The Mukilteo Light is an operational navigation aid located on the east side of Possession Sound at Mukilteo, Snohomish County, Washington, in the United States.[3][4] It is owned and operated by the City of Mukilteo as part of Mukilteo Lighthouse Park. The lighthouse is listed on the Washington State Heritage Register and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.[5]

Mukilteo Light
Map
LocationMukilteo, Washington
Coordinates47°56′55″N 122°18′16″W / 47.94861°N 122.30444°W / 47.94861; -122.30444[1]
Tower
Constructed1905-06
FoundationSurface
ConstructionWood
Automated1979
Height38 feet (12 m)
ShapeOctagonal
HeritageNational Register of Historic Places listed place Edit this on Wikidata
Light
First lit1906
Focal height33 feet (10 m)
LensFourth order Fresnel lens
CharacteristicWhite flash every 5 s
Mukilteo Light Station
Nearest cityMukilteo, Washington
Built1906 (1906)
ArchitectLeick, Carl W.
Architectural styleLate 19th and 20th century Revivals: Colonial Revival/Classical Revival
NRHP reference No.77001360[2]
Added to NRHPOctober 21, 1977

History

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Construction of the lighthouse began in 1905, using the Carl Leick design also seen in the second Ediz Hook lighthouse and Oregon's Cape Arago lighthouse. It was built of wood, while most other lighthouses of the era were constructed using brick and concrete.[6] The lighthouse became operational in 1906, using a revolving Fresnel lens that was manufactured in France in 1852.[7][8] In 1927, the original lens was replaced with the fixed (non-rotating) fourth-order Fresnel lens which is still in use. The lighthouse and a modern fog signal were automated in 1979, and in 1981, a remote fog sensor was installed.

The two Victorian-style homes on the property were used by Coast Guard personnel until 1996. The entire complex was renovated by the Mukilteo city government in the 1990s for use as a museum.[9]

On August 19, 2001, the U.S. Coast Guard turned over ownership of the lighthouse to the City of Mukilteo.[10][11][12] It is the centerpiece of Mukilteo Lighthouse Park, with the grounds and interior open to the public.[13] The Mukilteo Historical Society maintains the lighthouse and its associated museum exhibits.[14]

References

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  1. ^ "Mukilteo Lighthouse". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  3. ^ "MukilteoLight". Inventory of Historic Light Stations: Washington Lighthouses. National Park Service. Archived from the original on April 17, 2004. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  4. ^ "Mukilteo Light". Lighthouse Digest. Lighthouse Explorer. Foghorn Publishing. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  5. ^ "National Register of Historic Places Nomination and Registration Forms". National Park Service. October 21, 1977. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  6. ^ "Mukilteo, WA". Lighthousefriends. Retrieved May 5, 2010.
  7. ^ McDougall, Connie (August 7, 2003). "Lighthouse is a landmark in small town's history". The Seattle Times. p. G6.
  8. ^ Wille, Chris (August 12, 2001). "Modesty reigns in Mukilteo". The Spokesman-Review. p. H3.
  9. ^ Archipley, Paul (August 22, 2001). "IT'S OFFICIAL: City owns the light station". Mukilteo Beacon. Vol. 10, no. 8. pp. 1, 12. Retrieved February 23, 2021 – via Google News.
  10. ^ "Historic Overview of the Light Station". Mukilteo Historical Society. Archived from the original on April 1, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  11. ^ Rowlett, Russ (October 19, 2014). "Lighthouses of the United States: Washington". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  12. ^ "Lighthouse Park". City of Mukilteo. Archived from the original on April 23, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  13. ^ "Mukilteo Historical Society". Mukilteo Historical Society. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
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