Dungeness Lighthouse

Dungeness Lighthouse watercolor by artist James Williamson

Artist James Williamson ASMA,
Signature Member of the American Society of... more

by James Williamson

Original - Sold

Price

$895

Dimensions

15.000 x 11.000 inches

Title

Dungeness Lighthouse

Artist

James Williamson

Medium

Painting - Watercolor

Description

Dungeness Lighthouse watercolor by artist James Williamson

Artist James Williamson ASMA,
Signature Member of the American Society of Marine Artists

Dungeness DUHN-gen-es (Clallam County, Washington State) In 1792 George Vancouver wrote, the low sandy point of land, which from its great resemblance to Dungeness in the British Channel, I called New Dungeness. The name Dungeness has been extended from spit to harbor, river, and town.
The historic New Dungeness Light Station on Washington State's Strait of Juan De Fuca. Since 1857, the lighthouse has marked Dungeness Spit, a low narrow strip of land curving elegantly for about five miles along the Strait of Juan De Fuca. The spit is barely visible from a distance, and several ships ran aground on the outside beach before the lighthouse was built.
The 1848 act establishing Oregon Territory (which included present day Washington State) had a provision for building lighthouses at Cape Disappointment and New Dungeness. By 1855 construction at Cape Disappointment had begun, and the Lighthouse Board was planning three more lighthouses, besides the one for New Dungeness, to be built along Washington's waters, at Willapa Bay, Cape Flattery, and Smith Island.
From Port Angeles the coast trends east for 13 miles to the end of Dungeness Spit, which encloses picturesque Dungeness Bay. The bay offers shelter in the west winds but is open to the east, a dangerous place in winter gales. The bay is formed by a sandpit extending northeast four miles and forming, in addition to Dungeness Bay, a small lagoon at the harbor for light-draft vessels only. New Dungeness Light marks the area at the outer end of the spit shinning seaward from a 63-foot tower. A foghorn and radio beacon are also at the site.
The station has a rather unusual story. Though most of the 1857 building remains, the tower has been reduced in size from 100 feet in height down to 63 feet, probably one of the only times in history that a major lighthouse was shortened rather than raised. It happened in 1927, when Clarence Sherman was the chief lighthouse engineer in the district. Vibration from rumbling guns at Canadian fortifications on the other side of the Strait was given as one reason for the deterioration of the mortar in the masonry at the top of the lofty tower. That and other contributing factors had structurally weakened the tower and it was in need of urgent repair. Under Sherman's direction the iron lantern house was unbolted and dismantled piece by piece.
In the interim, an auxiliary light was kept burning, and after the tower was lowered to the recommended height, a new gallery (balcony) and deck railing was installed. The larger diameter at the top of the masonry demanded a different style lantern house, so to conserve funds, Sherman removed the unit from the abandoned Admiralty Head Lighthouse tower on Whidbey Island and reassembled it atop the Dungeness tower, and there it has remained since.
A steam fog signal was established at the station February 1, 1874, 150 yards northeast of the tower and was evidently very effective, for the officers of the surveying brig Fauntleroy reported while at anchor in Port Townsend Bay, a considerable distance away, the sound came through loud and clear.
The lighthouse foundations and walls are built of sandstone blocks shipped from Bellingham.
When the lighthouse was built in 1857, it stood near the end of Dungeness Spit. Today the spit extends a half-mile beyond the lighthouse. It is the longest natural sand spit in the world and grows about thirty to forty feet a year. In 1871, a storm severed the spit, leaving the lighthouse on an island, but sand eventually filled the breach.
In 1915, the area became a bird sanctuary, and today it is the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge. Hiking to the lighthouse provides an opportunity to see bald eagles, great blue herons, and shore birds. Seals and killer whales are frequently seen nearby.

Uploaded

January 5th, 2012