Built as a coastal defense fort, Casey was officially activated in 1900. Fort Casey, with Fort Worden and Fort Flagler, comprised a "triangle of fire" guarding the entrance to Puget Sound and the Bremerton Navy Yard as well as the cities of Seattle, Tacoma and the State Capitol at Olympia.
During World War I Fort Casey was used as a training post. After the war the post was placed in caretaker status and removal of armament begun. Fort Casey was reactivated during World War II again as an induction and training center. Two batteries were modified to hold 3" anti-aircraft batteries and the barracks were rebuilt. In 1956 it was acquired by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and is now 467 acre Fort Casey State Park.
When we first arrived, we saw the Admiralty Head Lighthouse.
Built in 1861 and rebuilt in 1903, the lighthouse guided tall ships toward the Whidbey Island shore where they could fill their sails with wind. It was the last brick lighthouse designed by renowned German architect Carl Leick - its walls 18 inches thick to withstand the earthquakes that shake western Washington. Admiralty Head's Fresnel lens was extinguished in 1922, but the lighthouse today welcomes visitors with the help of dedicated volunteers.
After the lighthouse, we explored the fort.
There are still a couple cannons and it was fun exploring the underground rooms and pretending what it was like when the soldiers were there.
We even watched people flying kites in the large field.
Dena took me further South to catch the ferry to the mainland.
We fed the seagulls popcorn and they followed us all the way across the Sound. 
It was so exciting to watch them dive after the popcorn!
On the mainland there was another lighthouse! It is called the Mukilteo Lighthouse.
