Fort Townsend State Park

Fort Townsend State Park on Port Townsend Bay preserves part of the site of Fort Townsend, a U.S. Army post established in 1856 to protect settlers. The garrison left in 1859 for American Camp on San Juan Island during the Pig War, and the post was reactivated in 1874. After a fire destroyed the barracks in 1894, it was abandoned the next year, though the Army retained the site until World War II, when it served as a munitions defusing station. Transferred to Washington State Parks in 1953, it now combines the historic fort setting with shoreline, trails, camping, boating, fishing, and crabbing.

Washington · United States