Alki Point Lighthouse: Seattle's Guiding Light

Alki Point Lighthouse stands as a sentinel at the southern entrance to Elliott Bay, a guiding light for vessels navigating Puget Sound [9]. More than just a navigational aid, it represents the historical roots of Seattle, marking the spot where the Denny Party first landed in 1851 [5, 13]. The Chinook word 'Alki,' meaning 'by and by,' reflects the early settlers' hopes for the future of their New York-Alki settlement [3, 5]. The original light was a humble kerosene lantern hung by farmer Hans Martin Hanson in the 1870s [4, 9, 13]. In 1887, the U.S. Lighthouse Service formalized the light with a lens-lantern on a wooden post, with Hanson as the keeper [3, 4, 9]. The current concrete lighthouse was constructed in 1913, and it is a twin of the Point Robinson Lighthouse on Maury Island [4, 9]. The Alki Point Light Station is on the National Register of Historic Places [4]. Today, the Alki Point Lighthouse remains an active aid to navigation, operated by the U.S. Coast Guard [2, 9]. Though the grounds are normally closed to the public, the US Coast Guard Auxiliary offers free tours on Sunday afternoons from Memorial Day through Labor Day [2, 3, 6, 7, 8]. During these tours, visitors can explore the lighthouse, learn about its history, and enjoy panoramic views of Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountains, and the Seattle skyline [2, 8]. The original fourth order Fresnel lens is on display at the Coast Guard Museum in Seattle [8, 20].