Grays Harbor Lighthouse
1020 W. Ocean Ave., Westport, Washington
| Tours | Interpretive Center |
Overnight Stays |
Weddings | Giftshop | Fresnel Lens |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
About Grays Harbor Lighthouse and Destruction Island Lens
Which is the tallest lighthouse in Washington? At 107 feet high, that honor is given to Grays Harbor in Westport. It had to be tall. By the time it was built in 1898, more than 50 ships had foundered near the entrance to Grays Harbor, which had become a major logging port in the late 19th century.
In addition to the lighthouse, there was a windmill, water tank, well, two keeper’s dwellings, two oil houses and a fog signal building, which housed two steam whistle trumpets, powered by the wind and coal. The lighthouse also had a unique third-order clamshell Fresnel lens manufactured by Henry-Lepaute of Paris in 1895. It alternated a red and white flash every 5 seconds
Nearby Destruction Island Lighthouse, built in 1891, had a first order Fresnel lens that remained in service until it was removed in 1995 and replaced with an automated rotating beacon. The lens now resides in the Westport Maritime Museum.
Proceeds from the sale of Washington Lighthouse license plates have helped keep Grays Harbor lighthouse and Destruction Island lens shining with the following restoration projects:
- 2008 – Historical structures report $6,980
- 2009 – Replace chariot wheels on first order lens $10,000
- 2010 – Complete repair of chariot wheels on first order lens $8,500
Map and Directions
