FORTS WORDEN & FLAGLER, PUGET SOUND
The CDSG Ambassadors to the Puget Sound forts are Dan Rowbottom and Steve Kobylk. Dan has provided us with the following information concerning Fort Worden and Fort Flagler The information on Fort Worden is as of May 29, 1999, Fort Flagler May 13, 2000.
Location Update April 2013:
Alfred Chiswell
Washington State Parks is still trying to resolve its budget problems. While there is a good chance State Parks may receive some monies from the state’s general fund, it will be nowhere near the amount it has been in the past. The $10-a-day or $30-a-year “Discover Pass” sales have produced less than half what was expected. Fort Worden is one of the top three park sellers in the state, but it is also the top money-losing park if you count the upkeep of all of the historic buildings, and so is in danger of being closed.
The Coast Artillery Museum has sold about half the yearly passes sold at Fort Worden, which puts it in relative good shape for survival if the park is not closed. The museum has also repainted two of the 3-inch batteries in the original green, which also highlights the work CAM is doing on the park.
Fort Worden
- Current Site Name: Fort Worden State Park and Conference Center
- Current Site Owner(s): The site is operated State of Washington State Parks and the Fort Worden Public Development Authority. The PDA controls the buildings on the main garrison area.
- 200 Battery Way, Port Townsend, WA 98368
- Hours of Operation: Seven days a week.
- Museum Shop: Yes, during the Summer
- Restoration Projects: Work may begin on rebuilding Searchlight Tower No. 5 this fall and winter. The State of Washington is restoring many of the buildings at Fort Worden. They are painting, repairing dryrot, slate roofs, power lines, and water lines. All work is being matched to the original to keep the Fort as original as possible.
- Events at the Site: The Friends of Fort Worden are doing battery cleanups on the second Saturday of each month from 10AM. to Noon. The Friends are currently (May 1999) working on Battery Walker. The next battery to be cleaned up is Battery Tolles.
- Overall Condition of Site: Very good
- Condition of individual Elements: Most very good, a few good.
- Other Elements: Very good and improving.
- Protective Status of Site: The site is on the National Register of Historic Places and is designated a State or local historic landmark.
- Support Group: Friends of Fort Worden
Special Situations at the Site: Site has a Baldwin 2-4-0 narrow gage steam engine
that was used during the construction of the fort. Restoration is a pending project.
Significant Elements at Fort Worden: Searchlight No. 5 at Fort Worden is a combination base-end station and searchlight built in a tower. A scale model of searchlight No. 5 was built by Dan Rowbottom and is on display at the fort.
Projects that would benefit from CDSG funding:
Fort Flagler
Dan Rowbottom
Date of Visit: 5-13-01
Fort Name: Fort Flagler
Harbor Defense: Puget Sound
Current Site Use: State Park
Is the Site open to the Public: Yes
Dates and Hours of Operation: Daily
What type of programs are offered at the Site?
Living History: None
Tours: On request
Museum Shop: Museum
Restoration Projects: All batteries, S/L, hoists, etc. volunteers
Are there events that the Site would like to have advertised in the CDSG Newsletter?
Event:
Description:
Dates/Times:
What is the overall condition of the Site?
Fort Elements: good and improving
Current Use: Recreational use for camping, hiking, picnics, day camps
What is the condition of the Individual Fort Elements?
Batteries: Bankhead, Downes, Wansboro, Calwell, Grattan-VERY GOOD: Revere, Rawlins, Wilhelm, Lee-improving
Other Fort Elements: S/L sites cleaned, plot for Wilhelm cleaned and some repair, powerhouses for Lee and Wilhelm cleaned, south AA positions and AA positions on Rawlins cleaned.
Identification signs beeing put up.
What is the protective status of the Site? Washington State Parks
(National Park, National Register, State or Local Historic Site, Other)
Current Site Owner(s):
Name of Current Site Supervisor: Mike Zimmerman
Title: Park Manager
Mailing Address:10541 Fort Flagler Rd., Nordland, WA 98358
Phone No: (360) 385-3701
Fax: None Email: None
Web site: www.parks.wa.gov/
Site Support Group(s): yes
Name of Group: Friends of Fort Flagler
Contact Person: Bob Brown
Mailing Address:
Phone No:
Email: fortgate@olypen.com
Web site:
Other History/Preservation Contacts at the Site:
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?
More Historical materials
Are there any projects at the Site that would benefit from CDSG funding?
TBD
Is there anyone at the Site that would like to submit material for the CDSG Journal?
None at Present Time
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.)
Erosion of cliff is undermining Battery Lee and S/L position
Please indicate any significant individual batteries, base-end stations, buildings, etc.
