Fort Flagler Historical State Park
The parade ground at Fort Flagler State Park, with the hospital building (left) and ranger residence (middle) in the background.
Map showing the location of Fort Flagler Historical State Park
Map showing the location of Fort Flagler Historical State Park
Location in the state of Washington
Map showing the location of Fort Flagler Historical State Park
Map showing the location of Fort Flagler Historical State Park
Fort Flagler State Park (the United States)
LocationJefferson, Washington, United States
Coordinates48°05′50″N 122°41′42″W / 48.09722°N 122.69500°W / 48.09722; -122.69500[1]
Area1,451 acres (5.87 km2)
Elevation102 ft (31 m)[1]
Established1955
OperatorWashington State Parks and Recreation Commission
WebsiteFort Flagler State Park
Fort Flagler
Gun emplacement at Fort Flagler
LocationJefferson County, SE of Port Townsend on Marrowstone Island
Nearest cityPort Townsend, Washington
NRHP reference No.76001882
Added to NRHPMay 3, 1976

Fort Flagler State Park is a public recreation area that occupies the site of Fort Flagler, a former United States Army fort at the northern end of Marrowstone Island in Washington.[2] The state park occupies 1,451 acres (587 ha) at the entrance to Admiralty Inlet and the Marrowstone Point Light lying adjacent. Port Townsend is visible to the northwest, the cranes at the Navy base on Indian Island to the west, and Whidbey Island to the east across Admiralty Inlet. Flagler Road (SR 116) terminates at the park entrance.

History

Fort Flagler was a Coast Artillery fort that along with Fort Worden and Fort Casey once guarded Admiralty Inlet, the nautical entrance to Puget Sound as part of a "Triangle of Fire" defensive plan. Admiralty Inlet was considered so strategic to the defense of Puget Sound that the three forts were placed at the entrance with huge guns creating a "triangle of fire." This military strategy was built on the theory that the three fortresses would thwart any invasion attempt by sea.[3][4] Fort Flagler was established in 1897 and activated in 1899. The post was named for Brigadier General Daniel Webster Flagler, an American Civil War veteran who served as the Army's Chief of Ordnance. The fort was closed in June 1953.[5][6][7] The property was purchased as a state park in 1955.[2]


Amenities and activities

Ranger at the park, and the Olympic Mountains

Fort Flagler has hiking and biking trails, campsites, group campsites, boat launches, and historical buildings where visitors can stay - the Hospital Steward's House, the Waterway House, and the North and South Non-Commissioned Officers' Quarters. The park's museum features exhibits about the history of the fort. Guided tours of the historic fort buildings can be arranged in advance.[2] The park plays host to the annual conferences and meetings of many area cultural and athletic groups.[8] Since 2020 the park has a new sea kayak eco-tourism company called Olympic Kayak Tours.


References

  1. 1 2 "Fort Flagler State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. 1 2 3 "Fort Flagler State Park". Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  3. ↑ McClary, Daryl C. (November 11, 2005). "Triangle of Fire - The Harbor Defenses of Puget Sound (1897-1953)". The Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History. HistoryLink. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Fort Flagler". Coast Defense Study Group. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  5. ↑ Marge Mueller, Ted Mueller, Washington State Parks: A Complete Recreation Guide, 2004, page 51
  6. ↑ Richard E. Osborne, World War II Sites in the United States: A Tour Guide & Directory, 1996, page 278
  7. ↑ Washington State Adjutant General, The Official History of the Washington National Guard: Washington National Guard in World War I, 1961, page 454
  8. ↑ From 1958 to 1989 it was home to the Seattle Youth Symphony's Pacific Northwest Music Camp and Marrowstone Music Festival every August. A film "1812 Overture" was filmed on location there in 1974. Every August, the Kamiak Show Band holds its annual "band camp," during which band members learn new music, prepare for the upcoming marching band season, and rehearse in sessions enjoyed by members of the visiting public. Newport High School (Bellevue, Washington) also holds a cross-country camp at Fort Flagler for one week during the summer. Eastside Catholic High School juniors and seniors take a trip to Fort Flagler for the Destiny retreat. Seattle Girls Choir has their annual "Choir Camp" during the first weekend in August. This is a time for all three of the upper level choirs to have intensive music instruction in an environment that is fun and enjoyable United Methodist Youth from the Seattle/Tacoma district enjoy a weekend retreat there in mid-late fall. The neo-pagan Aquarian Tabernacle Church performs a modern Eleusinian Mysteries play here over Easter weekend each year.
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