A Visit to the Mukilteo Lighthouse
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Mukilteo Light Station - Mukilteo, WA
The Mukilteo Lighthouse is located on Elliot Point in Mukilteo, Washington. Mukilteo is a small town on the shores of Puget Sound about 25 miles north of Seattle and about 3 miles south of Everett, Washington. It is the only lighthouse in Snohomish County and is one of the most accessible and easy to visit lighthouses in the Seattle area.
Built in 1905, the Mukilteo Lighthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places and also listed on Washington State's Heritage Register. It underwent a rennovation in 1987 which returned it as closely to its original appearance as possible, so it looks very much today like it did when it was built .
The transfer of ownership of the Mukilteo light station to the city of Mukilteo was completed in 2001 and it has become the city's main attraction and the centerpiece of the city's Mukilteo Lighthouse Park. The lighthouse is still in use as a navigational aid and the US Coast Guard continues to maintain the navigational equipment. including the signal light and foghorn.
The Mukilteo Lighthouse is open every weekend from April through September. Tours are offered by the Mukilteo Historical Society and it can also be used as a lovely site for weddings.
As you can see from the picture, the Mukilteo Lighthouse is also very photogenic little light station and even a mediocre photographer (like me!) can take some lovely photos.
Come along with me on a tour of the Mukilteo Light Station.
Built in 1905, the Mukilteo Lighthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places and also listed on Washington State's Heritage Register. It underwent a rennovation in 1987 which returned it as closely to its original appearance as possible, so it looks very much today like it did when it was built .
The transfer of ownership of the Mukilteo light station to the city of Mukilteo was completed in 2001 and it has become the city's main attraction and the centerpiece of the city's Mukilteo Lighthouse Park. The lighthouse is still in use as a navigational aid and the US Coast Guard continues to maintain the navigational equipment. including the signal light and foghorn.
The Mukilteo Lighthouse is open every weekend from April through September. Tours are offered by the Mukilteo Historical Society and it can also be used as a lovely site for weddings.
As you can see from the picture, the Mukilteo Lighthouse is also very photogenic little light station and even a mediocre photographer (like me!) can take some lovely photos.
Come along with me on a tour of the Mukilteo Light Station.
(Photo by VickiSims)
Mukilteo Lighthouse Facts
Built in 1905
38 Foot Tower
Fourth Order Fresnel Lens
Began Operation on March 1, 1906
White Light flashes every 5 seconds
Beacon visible for 12 miles
Where is the Mukilteo Lighthouse?
Mukilteo Map and Driving Instructions
Travel Instructions: From Interstate 5 roughly 22 miles north of Seattle, take Highway 526 west 3.5 miles to where it ends at Highway 525. Turn right on Highway 525 and follow it to the Whidbey Island Ferry Landing in Mukilteo. The Mukilteo Lighthouse is just to the south of the ferry landing.
Mukilteo Light Station Video
Come along on a video tour of the outside
This video shows the Lighthouse, Keeper's house and Assistant Keeper's House and shows the surroundings of the light station.
curated content from YouTube
Welcome to the Mukilteo Light Station
The sign displayed on the fence near the gate
(Photo by VickiSims)
Enter the gate into the Mukilteo Light Station
The Mukilteo Lighthouse is open on weekends from April through September
(Photo by VickiSims)
The lighthouse and surrounding grounds are maintained by the City of Mukilteo and volunteers from the Mukilteo Historical Society. Members of the historical society serve as hosts when the lighthouse is open.
History of the Mukilteo Lighthouse
A National Historic Site
The Mukilteo Lighthouse was designed with an octagonal shaped tower and fog signal building by C.W. Leick and construction began in 1905. The same design was also used for two other lighthouses - the Ediz Hook lighthouse in Washington and the second light at Cape Arago, Oregon. The station buildings were all built out of wood and the total construction cost was approximately $27,000.
The lighthouse station included a 38-foot-tall lighthouse tower, the fog signal house, a keeper's house, an assistant keeper's house and a well and pumphouse with a windmill to power the pump. The lighthouse was equipped with fourth order Fresnel lens manufactured by L. Suatter & CIE of Paris. The Cunningham eight-foot diaphragm fog horn was powered by compressed air. The giant daboll trumpet protruded from the back of the signal house toward the sea. The lighthouse was put into service in 1906 with P.N. Christiansen as its first keeper. The white light from the beacon flashes every 5 seconds and is visible for up to 12 miles. When activated, the fog horn sounds for 3 seconds every 27 seconds and may be heard up to 8 miles away.
The original light was a kerosene lamp which required refueling and maintenance every 3 hours 24 hours a day. The oil lantern was replaced with an electric light bulb in 1927 and the original rotating Fresnel lens was replaced with a fixed lens which is still used in the lighthouse today. The light bulb was replaced in 1972 with the the current 150 watt halogen bulb system. The fog horn was also replaced in the 1970s with a CG 1000 horn. The light and fog signal were both automated in 1979, with a fog sensor added in 1981.
Mukiteo Lighthouse Plans
Architect's Drawings of the Mukilteo Lighthouse
(Photo by VickiSims)
There is a framed copy of some of the drawings from the lighthouse plans displayed in the lighthouse.
Mukilteo Lighthouse in 1908
This photo from 1908 is on display inside the lighthouse
(Photo by VickiSims)
The old fog signal building contains a fascinating display of the history of the lighthouse. I took a picture of this old photo of the light statiion taken in 1908. The main keeper's house is to the right of the tower and attached fog station, and the assistant keeper's residence is to the left. The windmill has since been replaced by a garage which now houses an interpretive center.Another featured item on display is a copy of the Point Elliot Treaty between the Tulalip Tribe and Washington Territorial Governor Issac Stevens. It was signed in 1855 near the location of the lighthouse. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a good photo.
What is a Fresnel Lens?
No, it's not the name of a new lens category on Squidoo!
(Photo by VickiSims)
The Fresnel (pronounced Fray-nell) lens was invented by Augustin-Jean Fresnel, a French physicist. I'm not a physicist, so my understanding is that the glass is shaped and arranged in such a way to create prisms which capture and bend the light to magnify and increase its intensity. The first Fresnel lens to be used in a lighthouse was installed in 1823 in a lighthouse in France. Fresnel lenses have many other uses including automobile headlights, theater spotlights, projector lights, camera optics, aviation lights or to focus sunlight to make more efficient solar panels.A poster in the Mukilteo Lighthouse explains the "Order" of Fresnel lenses for lighthouses. Each lighthouse lens is categorized into an "Order" based on the size of the lens. It is on a scale of 1 through 6 with 1 being the largest, brightest lens and the 6th being the smallest and least bright.
The Mukilteo Lighthouse has a 4th Order lens which is not an exceptionally bright lens. Since the passages in Puget Sound are fairly narrow, the 12 mile range of the beacon is more than adequate to fulfill its purpose as an aid to navigation.
The Fresnel Lens from Desdemona Sands Lighthouse
A Multi-bull's eyed fourth order Fresnel lens
(Photo by VickiSims)
This gorgeous multi-bulls-eyed Fresnel Lens from the Desdemona Sands Lighthouse was removed and replaced with a modern airport type beacon light. The old lens is now on display at the Mukilteo Lighthouse.Stairs to the Tower
Narrow and steep
(Photo by VickiSims)
The stairs to the top of the tower are narrow and steep. I couldn't really get a good photo to show how the stairway winds up the tower. As I climbed, I thought of the keepers who made this climb every three hours to tend the original kerosene lamp.First Glimpse of the Lens
Looking up from the stairwell
(Photo by VickiSims)
This was a photo of my first glimpse of the Fresnel lens looking up from the stairwell.The Light
A 150 watt Halogen Light
(Photo by VickiSims)
It is amazing to see how a tiny light from a 150 watt halogen bulb can be seen brightly for 12 miles with the magic of a Fresnel lens. It reminded me of pulling back the curtain and seeing the Wizard of Oz.The View From the Tower
Westward to Puget Sound
(Photo by VickiSims)
This is the view from inside the lighthouse tower facing approximately northwest toward Whidbey Island. The Washington State ferry was making one of its runs from the nearby Mukilteo ferry dock across Puget Sound to Whildbey Island. Images of the lighthouse light are mirrored on the window on both sides of the ferry.A View of the Lighthouse Fresnel Lens From the Outside
Prisms of the fresnel lens bending the light
(Photo by VickiSims)
I took this photo from the outside deck of the tower looking in at the lens showing the rainbows from the prisms.The Lightkeepers House
Coast Guard Quarters "A"
(Photo by VickiSims)
There are two keeper's houses at the Mukilteo light station. Quarters "A", as the coast guard called it, was the main keeper's residence. It is not open for tours, but this is the outside of the building facing the street away from the sound.Mukilteo's First Lighthouse Keeper, P.N. Christianson
Peter Nicholas Christiansen
(Photo by VickiSims)
The first keeper of the Mukilteo Lighthouse who climbed the stairs to the tower to tend the light in the tower, was Peter N. Christiansen. He was born in Norway and served in the Merchant Marines and the U.S. Navy before becoming a lighthouse keeper. Before being assigned to the Mukilteo Lighthouse, P.N Christianson served as the assistant keeper at the Turn Point Lighthouse on Stuart Island in the San Juan Islands of Washington.The First Mukilteo Lightkeeper's Family
Family of Peter N. Christiansen
(Photo by VickiSims)
Peter Christiansen served for almost 20 years as the keeper of Mukilteo Light Station. He lived in the keepers house with his wife and four children unitl his sudden death from what was believed to be a heart attack in 1925. After his death, Mr. Christiansen's wife, Theodine, assumed the duties as the second lighthouse keeper of Mukilteo Light Station for 2 years. She was one of the first female lightkeepers. This plaque and photo is near the entrance of Keeper's Quarters "A" facing Puget Sound.The Assistant Keeper's House
Quarters "B" viewed from the water side
(Photo by VickiSims)
The Assistant Keeper's Residence, (called Quarters B by the Coast Guard), now houses interpretive displays and a gift shop. This view is from near the water's edge of Puget Sound looking inland.Inside the Assistant Light Keepers House
Mukilteo Lighthouse Museum and Gift Shop
(Photo by VickiSims)
What is the Weather Like in Mukilteo
Today's Weather
Current weather conditions in Mukilteo, WA
Local Pollen Reports
53°F (Feels like 53°F)
Last update: 6/3/12 10:53 AM PDT
Humidity: 69%Visibility: 10.0 mi
Dew Point: 43°F
UV Index: 3 (Lawn and Garden Weather)
Barometer: 30.00in rising
Moon: Rush Hour Traffic
Wind: 7mph From: Airport Conditions
Today
Mostly Cloudy
High: 58°F
Low: 49°F
Sunrise: 5:13 AM
Sunset: 9:03 PM
Monday
Jun 4
Cloudy
High: 56°F
Low: 49°F
Sunrise: 5:12 AM
Sunset: 9:03 PM
Tuesday
Jun 5
Showers
High: 54°F
Low: 47°F
Sunrise: 5:12 AM
Sunset: 9:04 PM
Wednesday
Jun 6
Rain
High: 57°F
Low: 49°F
Sunrise: 5:11 AM
Sunset: 9:05 PM
More Photos of the Mukilteo Lighthouse
See the photos of others have taken of the Mukilteo Lighthouse
automatically generated by Flickr
Mukilteo Lighthouse Souvenirs
Some Mukilteo Lighthouse Collectibles
These Mukilteo Lighthouse collectibles make great gifts for a lighthouse enthusiast or a great momento after seeing the lighthouse.
More Souvenirs of the Mukilteo Lighthouse
Mukilteo Lighthouse Collector's Items on eBay
Mukilteo Lighthouse Christmas Ornament
Mukilteo Lighthouse Christmas 2010
Mukilteo, WA
(Photo by VickiSims)
Here is the Mukilteo Lighthouse decorated for Christmas on a rainy night in December 2010.More Mukilteo Lighthouse Gift Ideas
Chirstmas ornament, iPhone cover and more
Mukilteo Lighthouse by VickiSims
Create a personalized Christmas tree ornament on zazzle.com
Mukilteo Lighthouse iphone 4 Case by VickiSims
More iphone cases
Planning a Visit to the Mukilteo Lighthouse?
Links to travel information
Get great deals on Expedia.com!
Visit Other Washington Lighthouses
Information about Point Wilson and Lime Kiln Lighthouses
The Point Wilson Lighthouse is located on the Olympic Peninsula near Port Townsend, WA and the Lime Kiln Lighthouse is on San Juan Island.
Lighthouses in Washington
Links to more information
There are several organizations who are a great source of information about lighthouses in Washington State and elsewhere around the country.
- Mukilteo Historical Society
- The Mukilteo Historical Society helps to maintain the Mukilteo Lighthouse and also provides volunteers to staff the lighthouse for visitors. They have a gift shop in the former Assistant Keeper's House where they sell items to help fund the needs of the lighthouse.
- The Lighthouses of Washington at Lighthousefriends.com
- Information about lighthouses in Washington state.
- Map of Lighthouses in Washington State
- Washington Lighthouses
A map where you can click on a lighthouse name or icon
for more information about a lighthouse in Washington State. - Inventory of Historic Light Stations--Washington--Mukilteo Light
- National Park Service Inventory of Historic Light Stations
Washington Lighthouses
More About Lighthouses in Washington State
Books with more information
There have been several books written that include information about lighthouses in Washington State including the Mukilteo Lighthouse.
Links to More Information About Lighthouses
Visit these pages for photos and information about lighthouses
- Welcome to US-Lighthouses.com
- This site is one of the most comprehensive sources of lighthouse information, containing over 4000 lighthouse photos.
Sprinkled with Stardust
Thank you Squid Angels for blessing this lens
Have you ever visited a lighthouse?
You are welcome to share your comments
I hope you enjoyed this tour of the Mukilteo Lighthouse. You need not be a Squidoo member to leave a comment, but if you would like to sign up and make your own lens - it's easy! Just Click Here to get started!
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mbgphoto Jan 15, 2012 @ 8:41 pm | delete
- Very nice...blessed by a squidangel.
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Rankography
Aug 8, 2011 @ 6:14 pm | delete
- cool lens and beautiful lighthouse
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ArtByLinda Aug 7, 2011 @ 9:01 pm | delete
- What a cute little lighthouse. Can't wait to see it on our upcoming trip, thank you for the info. Blessed!
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RenaissanceWoman2010
Jun 3, 2011 @ 5:25 pm | delete
- This is one sweet lighthouse. I'd love to visit, as I enjoy photographing lighthouses. Great lens. Thanks!
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CharlesNullens
May 10, 2011 @ 1:52 am | delete
- My kind of lens - I love lighthouses, but have a small issue with height, so haven't visited one yet! However, I think I might be able to cope with this one as it doesn't 'look' to be very tall!
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I'm Vicki and I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest near Seattle, WA. I enjoy the outdoors,hiking, camping, birdwatching, gardening, traveling,...
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Mukilteo Lighthouse Replica
A collectible figurine of the Mukilteo Lighthouse
Lighthouse -Mukilteo, Wa - Cold Cast Resin - 4" Height
Amazon Price: $11.25 (as of 06/02/2012)
This is the Mukilteo Lighthouse Replica that is sold in the gift shop in the old assistant keepers quarters at the light station. If the gift shop wasn't open when you saw the lighthouse, you can buy the same one on Amazon.
Condition: New
Dimensions: L: 4 x W: 3 x H: 4 (inches)
Crafted with: Resin
Mukilteo Lighthouse Tapestry
Curl-up or Decorate with a Mukilteo Lighthouse Throw
Mukilteo Washington Lighthouse Colorful Tapestry Throw Blanket 50" x 60"
Amazon Price: $37.49 (as of 06/03/2012)
Mukilteo Washington Lighthouse Tapestry Throw
Approximate measurements: 50" x 60"
Material(s): 100% cotton
Washing Instructions: Machine wash cold/tumble dry low
Made in the USA
This colorful tapestry throw depicts the famous Mukilteo Washington landmark lighthouse. This would be an excellent gift for a lighthouse collector or for someone that lives in this area. Designed by Pat Cockrell.
