Fort Ebey State Park

Fort Ebey State Park
Washington State Park
Country United States
State Washington
County Island
Coordinates 48°13′15″N 122°45′35″W / 48.22083°N 122.75972°W / 48.22083; -122.75972Coordinates: 48°13′15″N 122°45′35″W / 48.22083°N 122.75972°W / 48.22083; -122.75972
Area 645 acres (261 ha)
Established 1981
Management Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
Location in the state of Washington
Website: Fort Ebey State Park
Entrance to 6-inch gun bunker at Fort Ebey

Fort Ebey State Park is a publicly owned recreation area located on the western side of Whidbey Island, 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Coupeville in Island County, Washington, United States. The state park covers 645 acres (261 ha) overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca and lies within the Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve. It is managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.[1]

History

Fort Ebey was built on Pigeon Point in 1942 as a World War II coastal defense near the mouth of Puget Sound.[2] The fort included a battery of two 6-inch guns that were later cut up for scrap.[1]

The state first acquired the land through the purchase of 204 acres from the Federal government in 1965. Additional acquisitions were made between 1968 and 1974, adding nearly 24 acres to the site. The park reached its present size of 435 acres through a purchase from the Department of Natural Resources and a land swap arrangement with a private owner in 1990 and 1997.[3] The park was established in 1981.[2]

Activities and amenities

The park includes 3 miles (4.8 km) of saltwater shoreline, the 3.7-acre (1.5 ha) freshwater Lake Pondilla,[4][5] and over two dozen miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. A 4-mile (6.4 km) stretch of the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail crosses the park. Park activities include picnicking, camping, fishing, beachcombing, birdwatching, interpretive activities, and paragliding.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Fort Ebey State Park". Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  2. 1 2 McClary, Daryl C. (November 11, 2005). "Triangle of Fire - The Harbor Defenses of Puget Sound (1897-1953)". The Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History. HistoryLink. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Central Whidbey State Parks: Land Classes, Resource Issues and Management Approoaches". Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. 2008. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  4. ↑ Ernest E. Wolcott (1973). "Lakes of Washington, Volume 1, Western Washington" (PDF) (3 ed.). Washington Department of Ecology. p. 59. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Lake Pondilla". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
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