Westport, Italy
The 107-foot lighthouse, dedicated in 1898, is the tallest lighthouse in Washington and the third tallest on the West Coast. It marks the entrance to Grays Harbor, which is one of Washington's few outer-coast harbors. The base of the lighthouse rests on a 12-foot-thick foundation of sandstone. The l
ighthouse walls, which are four feet thick at the base, are made of brick with a coating of cement on the exterior. 135 metal stairs bolted to the wall lead to the lantern room. Originally windows lit the interior of the tower, but to cut down on maintenance they were cemented over when electricity was added to the station. Construction of the Grays Harbor Light began in 1897 and was first lit in 1898. Thirteenth Lighthouse District officials selected a site facing the Pacific Ocean, about 400 feet from water’s edge. Massive amounts of accretion, due in large part to the jetty system at the entrance to Grays Harbor, have since built up, and the lighthouse currently stands approximately 3000 feet from high tide.
Listen to the audio guide for Grays Harbor Lighthouse Viewpoint Free on WIP — starts by itself when you arrive, even with the screen off