Part of a 'triangle of fire' defense which included
Fort Worden and Fort Casey, Fort Flagler helped in the defense of
Admiralty Inlet, the gateway to Puget Sound, Bremerton Naval Shipyards
and the growing cities of Seattle and Tacoma.
Construction at Fort Flagler began in 1899 with
gun batteries Wilhelm, Rawlins and Revere on the main gun line north
of the Parade Ground. Over the next 7 years, construction
continued with the addition of 6 more gun batteries, a mortar batter,
an anti-aircraft battery, 4 fixed searchlight emplacements and dozens
of wood-structure support buildings and housing for fort troops
and administration.
During World War I, many of the guns
were removed for shipment to the war front in Europe, or were scrapped.
After the war, the fort population was reduced to a caretaker detachment,
and by 1937 many of the troop barracks were demolished due to deterioration.
In World War II, new barracks were built, the 1920 era Anti-Aircraft
Battery was moved into a 'revised' Battery Rawlins. The remaining
heavy guns were removed by the end of WWII, and in 1954 Fort Flagler
was officially deactivated and declared surplus the next year.
Today, Fort Flagler State Park has the same borders as the original
fort, and through the dedication of volunteers and park staff, the
batteries and historic buildings are preserved for you to explore.
For more information on the history and function of these
defense emplacements visit the Park Museum.
For pictures and basic info, tap/click a numbered
location to the right.
Searchlight #16 (numbered 16 within the Harbor
Defenses of Puget Sound) is located on the southeast corner
of the park, and can be reached via "East Searchlight Trail"
(trailhead at park entrance) or "Lagoon Trail" (which begins
near Battery Wansboro). The building is open to the public.
This searchlight emplacement construction was completed in 1911.
While the harbor defense forts employed portable searchlights,
several fixed searchlight emplacements such as this were also
used at key locations. The large 60-inch (152cm) searchlight
was mounted on a cart and rolled by hand out on tracks 115feet
(35m) to the bluff edge. The remnants of these tracks
can still be seen, although erosion over the years has shortened
the run.
The shelter not only housed the searchlight,
but also a generator and gas-powered engine as a source of power.
A separate fan room served to vent the exhaust from the engines.
Battery Thomas Wansboro was completed in 1903 and is located
just south of the Grand Parade Ground and Vacation Rentals.
It has it's own parking area with restroom facilities, and from
here it is also a short walk to a beach access at the site of
the Engineer's Wharf.
This small battery originally held
2- 3-inch guns on pedestal mount carriages. In 1945 both
guns and carriages were removed for salvage. The two guns
now on display are of the same model as the originals, and were
purchased by Washington State Parks from Fort Wint, Philippines.
The central storeroom is open, and the magazines on either side
have displays of powder canisters. Just south of the battery
under a small stand of trees is the Coincidence Range Finder
station (CRF). It was here a 9-ft. long CRF device was
used to help determine targeting for Battery Wansboro.
Battery Grattan is located just north of Camp Hoskins and the Parade
Ground at one end of "Bluff Trail". There is a parking area
nearby, just before the hill down to Marrowstone Point, and the
battery is just a few minutes walk beyond. Battery John Grattan
was completed in 1906 and was built to hold 2 - 6-inch guns on Disappearing
Carriages. When at rest, the guns were below the edge of the
gun emplacement, thus aiding their concealment. When fired,
the gun would 'pop-up' above the emplacement rim, fire it's projectile,
then return to it's resting position. Fort Casey State Park,
across Admiralty Inset on Whidbey Island, has two of these types
of guns on display in Battery Worth. The guns were removed in
1917, and their carriages were scrapped in 1920. In 1942, the
battery was transferred to the US Navy for an underwater listening
post, and you will note the sound-baffling materials covering the
concrete walls of the battery interior. All rooms of this battery
are open to the public, and you might want a flashlight for some
of the interior rooms.
The Anti Motor Torpedo Boat battery is one of the less prominent
gun battery emplacements at Fort Flagler State Park. Located
on Marrowstone Point next to the light station, all that remains
today are the broken remnants of 2 gun emplacements that held 90mm
guns which protected the local harbor as well as defended against
aircraft. The battery was completed in 1943, and deactivated
in 1946.
If you visit this battery while enjoying the beach, you might also
take a short walk over to the World War I era rifle range, located
at the base of the bluff. A trail to the rifle range can be
found in the grassy parking area to your left as approach Marrowstone
Point.
Battery Lee overlooks Marrowstone Point on the edge of the bluff
between Battery Grattan and Battery Rawlins. As you walk the
Bluff Trail between those two batteries, watch for the trail marker
along the tree line. The short trail leads down to Battery
Lee, and during winter and spring months can be a bit muddy, so
bring your boots!
Battery Walter Lee was completed in 1900,
with 2- 5-inch guns on balance pillar mounts.
The guns were removed to the Harbor Defense of Grays Harbor in 1919.
During World War II, a pop-up searchlight was located at Battery
Lee, and the #1 gun emplacement was modified with an access door
to this searchlight.
All rooms are open to the public.
The concrete apron of emplacement #2 has a safety fence in place
due to bluff erosion, so use caution and respect the barrier.
Battery Rawlins is one of three batteries on the main gun line,
north of the Parade Ground. Originally, it was part of a single
large battery with four 10-inch and two 12-inch guns on barbette
carriages. In 1906 the battery was divided in what became
Batteries Revere, Wilhelm and Rawlins. In 1918 the guns were
removed and their carriages later scrapped.
In 1942, the
Anti-Aircraft #2 emplacement that had been at the south edge of
the fort was moved into Battery Rawlins (note the modified gun emplacements)
and a third gun position was added.
All rooms of this battery
are open, but if you explore the underground interior, bring a flashlight!
Also, you will find still in place the shell-hoists used to bring
the projectiles up to the gun emplacements.
Battery Wilhelm is one of three batteries on the main gun line,
north of the Parade Ground. Originally, it was part of a single
large battery with four 10-inch and two 12-inch guns on barbette
carriages. In 1906 the battery was divided in what became
Batteries Revere, Wilhelm and Rawlins. In 1918 the guns were
removed and their carriages later scrapped. All rooms of this
battery are open, but if you explore the underground interior, bring
a flashlight! If you walk along the Main Gun Line, you will note
the fenced off building behind Battery Wilhelm. Prior to 1914, this
housed the telephone switchboard and batteries. Later, that
equipment was moved underground and the building served as dormitories
and workspaces. For obvious safety reasons, these areas are closed
to the public.
Battery Revere is one of three batteries on the main gun line,
north of the Parade Ground. Originally, it was part of a single
large battery with four 10-inch and two 12-inch guns on barbette
carriages. In 1906 the battery was divided in what became
Batteries Revere, Wilhelm and Rawlins. In 1918 the guns were
removed and their carriages later scrapped. All rooms of this
battery are open, but if you explore the underground interior, bring
a flashlight! A short walk northwest of Battery Revere, you will
find a beautiful overlook with views of Port Townsend, the lighthouse
at Fort Worden on Point Wilson and Admiralty Inlet. Here also
you will find the buried Gun Group Command Post. This well
camouflaged emplacement was not a bunker, but an observation post
from which targeting information could be relayed to the batteries.
Battery Calwell is the largest of the gun batteries at Fort
Flagler State Park, with 4 emplacements, each of which once held
6" guns on disappearing carriages.
When at rest, the guns
were below the edge of the gun emplacement, thus aiding their concealment.
When fired, the gun would 'pop-up' above the emplacement rim, fire
it's projectile, then return to it's resting position. Fort
Casey State Park, across Admiralty Inset on Whidbey Island, has
two of these types of guns on display in Battery Worth. Battery
James Calwell was completed in 1905, and it's guns were removed
in 1917.
Except for one sealed storeroom, all other areas
of this battery are open to the public. The battery is
located on the western side of the park, just south of Battery Downes.
It can be reached via "Bluff Trail" & "Calwell Trail".
Fire Control
Station F'9
Searchlight #13 (numbered 13 within the Harbor Defenses
of Puget Sound) is located on the southwest corner of the park,
and can be reached via "West Searchlight Trail", or "Bluff Trail".
The building is open to the public. This searchlight emplacement
construction was completed in 1911. While the harbor defense
forts employed portable searchlights, several fixed searchlight
emplacements such as this were also used at key locations.
The large 60-inch (152cm) searchlight was mounted on a cart and
rolled by hand out on tracks 95feet (29m) to the bluff edge.
The remnants of these tracks can still be seen, although erosion
over the years has shortened the run.
The shelter not only
housed the searchlight, but also a generator and gas-powered engine
as a source of power. A separate fan room served to vent the
exhaust from the engines.
Battery Henry Bankhead is located along Park Drive, the road
that leads to Kilisut Harbor as well as the Upper and Lower Campgrounds.
A parking area adjacent to the battery and numerous picnic tables
makes this a great spot for familes or small groups to gather.
Five trailheads are available from here, making a nice central location
from which to explore the park. All rooms are open, as well as
the large interior "Powder Gallery" of Pit B (the left hand emplacement
as you face the battery). Bring your flashlight! The
Powder Gallery of Pit A is sealed. In the summer months, the
Friends of Fort Flagler hold many of their summer concerts here.
Check with ranger or volunteer if a concert is coming up soon!
Battery Bankhead was completed in 1902 and original held 8 12-inch
mortars, 4 in each "pit". In 1918, 4 mortars were removed,
and in 1942 the remaining 4 were dismantled.
Anti-Aircraft #2 Battery was built on the south border of Fort
Flagler in 1920. Originally consisting of two 3-inch Anti-Aircraft
guns, a 3rd gun was added in 1937. In 1943, the battery was
moved to a re-congifured Battery Rawlins on the Main Gun Line.
The image above is of one of the three gun emplacements.
Follow the "Anti-Aircraft Battery Trail" from the park entance parking
area until it meets with "Reservoir Trail". Near this junction
you can find the emplacements for guns 1 &2, as well as the foundations
for the power plant, Height Finders Station and AA Directors Station.
Walking up "Reservoir Trail", the third gun emplacement can be found
on your right. To make a pleasant loop trail, you can
continue on Reservoir Trail to it's end near Battery Bankhead.
At this point, you can again join Anti-Aircraft Battery Trail to
return to the parking area.
The Central Powerhouse was built in 1908 to provide electrical service
for post lighting, fire control structures and motors within the
batteries. 3 75kw generators were powered by 150HP steam engines,
which in turn were fed by coal-fired boilers.
Today, the
open space serves as workspace for volunteers as they continue preservation
and restoration projects.
The powerhouse is normally closed
to the public, except for tours conducted weekly by park volunteers.
During these tours, visitors can see the projects up close.
These include a restored artillery shell hoist, such as can be found
in Battery Rawlins, and a working reproduction of a rifle range
target.
Seasonal and special events are also held in the
large space which previously housed the boilers.
Fort Flagler Historical Timeline
1866 640 acres of Marrowstone
Island set aside as military reservation.
1896 Area surveyed for fortification.
1888 First navigation light on
Marrowstone Point.
1897 Additional land purchased
by the government and construction began.
1899 Construction of 12 buildings
completed and Fort Flagler activated July 27,1899.
Original
detachment consisted of 86 enlisted men and 3 officers under
the command of Capt. John D.C. Hoskins.
Gun
Batteries Wilhelm, Rawlins and Revere completed.
1900 Battery Lee completed.
1902 Battery Bankhead completed.
1905 Batteries Calwell and Wansboro
completed.
1906 Battery Grattan completed.
World War I 1917 Batteries Calwell
and Gratan guns removed for shipment overseas.
1918 4 Mortars removed from Battery
Bankhead. Battery Revere guns removed for shipment overseas.
1919 Battery Lee guns removed
and transferred to Grays Harbor, WA.
1920 Anti-Aircraft battery completed
on south edge of the fort (2 guns).
1937 Barracks and officer housing
demolished.
World War II 1941 New barracks and
support buildings built.
1941 Battery Revere guns removed.
1942 Battery Wilhelm guns scrapped.
Battery Grattan transferred to US Navy for Underwater Listening
Post.
Anti-Aircraft
Battery moved into a modified Battery Rawlins.
1945 Remaining mortars removed
from Battery Bankhead.
1946 Battery Downes and Wansboro
guns scrapped.
1953 Fort Flagler deactivated.
1954 Fort Flagler property declared
surplus by Dept. of Defense.
1955-62 Fort Flagler property purchased by Washington State
Parks and Recreation Commission for use as State Park.
1963 Two 3-inch guns obtained
from Fort Wint (Philippines) and installed for display at Battery
Wansboro.
1976 Fort Flagler officially designated
as a Historic Place by Washington State and National Park Service.
2005 120mm Anti-Aircraft gun installed
for display near the park museum.
2009-12 Major renovations of historic Hospital building by the
Friends of Fort Flagler in partnership with Washington State
Parks.
Battery Grattan is located just north of Camp Hoskins and the Parade
Ground at one end of "Bluff Trail". There is a parking area
nearby, just before the hill down to Marrowstone Point, and the
battery is just a few minutes walk beyond.
Fire Control
Station F'9
The Central Powerhouse was built in 1908 to provide electrical service
for post lighting, fire control structures and motors within the
batteries. 3 75kw generators were powered by 150HP steam engines,
which in turn were fed by coal-fired boilers.