In March of 1778 Captain James Cook sailed the waters of the North Washington Coastline where there was an opening along the coastline. He named the spot Cape Flattery due to the fact he believed he had been flattered into pondering it was a passage into The Strait of Juan de Fuca. In his logbook he wrote “In this quite latitude geographers have positioned the pretended Strait of Juan de Fuca. But practically nothing of that variety offered itself to our perspective, nor is it probable that any these point ever existed.”
Ten years later Captain John Meares managed to verify the existence of the Strait of Juan de Fuca when he visited a small island that sits about a half mile off Cape Flattery. There he met Tatooche, chief of the Makah Indians. He named the island just after Chief Tatooche. The chief utilized the island as his base all through summers when he hunted whales and caught salmon.
In 1850 William McArthur experienced just completed surveying the west coastline and suggested a lighthouse be proven on Tatooche Island. In this way the vessels could enter the strait at night and not have to hold out right until daylight. In 1854 Congress was convinced to allocate $39,000 to make lighthouses on Tatoosh Island and on New Dungeness Spit. The authorities experienced paid out $30,000 for all of the Makah’s classic lands except for a small reservation at Neah Bay.
The Makah Indians have been quite indignant with the white persons who ordered their land and gave the construction crew a hostile reception. This was due to the fact quite a few hundred of the Indians had been killed by an outbreak of smallpox in 1853 introduced on by the ailment bearing “Bostons”. Throughout the summer time the Indians continued to use the island for fishing and whale hunting. In buy to defend them selves the development crew developed a blockhouse of rough-hewn timbers right before they began development on the lighthouse. There was constantly just one member of the crew on guard duty but there ended up no far more problems with the Indians other than a few lacking resources and materials.
On December 28, 1857 the to start with-get Louis Sauter Fresnel lens mild was to start with illuminated in the sixty-six foot tower of Cape Flattery lighthouse. This tower was taller than most of the Cape-Cod-Model lighthouses. Its white light-weight had a focal airplane 162 toes above the sea. Cape Flattery lighthouse was the fourteenth founded on the west coastline.
The spend for a lighthouse keeper was lousy and the weather conditions disorders have been depressing.creating lots of keepers to resign. In 1861 there was a customer to the island who saw the rundown ailment of the lighthouse. He observed the leaky roof and the moss developing on within walls. Wind even blew across the chimney triggering smoke to invade the residing quarters. The keepers ended up provided with extra gas and the district engineer was commanded to locate a long lasting remedy.
In 1873, immediately after quite a few decades of deplorable circumstances and inept keepers, the lighthouse dwelling was declared “not fit to be occupied” as the partitions were moldy all yr very long. Congress appropriated $18,000 to create a new duplex with six rooms on each individual side. The rooms in the lighthouse which had been formerly keepers quarters were being now currently being employed for storage.
Some pretty fascinating items transpired on this island. Francis James was the to start with principal keeper. One working day he turned angry with an assistant and threw coffee in his encounter. The two adult men decided to settle the argument with a gunfight. They took a few shots at each and every other, identified as it a draw and shook palms. Later on, one more assistant confessed to eliminating the bullets.
Thanks to the “frollicking” character of the bachelor keepers it was resolved that keepers with family members ended up far more dependable and in 1894, with households coming onto the island, it was established that much more residing space was needed. and the lighthouse was the moment all over again manufactured livable.
Oct 27,1900 assistant keeper Nels Nelson and Frank Reif lost their lives in a small boat throughout a storm. Their bodies were identified above a week later on Vancouver Island.
In 1900 John W Cowan and his wife and 7 small children arrived at the lighthouse and stayed on for 32 a long time encountering several thrilling instances. The young children attended school in Portland whilst staying with family members. They expended the summers at dwelling on the island with their dad and mom. At some point there ended up adequate little ones on the island to warrant a university.
On February 18, 1911 Cowan noticed a vessel having difficulties in offended seas among Tatoosh Island and Neah Bay. He was able to rescue two navy radio gentlemen, but was unable to preserve a few other people including his very own son Forrest.
There is a story, not confirmed, that a seventy-mile-for every-hour gale strike the island in 1921. It blew Mr. Cowan across the island for about 300 ft though he clung to vegetation in advance of crawling to protection. The family’s bull was mentioned as “missing at sea”. Anyone was incredibly amazed and plied him with added rations when he swam ashore.
The Cowan loved ones was evidently a great deal beloved. When they left the island after retiring in September of 1932 their fellow islanders have been in tears.
Second Assistant Keeper Ole Rasmussen was a further casualty when returning to the island in a little boat. Weighty swells capsized his craft and he was struck in the head.
The temperature station was closed in 1966. 1977 introduced automation of the light station. A present day beacon was installed to exchange the tower’s Fresnel lens in 1996
The Makah Indian Tribe now controls the decommissioned Cape Flattery Lighthouse and the island.
It is perfectly worth the trip to drive to Neah Bay, get out of the auto and hike the o.75 miles to the suggestion of the cape wherever you can see Tatoosh Island and the lighthouse. This takes place to be the western most place in the continental US.
In Port Angeles you can take a look at the Museum at 207 South Lincoln Street where by you can see the fourth-order Fresnel lens that was utilized at Cape Flattery. The museum hours are Wednesday by way of Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m.
