We took a quick trip to Whidbey Island to play at Fort Casey. The old battlements are a favorite location for us and we love to take friends there. This time we had Pam with us so we could show her the beach and lighthouse.
From our home, we drive north to Mount Vernon and go west on Hwy 20 as shown on the blue line. We cross over the water many times on incredible bridges. The best of these is Deception Pass Bridge.
For the return home, we take the gray route so we can ride on a ferry. The ferry from Clinton (Whidbey Island) to Mukilteo is only about 30 minutes and is very comfortable. Ocassionally they put out puzzles on the tables so you can put a few pieces together before you disembark.
We bought cheap kites at Wal-Mart and brought them with us. The wind is always blowing right off the water. Fort Casey was constructed by the U.S. Army in the late 1800s; it was equipped for defense and used as a training facility up to the mid-1940s. At its inception, the fortification on Whidbey Island was part of a new national defense system, to protect U.S. coasts and waterways.
Soldiers were stationed at Fort Casey from 1899 to 1945. The fort’s 10-inch disappearing guns and other modern weapons were the height of technology in the early 20th century, as were the fort’s plotting rooms, observation stations and communications systems.
Improvements in warships and the rise of the airplane soon rendered these forts obsolete, however. By the 1920s, their effectiveness had waned and, though Fort Casey stayed open for training through World War II, it was decommissioned soon after the end of the war.
The triangle of protection formed by Fort Casey, Fort Worden, and Fort Flagler protected the Puget Sound from enemy ships. Eventually all would be converted into State Parks. We have traveled to each and enjoy them every time.
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