Fort Casey (Coupeville, Island County, Washington)
Coupeville, Island County · Washington · Late 19th century coastal defense
History & Significance
Fort Casey was named for Brigadier General Thomas Lincoln Casey, U.S. Army Chief of Engineers. Designed as part of the massive modernization program of U.S. seacoast fortifications initiated by the Endicott Board, construction on Fort Casey began in 1897.
In 1897, the government purchased an additional 123 acres of land from Dr. John C. Kellogg for $7,200 to build extra gun emplacements. The contract to construct the gun emplacements was awarded to Maney, Goerig and Rydstrom Construction Company of Everett and work started in August 1897.
Fort Casey was armed with 35 artillery pieces: seven 10-inch disappearing guns, six 6-inch disappearing guns, two 5-inch balanced pillar guns, four 3-inch pedestal guns and sixteen 12-inch mortars. Fort Casey was used as training facility during World War I (1917-1919), readying soldiers for combat in Europe.
Thirteen of the fort's 34 artillery pieces were dismantled and shipped to European battlefields. During World War II (1941-1945) the Army reactivated Fort Casey as an induction center and troop training facility, and the fort's gun emplacements were rearmed with anti-aircraft guns.
On June 30, 1953, Fort Casey was officially deactivated. The Department of Defense declared the facility government surplus, transferring the property to GSA for disposal. In 1955, Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission acquired 100 acres of Fort Casey's battery area for use as a state park and historical monument.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- Preserved concrete gun emplacements and disappearing artillery from 1890s coastal defense
- Admiralty Head Lighthouse overlooking Puget Sound
- 999-acre state park with walking trails and beach access
- Late 19th-century fortification architecture and bunkers
- Water views from strategic bluff location
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Casey
- https://parks.wa.gov/find-parks/state-parks/fort-casey-historical-state-park
- https://parks.wa.gov/about/news-center/field-guide-blog/fort-casey-historical-state-park-history
- https://www.historylink.org/file/7524