Fort Townsend, Washington — History & Visitor Guide

Fort Townsend (Jefferson County, Washington)

Jefferson County · Washington · Indian Wars

Quick BriefFort Townsend was established October 26, 1856, on the orders of Lt Colonel Silas Casey. Under the command of Major Granville O. Haller, with a garrison of 82 officers and men from the Fourth Infantry and a detachment of artillery, to safeguard American settlers during the Yakima Indian War, the post served intermittently for nearly four decades. The troops abandoned the post and moved to Fort Vancouver on March 6, 1895.

Coastal defenseOpen to visitors

History & Significance

Port Townsend had become the US Customs Port of Entry in 1854, and was growing into what would be, until the 1880s, one of the principal cities of Washington Territory. Its location by a primary maritime entry point into the territory made it a logical choice for the construction of a military base.

Poor communication at the treaty councils and provocations by territorial officials and local settlers afterwards led to armed conflict between allied tribes against US government forces and volunteer militias. Most of the conflict took place in the southern reaches of Puget Sound, and largely ended after an engagement in Seattle ("the Battle of Seattle") on January 26, 1856.

The land on which it was built had not technically been ceded by its Indigenous owners, as the Point No Point Treaty was not ratified by the US Senate until April 29, 1859. A boundary dispute with Britain over the jurisdiction of the San Juan Islands (the "Pig War") caused most of the personnel from Fort Townsend to be ordered into duty on San Juan Island on July 9, 1859.

The fort was closed between 1859 and 1874, declared "unfit" after an inspection by an army headquarters commander from Columbia. Reopened in 1874, the fort thrived until 1895 when fire destroyed the barracks.

The property was used as an enemy-munitions defusing station during World War II. State Parks took custody of the premises in 1953.

Key Facts

StateWashington

LocationJefferson County

Established1856

Decommissioned1895

War / eraIndian Wars

Current statusState or National Park

Coordinates48.07333333, -122.7894444

Map

Loading map…

🧳 Visiting

What you’ll see when you visit:

1856 Army fort site with remaining structures and ruins
Hiking trails through 435-acre park
Port Townsend Bay waterfront and shoreline access
Indian Wars–era military history exhibits
WWII munitions defusing station repurposed grounds

Best time to visitSpring (April–May) and fall (September–October) offer mild weather; Pacific Northwest summers are generally dry, though winters are rainy.

Getting thereFly into NUW (Whidbey Island Naval Air Station), about 32 km away, and drive to Port Townsend in Jefferson County, Washington.

From the nearest major airportSeattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA)🚗 97 mi by road⏱️ ≈ 2 hr 21 min drive

Fort Townsend (Jefferson County, Washington)

History & Significance

Key Facts

Map

🧳 Visiting

Sources

Other Forts in Washington

Explore Other States