History Tales to feature Dungeness Lighthouse
Published 8:51 am Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Chad Kaiser, general manager of the New Dungeness Light Station Association, will talk about the history of the Dungeness Lighthouse at the Clallam County Historical Society’s History Tales presentation at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7, at First United Methodist Church, 110 E. Seventh St., Port Angeles. Parking and entry to the church’s social hall are on Laurel Street.
The New Dungeness Light Station has been in continuous operation since its lard oil lamp was lit for the first time on Dec. 14, 1857. Capt. Thomas Boyling and Henry Blake were the first appointed keepers. When Boyling resigned, Blake took over as head keeper until Sept. 18, 1868. A fog bell was used from 1857-1874 when it was replaced with a steam fog signal. In 1894, a separate oil house for the storage of kerosene was built; it still exists today. Responsibility for navigational aids was transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1939. In 1993, the New Dungeness Light Station was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1994, the nonprofit New Dungeness Light Station Association was created. Volunteers have donated over 80,000 hours since that time to operate and maintain the light station. Their dedication helps to keep this national treasure’s history alive.
History Tales is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Clallam County Historical Society at 452-2662 or e-mail artifact@olypen.com.
