo lighthouse and fog signal can now be seen inside Mukilteo Lighthouse Park. In 2001, the U.S. Coast Guard granted ownership of the beacon to the city of Mukilteo. (Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

Take a drive to Westport, Washington and visit the tallest lighthouse in the state. Nestled between tall trees, the Grays Harbor Lighthouse towers above at 107 feet tall. Opened in 1898, the lighthouse provided a navigational beacon just 300 feet from the water, but was moved to its current spot in the early 1900s due to accretion - now about 3,000 feet from high tide.{ }(Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

Guests can purchase a $5 ticket and step inside the tower for a closer look. Head up the spiral staircase to the lantern room, 135 steps to the very top. If you’re afraid of heights, just don’t look down. (Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

Enjoy a 360-degree view of the Pacific Ocean while standing beside the original 1895 Fresnel lens built in Paris, France. While the original lens was deactivated from use in 1992, a new rotational light was installed on the balcony that shines a beam for 19 miles. (Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

Fans of art deco should take a quick trip down to Tacoma to visit Browns Point Lighthouse situated on Commencement Bay. But the design wasn’t always this modern. In 1887, the lighthouse was simply constructed from a 12-foot white post topped with a white light lantern lens. (Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

In 1901, the Browns Point lantern post was officially built into a wooden structure lighthouse. Decades later, in 1933, the lighthouse was renovated into a 34 foot tall, concrete masterpiece with all the art deco goodness, and fully automated in 1963. (Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

Point No Point Lighthouse is situated on the Kitsap Peninsula of the Puget Sound and still provides active navigational aid today. Opened in 1879, the first light signal was created using a kerosene lamp, and then upgraded to a Fresnel lens in 1880. (Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

Fully automated to a rotating beacon in 1977, the keeper’s quarters were reserved for the Coast Guard. But today, you can traverse the sandy beaches or stay overnight in one of the United States Lighthouse Society’s vacation rentals: a large Historic Keeper’s Quarters or the one-bedroom Keeper John Maggs’ House. (Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

For fans of Washington state parks, especially ones that are claimed to be the most haunted, take a trip to Fort Worden State Park near Port Townsend. Point Wilson Lighthouse, considered one of the most important navigational beacons in the state, was built in 1879 by the United States Lighthouse Service to preside over the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Admiralty Inlet and the Puget Sound. (Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

In 1913, the structure required renovation and was transformed into its current Cape Cod-inspired design standing at 49 feet tall. (Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

While the lighthouse is still owned and operated by the U.S. Coast Guard, as of 2020, the United States Lighthouse Society now offers overnight stays in a renovated, four-bedroom, two-bath chief’s quarters vacation rental. (Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

The smallest, working lighthouse in Washington state is just a 10-minute drive from Tacoma. At 15 feet tall, Gig Harbor Lighthouse was built in 1988 to provide casual boaters a private navigational aid. To get a closer look, rent a kayak in the nearby marina and paddle right up to the sandy shore. (Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

At first glance, Dimick Lighthouse in Port Townsend looks a lot like the 1906 Mukilteo Light Station — and that’s because it was specifically designed that way. But don’t be fooled, this isn’t a lighthouse at all, it’s a frequently-photographed, private residence. (Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

Built in 1990, the Dimick Lighthouse was built as a Victorian-style vacation home for the Dimick family and features a 50-foot tower that overlooks the ferry landing. (Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

While not technically a lighthouse, Fourmile Rock Light is certainly something to be seen, especially if traveling by boat. Situated in the intertidal zone just blow Magnolia Bluff in Seattle, this large glacial boulder sits unmoved on the beach and features a navigational marker and green light on top. (Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

When the tide is at its lowest, walk right up to the boulder and marvel at its size. Or visit at high tide to see just how much water covers the massive stone. (Image: Rachael Jones / Seattle Refined)

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