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Fort Warden, Port Townsend, WA
The past remains alive
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The defense of our coast has always been a priority. In the days
before satellite technology, the Military knew that at times it might
not be able to prevent foreign intrusion into our waterways with a Navy
alone... the Answer? Coastal Forts, equipped with large Cannon, at
various points strategic entry points on our shores. They're a fun
place to visit. |
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One of these is Fort Worden, which is located in Port
Townsend, WA, near the entry way into the Puget Sound.
Its one of several such forts in the area. Together with
Ft Casey and Fort Flagler, Ft Worden ensured that the
Admiralty Inlet, the major shipping route into the Puget
Sound, was secured.
The Fort provides some wonderfully scenic views |
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The Thomas Wicars Battery is a fine example of the works that
held the cannon that provided the reason for the fort being
installed. |
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Walking around inside the various rooms and passageways under
the artillery mounts is great fun... Some of the
passageways are quite narrow, while others open into
expansive ammunition holding rooms... the tell-tale tracks
on the ceiling tell the story of how the ammo got from the
holding areas to the guns. |
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Not maintained anymore, these bunkers are slowly showing more
and more "tooth"... but even that lends to a learning
opportunity... "Soda Straws" develop along a crack, the
beginnings of stalactites and stalagmites. |
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Its on the outside, however, where the fort really shines...
its easy to see why soldiers liked being stationed on these
forts! The history and the nostalgia really make a visit
to Ft Worden a memorable stop. |
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You can't help but wonder just how many soldiers lived and
worked on the very same ground you're walking on... and
imagine just what life must have been like serving on so
unique a post. Did they marvel at the scenery? Or
was it lost somehow in the job? |
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