Fort Casey Update: October 28, 2017

-Saturday, August 18, 2018 has been selected as the date to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the reinstallation of the 3-inch and 10-inch guns at Fort Casey as well as dedicating the new interpretative project.  State Parks is coordinating the event and actively searching for any participants present at Fort Casey in August 1968.  Your CDSG Whidbey Representative and Fort Casey Volunteer Battalion is sponsoring an add on event the evening of August 17^th.  The plan includes a BBQ and a twilight fort tour, gun emplacements illuminated with installed electric lights and original type Dietz Vesta lanterns.

-The 10-inch guns Sighting platforms and support beams have been deemed unsafe due to age and deterioration so have been removed.  The original State Parks plan was to replace the platforms with flat steel and bent pipe.  However with your CDSG Whidbey Field Representative’s technical assistance and a two additional grants the Construction and Maintenance personnel are manufacturing platforms as close to the originals as possible. A local shipyard had a brake strong enough to bend the steel plate per Ord Doc1694 specifications.  The stanchion base plates have been plasma cut to specs as well.  However the stanchions are welded together instead of threaded pipe due to cost.  As completed they will be galvanized, painted and installed.  Hopefully multiple source funds can be obtained soon to minimize further deterioration of the carriages.  Barrels are in good shape.

-The Fire Control Observation Stations roofs and exterior walls have been cleaned/painted, roofs sealed and painted.  This in preparation for electrical wiring installation by State Parks later this winter.

Whidbey Island, WA, Status Report, December 2014
Steven Kobylk

Several fort related activities and changes have taken place at Fort Casey this year. A summary of the major activities follows:

The Ebeys Landing National Historic Reserve field school chose the Battery Moore 1915 plotting room for their 2014 restoration project. It was a scheduled four-week effort worked by State Parks construction/maintenance personal, CAM, and CDSG field representative and revolving volunteers under the auspices of the National Park. The effort incorporated lessons learned from last year’s Battery Worth plotting room project. Work completed during the time allotted included exterior Sewell-wall repairs, stripping out the floor sills and replacing with a concrete base, gutter installation, window and door construction, exterior paint, roof repair, and new wiring. Unfortunately time ran out and the restoration again remains unfinished (similar to Battery Worth except the door at Worth has been installed and the windows work). No interior work (stucco, paint, or interior woodwork) has been done, the new windows are nailed shut into the frames, and the new door and door sill have not been installed. Completion time frame for the only remaining Puget Sound Sewell-construction buildings is TBD since parks does not have the personnel or funds available for either plotting room.

Battery Schenck, Pit B, is going to be turned into the outdoor park theater. Trees and brush behind it are being cleared for a parking lot. The battery ammunition rooms are to become stage dressing & prop rooms (portable lights & generator). A portable stage is planned for the future. With the brush and tree clearing, the view of Crockett Lake has been expanded and now looks similar to the view in 1914. More clearing work is planned to follow this winter and spring.

Permission has been granted to open up all the ammunition spaces and battery rooms that have been welded shut for the past 30+ years. The useable doors will be bolted open and the unusable doors will be removed and salvaged. Any rooms with complete useable doors may be turned into park storage rooms. There are no plans to replace any doors. As the batteries are opened, no public access will be permitted until a safety assessment has been performed and when possible completed for each space. After 30 years of being sealed the rooms are badly deteriorated.

This past summer the local high schools have done an outstanding job completing projects that enhance the interpretative value of the 10-inch gun battery. Oak Harbor High School completed a set of shot tongs, making them the second of only two known shot tongs to exist. They also made new hinge pins for the 3-inch gun breechblocks. Coupeville High School converted several 155 mm powder cans into 6-inch gun powder cans. Using original drawings they constructed a rammer, sponge, and stave. Work on a time-range board continues this school year.

The Fort Casey Volunteer Battalion tour commanders (mostly retired military personnel) conducted scheduled fort tours from Memorial Day through Labor Day, with many more unscheduled tours throughout the year. The customer count to date has exceeded 2140-a record!

The ongoing winter project includes installing lights in the Battery Valleau (Emplacements 1 & 2) rooms. Money was obtained through a small state parks grant. The original intent was to light, heat, alarm, and dehumidify the rooms for conversion into the volunteer interpretative and tour center with equipment displays and activities. This would allow all historic volunteer and interpretative activities to vacate the ordnance building which has been converted into the modern Central Whidbey Region State Park office complex. However, funding is not available to hook up power to the battery (beyond a portable generator); therefore the battery will be unsuitable for any historical displays or volunteer facilities. The Volunteer Battalion has also been informed that State Parks will not accept loaned items at this time under the current conditions. Ultimate usage of the rooms is TBD.

Cantonment Area: Seattle Pacific University has been busy this year with restoration and renovation projects. The Commanding Officers’ Quarters has been given a complete exterior makeover. All siding has been removed and replaced. The porch flooring has been replaced with original-type tongue-and-groove knotless boards. The windows and frames have been repaired and/or replaced as needed. Insulation has been installed in the exterior walls. The interior is also receiving a makeover; all the lighting and most of the wiring is being replaced and many of rooms are being carpeted. The tin ceilings and radiators will remain and be repaired/replaced as needed.
Work continues on restoring the exterior of the barracks buildings; they are being modernized to accommodate physically challenged people. Exterior original-type escape ladders will not be installed for safety reasons.

North Fort Casey: The Whidbey Camano Land Trust has purchased more acreage from SPU. This includes all land north of the NCO quarters as well as the exterior slope of the parapet of Battery Parker (but not the battery itself). This report will not go into the details of why it was purchased by the land trust. However the land trust also believes in historic preservation to a degree. The emergency stations will be partially filled with dirt for safety reasons but will remain in place. They have also designed and installed fort interpretative panels at the site of the Battery Worth Secondary Fire Control Station and continue to preserve Searchlights #8 & #9, power house, and BN1.

Fort Ebey: The plotting room restoration project, including the lighting and power installation at Fort Ebey, has been permanently cancelled. Vandalism and break-ins are a continuing problem; state parks rangers are not available for patrol (due to higher priority commitments) and funds will not become available to hook up electrical power (available 150 feet away from the battery). Also since Ft. Ebey is a bottom priority in State Parks, there are no funds to secure the battery in any way. The best example of a 200-series battery within an original setting in the country will be left to rot away.
However over the past two decades equipment has been gathered to partially restore the plotting room, spotting room and latrine. Therefore, before disposal of all the equipment, the Ft. Casey Volunteer Battalion & CAM will install all equipment gathered for the plotting and spotting rooms and take pictures. This includes, but is not limited to, the original Fort Ebey plotting board and legs, time-interval bell, 12 EE-91 telephones with hand & headsets as appropriate, original BD-95 switchboard table with a BD-95 switchboard, wall-mounted terminal boards, wall-mounted heater, chairs, a radio transmitter on the original radio table, restored light fixtures, and small miscellaneous items for communication and plotting. The gathered electrical and communication conduit and wiring will not be installed for the pictures. All the Signal Corps equipment is in working order.

Location Update April 2013

Fort Casey: Seattle Pacific University

The WWII barracks rehabilitation project is 50% complete. The recreation hall, four barracks buildings, and mess hall are about 98% complete. Even though they need to meet modern ADA standards, from a few angles they look the same as in WWII. The mess hall has been expanded to seat about 200, but only those familiar with original images could see the difference in the exterior. Windows are double pane but cut to individual glass, and the frames are wood. The outside doors are period five-panel. The only items not yet installed are the outside evac ladders. The rest of the WWII barracks buildings will be rehabbed later this year. Thank you SPU!

Fort Casey: Washington State Parks

Work on historical structures within CAC parks remains unfunded, even though abundant funds seem to be in available for recreation upgrades and volunteer host sites. No funds are available to even repair the past million-dollar restoration efforts at Battery Worth, and the battery continues to slowly return to its previous unrestored state. The railings on Gun No. 2 need replacement, volunteers are not qualified, funding is not available, and it is all a low priority.

A decade ago volunteers wanted to restore the balanced platform hoist. The state indicated that it would be part of the original battery restoration effort instead (2007-2008). Thanks to an outside consultant, volunteers, no matter what their background, were not considered qualified to carry out such a project. This year volunteers again indicated that since state parks was broke they could lead the effort for restoration at no cost to the state. Once again the request was denied and the project pushed back to 2014-2015 timeframe, IF funding is available.

At least there is some good news! The Ebey’s Landing National Park Reserve has an annual grant program to restore outside structures of historical buildings within the reserve. Along with Ft. Casey Park Manager Jon Crimmins and Ranger Sarah Steen, I wrote and submitted a proposal to restore Battery Worth’s 1915 Sewell-construction plotting room. The proposal was approved and fully funded. The work needs to be completed by the end of this year.

During land clearing for a new three-bay tractor shed, a metal ring was discovered under a five-inch-diameter tree trunk behind the ordnance building, about 10 feet west of the oil house. I was called in to investigate and discovered, with confirmation from Greg Hagge, that the ring is an elevation band from a 10-inch M1888 gun, as was mounted in Battery Kingsbury. Apparently it was used as a fire ring since multiple burnt primers, brackets, bolts, and miscellaneous items were found in and adjacent to the band. For now the band remains on the ground near the site, untouched. State Parks indicated that the band cannot be moved again or cleaned or preserved in any manner until the state historical archeological personnel have examined it and verified it. For about a month now it has remained on the ground in full exposure to the weather. The hope is that State Parks will investigate and release the elevation band for preservation by the time this is published.

At Battery Schenck, Pit B is currently being turned into a stage for singing and other performances to enhance the park’s money making. Also, another plan is to turn Battery Valleau’s ammunition magazines into a fort interpretative center however funds are not currently available to electrify or heat the space. Multiple Boy Scout service projects have been very successful removing brush and cleaning gun batteries.

Fort Ebey

A chance walk in the woods discovered a fire hydrant kissing a tree, hidden from the road, surrounded by other trees. Looking around, the area was flat, and several building foundations near the hydrant were also uncovered under the brush. Trees are growing out of two of the foundations. Further investigation indicated the fire hydrant is the one in the only cantonment image of Ft. Ebey. The building footprints also match the image. By the next report I hope to have a sketch of most of the “missing” cantonment area at Ft. Ebey.

Steven Kobylk

Location update November 2012, scroll down for site details:

In General:
Washington State parks is out of, state supported, funds June 2013.  The Discover Parking Pass sales are way below projected sales.  State Parks will request between 15-17 million dollars in the last gasp effort to stay afloat in January when the next newly elected legislature finalizes the state’s budget.  All peak season Park Rangers and all Park Aids have been laid off.  State Parks is developing a system whereby volunteers would carry out most state park duties except law enforcement and some administrative functions. So far no state legislature people (or Island County officials) up for election or reelection in the counties affected by Coast Artillery related parks has given public support for the parks. Parks are now considered business units and have to come up with creative ways to generate revenue.  Public statements from the State Parks Commission indicate no current plans to close any park. Fort Casey and Fort Ebey are no longer independent parks. They are part of the Central Whidbey State Park which consists of 5 of the 6 parks on Whidbey Island. Therefor funding is based upon one park not five.

Fort Ebey:

Fort Ebey state park remains partially open with zero permanent off season staff. There is a volunteer park host primarily to keep the hiking trails open. Law Enforcement Park Ranger staff and emergency maintenance staff is covered by the Ft Casey office when available. The campground has been closed down. No funds are available for any military aspects of the park including removing most graffiti. The battery lighting project has been halted until next summer since no regular security and maintenance staff is currently available to check on the battery. Good news is a Boy Scout troop project did a great job cleaning out the BC station in October.

Fort Casey:

Fort Casey remains fully open with a permanent Law Enforcement Park Ranger, admin and maintenance staff. HQ for the Central Whidbey Park is also maintained in the Ordnance Building. No funds are available for military emplacements, guns or structures. What little funds are available go fully to upgrading staff housing& office (full time and voluntary) &maintenance housing and support buildings. The crumbling Battery Moore concrete referenced in a previous CDSG Journal is being taken care of by hammering and knocking down the loose concrete that could be considered a safety hazard and disposing of it. No repairs of any kind are currently planned. The 10-inch gun platform railings are almost rusted through.  State Parks does not consider it a hazard yet so no repairs or upkeep is currently planned. Volunteers are not allowed to perform repair on the guns beyond scrapping and painting. Anything else could be considered a union and professional safety qualification violation.
The good news: Boy Scout Troop 18 of Mukilteo Washington has adopted Ft Casey as its prime project location. So far this year they have cleared a couple acres equivalent of brush from around the fort emplacements.  From the parados bridge to the 1918 Switchboard Room entrance they have cleared and cleaned fromthe road side gutter to the exterior slope of the parapet of Battery Valleau and Battery Trevor. Cleaned and opened up all the gutters and associated drains and the vertical battery drains. Open drain, cleaned, scrubbed and painted Battery Trevor BC as well as the #10&11 Searchlight Power House. Cleaned a repainted the outside of Battery Kingsbury and Battery Moore Fire Control stations.
The other good news related to the Admiralty Head Lighthouse at Fort Casey. Thru lighthouse volunteer coordination, grants and the local High Schools, a completely new lighthouse lantern room has been constructed and installed based up original 1902 drawings. This gave me the idea to contact and work with the same High School shop classes on Fort Projects. They are not legally allowed to work at the fort for various reasons but can do projects in their respective schools.  I have, with state park approval, approached and am working with the schools on several projects for the current class with more to follow. The High School s are converting our pallet of 155mm powder cans to 6-inch powder cans and constructing two sets of staves, rammers and swabs for 10-inch guns and two staves for the 3-inch guns.  Metal shop is also making a hinge pin for the 3-inch breech as well as several shot tongs.

Camp Casey:

Seattle Pacific University has decided to renovate/restore their fort buildings over time instead of constructing new ones. The interiors of the building will be required by state law to be brought up to current OSHA safety standards and be ADA compliant. However, SPU has decided to keep the exterior of the buildings, both 1904 and WWII, as original as possible except for ADA compliance. This is good news for our interests. I have been working with them as the CDSG and State resident expert to satisfy the Ebey’s Landing National Historic Reserve concerns concerning historical structures. The buildings currently being renovated are the recreation hall, one mess hall and two barracks buildings. They will still be used for their original intended purposes when complete.

The Fort Casey reservation has been divided into three parts. See below for reports on all three (South, Middle, North):

Date of Visit: 09 Sep 2006

Fort Name: Fort Casey (south)

Harbor Defense: Puget Sound

Current Site Name: Fort Casey State Park

Current Site Use: Recreational use and Ferry Dock for Port Townsend (Fort Worden)

Is the Site open to the Public: Yes

Dates and Hours of Operation: Daily 8:00 to Dusk

What type of programs are offered at the Site?

Living History: None

Tours: Fort/Whidbey Island History & Ecological Tours
(Summer Only)

Museum Shop: Admiralty Head Lighthouse
Jun-Sept, Wed-Sun 11AM to 5PM

Restoration Projects:

Are there events that the Site would like to have advertised in the CDSG Newsletter? No

What is the overall condition of the Site?

Fort Elements: Excellent to Poor
Current Use: Recreational use for camping, hiking, picnics, Ferry landing

What is the condition of the Individual Fort Elements?  Very Good

Batteries: Very Good

Other Fort Elements: Excellent to Poor

What is the protective status of the Site? Washington State Parks Historical Asset and part of the Ebey prairies National Historic Reserve

Current Site Owner(s):

Name of Current Site Supervisor: Ken Hageman

Title: Park Manager

Mailing Address:1280 Engle Road

Phone No: (360) 678-4519

Fax: None Email: None

Web site: www.parks.wa.gov/ftcasey.htm

Other History/Preservation Contacts at the Site:

Name: Admiralty Head Lighthouse

Mailing Address: 1280 S. Fort Casey Road, Coupeville WA  98239

Phone No: (360) 678-4519

The Admiralty Head Lighthouse is run by the cooperative effort of the Following Groups: Fort Casey State Park, Island County Beach Watchers and Island County Waste Warriors. There is a small Fort Casey museum and a Beach Watchers Store in the lighthouse.

Is the Site itself or a responsible individual at the Site a CDSG member? No but the CDSG Whidbey Island Rep lives within walking distance of the site.

What information can the CDSG provide to the management of the site?

Detailed drawings of the breech block for 3-inch guns Model 1903 as well as drawings for the firing mechanism. When the breech project is completed the plan is to use the gun as a demonstration gun. The gun to be used for reenactments and simulate firing with smoke and boom pyrotechnics.

Are there any projects at the Site that would benefit from CDSG funding? TBD

Are there any Special Situations or Conditions at the Site that could affect the Preservation of the Site? (e.g., Damage, Imminent Destruction, Rapid Deterioration, etc.)

1) Most of the 10-inch gun emplacement rooms are constantly wet due to overhead leaks and several of the concrete angle irons are rusted through. Cracking and deterioration of the concrete continues to be a problem.

Please indicate any significant individual batteries, base-end stations, buildings, etc.

Battery Worth:

1) Two 10-inch DC guns are installed in the battery (from Fort Wint in the Philippines).

2) The rooms under Gun No:1 are lit. The light fixture types resemble the original. Current hazardous condition electrical codes were met for installation.

3) The gun aprons have been replaced. On Gun #1 the loading platform, traverse and superior slope of the parapet have been repaired and sealed. Once the ammunition rooms have been dried out (an estimated two year process) the concrete ceiling and walls are scheduled to be repaired as well.

4) Taylor Raymond ammunition hoist have been restored, installed and is in operating condition.

5)  A balance platform hoist is currently being restored with an estimated completion date of 2007. 

Battery Trevor:

1) Battery Trevor has two 3-inch pedestal guns installed (from Fort Wint in the Philippines).

2) The storeroom has been cleaned and painted. The light switch panel has been reinstalled.

Admiralty Head Lighthouse

The lighthouse is in excellent shape. A working original lighthouse lens is on display in the museum.

Date of Visit: 09 Sep 06

Fort Name: Fort Casey (middle)

Harbor Defense: Puget Sound

Current Site Name: Casey Conference Center

Current Site Use: Private

Is the Site open to the Public: No with one exception. Fort Casey Inn is open to the public. Its housed in the original NCO duplex quarters.

Are there events that the Site would like to have advertised in the CDSG Newsletter? No

What is the overall condition of the Site? Excellent to Good

Fort Elements: Very Good
Current Use: Conference Center, Retreat and Sports Camp

What is the condition of the Individual Fort Elements?

Batteries: Battery Parker in good shape

Other Fort Elements: Excellent to Good. This includes the support complex of the fort including store houses, fire house, coal depot, living quarters, recreation buildings, chow hall and parade ground.  BC and observation stations are in poor shape or buried in overgrowth.

What is the protective status of the Site?

Island County Historical Site, part of the Ebey Prairie National Historic Reserve

Current Site Owner(s):

Seattle Pacific University

Mailing Address: 1276 S. Engle Road, Coupeville WA 98239

Phone No: (360) 678-5050

Is the Site itself or a responsible individual at the Site a CDSG member? No

Please indicate any significant individual batteries, base-end stations, buildings, etc.

Casey Conference Center uses most the buildings in their part of the fort for the original intended purpose. Examples: The administration building, recreation hall, barracks, Chow Hall, tennis court and some store houses remain the same. They use many of the original drawings from 1924-1940 for maintenance purposes.

Date of Visit: 09 Sep 06

Fort Name: Fort Casey  (north)

Harbor Defense: Puget Sound

Current Site Name: NAAS Natural Area Preserve

Current Site Use: Private

Is the Site open to the Public: There is one limited access public trail that runs thru the preserve as part of the Ebey’s Prairie National Historic Reserve.  Otherwise the NAAS Natural Area if strictly off limits unless permission is granted by and/or an escort provided by the Whidbey Camano Land Trust. The CDSG Whidbey Island Field Rep is a member and can escort one to the coast artillery sites.

What type of programs are offered at the Site? None for CAC purposes

What is the overall condition of the Site? Good to Poor

Fort Elements: Good to Poor
Current Use: Conservation Preservation area home to endangered and rare plant life including Golden Paintbrush.

What is the condition of the Individual Fort Elements?

Batteries:

1) Searchlight #8, #9 and associated powerhouse in good shape and dry.

2) BN1 overgrown with brush, wet but intact.

3) Fire Secondary Station B”7 and B”11 in ruins and overgrown with brush.

What is the protective status of the Site? Whidbey Camano Land Trust, part of Ebey Landing National Historic Reserve

Current Site Owner(s):

Whidbey Camano Land Trust

Mailing Address:

765 Wonn Road, Barn C-201, Greenbank, Washington 98253

Phone No: (360) 222-3310

Is the Site itself or a responsible individual at the Site a CDSG member? No

Date of Visit: 8/06

Fort Name: Fort Ebey

Harbor Defense: Puget Sound

 Current Site Name: Fort Ebey State Park

Current Site Use: Recreational

Is the Site open to the Public: Yes

Dates and Hours of Operation: 6:30AM Dusk in Summer; 8:00 Dusk in Winter

What type of programs are offered at the Site?

Occasional tours by the CDSG Whidbey Island Field Rep.

What is the overall condition of the Site?

Fort Elements: Good
Current Use: Recreational use for camping, hiking, paragliding & R/C gliders.

What is the condition of the Individual Fort Elements?

Batteries: P1 (#248) – Very Good; dry and clean.

Other Fort Elements:

–BC/B/S Station – Very Good; dry and clean

–Well House & Pumps Excellent, used as sole source for Park water.

–No other original fort buildings standing.

What is the protective status of the Site?  Washington State Parks Historical Asset and part of Ebey’s Landing National Historic Reserve

Current Site Owner(s):

Name of Current Site Supervisor: Bob Fisher

Title: Park Manager

Mailing Address: 395 N. Fort Ebey Road, Coupeville, WA 98239

Phone No: (360) 678-4636

Fax: (360) 678-2982 Email: None

Web site: www.parks.wa.gov/ftebey.htm

Site Support Group(s):

Name of Group: Central Whidbey Trails Council

Contact Person: Doug Shepard

Mailing Address: 508 N. Fort Ebey Road, Coupeville, WA 98239

Phone No: (360) 678-4502 Ext ________

Is the Site itself or a responsible individual at the Site a CDSG member? No

What information can the CDSG provide to the management of the site?

– Complete location map of fort buildings, structures and environs.  This includes anything that is not on CDSG tour notes Drawing SITE 3  FORT EBEY, EX.NO. 20B.

The park management has information on building numbers, uses, and in some cases detailed drawing sets of buildings/environs (SCR 296 radar building & antenna, water tower, bowling alley, etc.) and government property inventory lists.  No location maps however are available.

– Any historical data would also be welcome.

Are there any projects at the Site that would benefit from CDSG funding? None at present time.

Please indicate any significant individual batteries, base-end stations, buildings, etc.

– At Battery #248 most internal doors are made of wood.  85% are intact and functional with no visible signs of rot or dampness.

– A bank of Fort Ebey radios and the plotting table (with many accessories) are in storage at Fort Worden.

–  Fort Ebey won an international gun-firing trophy in 1944. Firing at 14000 yards on a towed target simulating a destroyer we scored 22 hits in 18 rounds.  A hit within an area 5 yards square counts as two hits, a broadside and a bow on hit. These were fantastic guns. Signed note: Samuel C. Kelley Jr, Major, 14^th Coast Artillery, Commanding Officer, Fort Ebey.

Date of Visit: 12Aug 06

Fort Name: Fort Ebey (Swantown)

Harbor Defense: Puget Sound

Current Site Name: Private Residence

Current Site Use: Out Building for a private home

Is the Site open to the Public: No

What is the overall condition of the Site?

Fort Elements: Good
Current Use:

What is the condition of the Individual Fort Elements?

Other Fort Elements:

–Structure B 5/2, S 5/2 Swantown.

What is the protective status of the Site? None