Brown's Point Lighthouse - Tacoma, WA

We celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary with a visit to the Brown's Point Lighthouse in nearby Tacoma, Washington.  Both of us had ulterior motives.  I wanted to compare lenses to see which to take on my upcoming mother-daughter-granddaughter cruise to Alaska.  My husband hoped to spark an interest in lighthouses that would someday lead to a vacation serving as lighthouse keepers.

The lighthouse, operated by  the Coast Guard but located on land belonging Tacoma's Metro Parks, it can be visited during daylight hours.  Saturdays from May through September volunteers offer tours of the lighthouse keepers house and boathouse from 1 to 4 p.m.

The house is more picturesque and interesting than the lighthouse itself.  The main floor includes the music room, office (converted to a bedroom which can be rented out), remodeled kitchen, parlor and the house's only bathroom.  Upstairs are two more bedrooms and a closet displaying clothing typical of the early 20th Century.  But the most interesting portion is the basement - which includes a school room, kitchen typical of the era, a period kitchen, profiles of locals who served in the military, and a small gift shop.  The gift shop carried two different postcards for 40 cents each, one a nice artists rendering of the house and boat house, and the other a photograph of a decades-old Christmas light display.  It also sold lighthouse "passports," with space to be stamped at each lighthouse visited.

All of the volunteer tour guides were very knowledgeable, but my favorite was in the basement.  She provided interesting background on the Tulalip Indians which originally inhabited the land.  Local streets have Indian names - some of which have been lost in the Tulalip language.

The Boathouse

The boathouse displays tools used during the era, which my husband - who like his father and grandfather served in the Navy - enjoyed examining, while I went outside to photograph flowers in the well-kept gardens.

It's a winding road through a residential neighborhood to reach the park, located at 201 Tulalip St. N.E. Tacoma, WA 98422.  The tour is free but donations are accepted.

Parking was a bit of a challenge; I'd suggest arrive early, or be prepared to walk in.

It's definitely worth a visit.