Calling all lighthouse lovers and coast guard buffs:
You should definitely check out the Westport Maritime Museum and the Grays Harbor Lighthouse. Both properties are operated by the South Beach Historical Society, whose mission is: "to interpret and preserve the history of the South Beach area of Grays Harbor County in Washington State, with an emphasis on the impact of local natural resources on the regional growth and development of our maritime community."
Actually, the Museum itself is right on the Westport Marina, and its an old Coast Guard Station that was built in 1939. It was dedicated as a museum in the mid-80's once the modern Coast Guard facilities were in place at the east end of the Westport Marina.
Exhibits include some science related information about the ocean and what lives in local waters; local history; information about the local Cranberry industry; Whales and whaling history (including a full Whale Skeleton that has its own building); and the lighthouse lens from the Destruction Island lighthouse. There is also a "discovery room" which has activities and hands on exhibits for the kids.
I took baby into the discovery room on the 4th of July and he was a little young at 13 months to do anything more than stack and unstack the shelf of kids books, but there were other kids in there that seemed to enjoy the puzzles and toys (I am guessing the right age range is probably in the toddler to maybe 8 years old).
The Destruction Island lens is quite a site. It's in a separate building on Museum grounds, which has a skylight, and the lens flashes colors throughout the building. There is a great scientific explanation about the various types of lighthouse lenses and how they work for geeks, and for everyone else, its just darn pretty.
You can find their hours on their website: http://westportwa.com/museum/ and the fee to get in is nominal (a few bucks, I'm not exactly sure). The volunteers are friendly and excited to be involved in the museum. I'm glad we finally got around to visiting and plan to be back soon!
Brook,
ReplyDeleteFrom Feb 1998-Feb 1999, I had the opportunity to live and work in Westport, interning at the Westport Maritime Museum. The Destruction Island Lens Exhibit was finished that year and is still one of the highlights of my life. Like you, I love Westport and although my life has taken me far from there, it is a joy to return. Spread the word about the lens exhibit, as it is probably the finest Fresnel lens exhibit in the world. TC