COUPEVILLE — For 50 years, the two big guns have been the rock stars of Fort Casey State Park.
Sure, the massive concrete fort with the bunkers is cool, as is the view of Admiralty Inlet and the lighthouse in the 998-acre camping park.
But it’s the great guns that give Fort Casey that bang. A bash is planned Aug. 11 to celebrate the anniversary of their arrival in 1968.
These are the only 10-inch disappearing guns in the United States, and two of four left in the world, according to the state parks department. One gun is in the firing position. The other is in recoiled pose, hence the term disappearing guns. During reloading, the guns recoiled, in what in early-1900s warfare was ingenious military technology.
The artifacts of war found a new life after their original purpose was obsolete. What was once a fort of artillery is now a jungle gym of guns.
“It’s not like other parks,” said 9-year-old Ben Blondin, visiting from Colorado. “Normal other parks, they wouldn’t have let you climb or touch it, but in this one you can.”
It’s not as if these guns, made in the 1890s, are breakable.
The 10-inch refers to the diameter of the caliber, not the gun length. A shell weighed 617 pounds. The target range was about 8 miles.
Not to worry. The breech has been removed. Firing is not a possibility.
These are not the original guns to protect the entrance to Puget Sound from the threat of coastal invasion from 1902 to 1942. Those were scrapped for metal during World War II, after improvements in warships and the rise of the airplane rendered them obsolete.
Though they are replacements, these are the real things in other ways. The guns are the same model and vintage used at Fort Casey when it was part of the “Triangle of Fire” with Fort Worden and Fort Flagler.
The guns were found in the jungles near Fort Wint on Subic Bay in the Philippines. They were brought to Fort Casey after it opened as a state park in 1956 in order to add authenticity, of sorts, to the massive concrete fort built in the late 1880s.
Getting the guns there was half the battle. According to state parks, the acquisition took a decade to complete and was fraught with financial, political and logistical complications. Ultimately, the Legislature voted to finance the transfer, which proved perilous when the guns were tossed about the ship during a freak storm at sea.
So, a celebration was due. The 1968 ceremony included Gov. Dan Evans, Sen. Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson, military officials and industry captains. During his speech at that dedication, Sen. Jackson called the acquisition “a story of perseverance.”
The Aug. 11, 1968, dedication at Fort Casey State Park took place with great fanfare. Dignitaries, military officials, industry captains and the public attended the ceremony. The 50th anniversary rededication will follow, with a few modern twists. (Washington State Parks Collection)
Visitors can hear the story at the Aug. 11 event, which also includes displays, activities, speakers and tours of the 1903-built Admiralty Head Lighthouse on the grounds. The park is open year-round. Free 45-minute tours are regularly offered at 1 p.m. Fridays and 1 and 2:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Signage details the key points, and there are bunkers to explore.
Wear sensible shoes, not flip-flops, when you come to climb the steep ladders to touch the guns. Even if you aren’t a history buff, these guns are irresistible.
The two 10-inch guns are a token of the armaments that once stood at the ready from 1902 to 1942. Two 3-inch mounted guns are also on display (people can sit on these).
At one point there were more than 30 guns at Fort Casey, guide Mary Bloom said on a recent tour. “Some were 6-inch, some 3-inch, all along this battery.”
The 10-inch guns have genuine artillery marks from enemy fire, something that never happened at Fort Casey.
“There was never a shot fired in anger from this fort,” Bloom said.
The guns were there, just in case. “If a bad guy came through, they could fire and get them in the crosshairs and they’d be toast,” she said.
It took a crew of at least 26 soldiers to operate during the test fires.
Looking at the enormous guns and shells, it’s easy to imagine the ruckus. Residents were warned when the guns were fired for practice drills.
Park visitor Denisha Blondin, formerly of Oak Harbor, grew up hearing the stories.
“They’d tell them beforehand when they were test firing to open all their windows because the reverberation would shatter the windows in Coupeville,” she said.
After high school in the 1980s, she spent a summer working at the park with the Youth Conservation Corps.
“We painted, cleaned things up, cut down the trails,” she said. “It doesn’t look that much different, but it was before they put up all these signs. So we would guess at what things were. Back in the day, the downstairs rooms didn’t have any lights. We’d go back and scare each other with flashlights. It was a lot of fun.”
It still is a blast.
Andrea Brown: abrown@heraldnet.com; 425-339-3443. Twitter @reporterbrown.
Celebrate
The 50th anniversary celebration is 1:30-4 p.m. Aug. 11, Fort Casey State Park, 1280 Engle Road, Coupeville.
Free, with Discover Pass required for vehicle access to the park
More at www.parks.state.wa.us
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