Dofflemyer Point Light

The Dofflemyer Point Lighthouse is a U.S. lighthouse in Boston Harbor, Washington, and was one of the first in the state of Washington to be automated. It sits at the northeastern entrance to Budd Inlet north of Olympia.[3] It is the southernmost light in Puget Sound[4] and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[5]

Dofflemyer Point Light

Dofflemyer Point Light, ca. 2012
Location	Budd Inlet, Washington
Coordinates	47°08′27″N 122°54′27″W[1]
Year first constructed	1934
Year first lit	1934
Automated	1987
Foundation	Surface
Construction	Concrete
Tower shape	Pyramidal
Tower height	30 feet (9.1 m)
Focal height	9 metre
Range	7 nautical mile
Characteristic	Fl W 6s
Heritage	place listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Dofflemyer Point Lighthouse
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Architect	Rufus Kindle
MPS	Maritime Related Resources of Budd Inlet MPS
NRHP reference No.	93001339[2]
Added to NRHP	May 1, 1995

History

Dofflemeyer Point defines the eastern side of the entrance to Budd Inlet, which leads south to Olympia, the state capital. Dofflemyer Point was named after Isaac Dofflemyer, a pioneer settler.[6] A lens lantern atop a twelve-foot stake was established at the Point in 1887. The present day 30-foot (9.1 m), pyramidal concrete tower, designed by architect Rufus Kindle, replaced the first light in 1934.[7] In the 1960s, the Coast Guard automated the Dofflemyer Point Lighthouse, using photoelectric cells to turn the light on and off. However, a contract keeper was still required to maintain the light and tower, and to activate the fog signal when needed. The lighthouse was fully automated in 1987 and a radio-beacon, which transmitted a radio signal used in locating a mariner's position, was installed.[8]

On May 1, 1995, the Dofflemyer Point Lighthouse was officially designated by the Washington State Advisory Council on Historic Preservation as an historic place and listed on the Washington Heritage Register. The lighthouse sits on private property and is not open to the public.[9]

See also

• History of Olympia, Washington

References

1. "Dofflemyer Point Lighthouse". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
2. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
3. Rowlett, Russ (October 19, 2014). "Lighthouses of the United States: Washington". University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
4. "13th Coast Guard District Lighthouses". 13th Coast Guard District. January 1996. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
5. "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form". National Park Service. May 1, 1995. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
6. "Thurston County Place Names: A Heritage Guide" (PDF). Thurston County Historical Commission. 1992. p. 21. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
7. McClary, Daryl C. (March 18, 2004). "Dofflemyer Point Lighthouse". The Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History. HistoryLink. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
8. "Dofflemeyer Point, WA". Lighthousefriends. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
9. "Dofflemyer Point Light". Lighthouse Digest. Foghorn Publishing. Retrieved April 28, 2015.