Coast Artillery Museum in Port Townsend , Jefferson County, United States | Museum

Welcome to the Coast Artillery Museum in Port Townsend, Washington, United States.

The front steps of the Fort Worden Museum building are flanked by two 16-inch practice projectiles, each weighing about 2300 pounds. Heavier than a compact car, these projectiles could be fired 30 miles. Ten and six inch projectiles are also on display in the Museum.

Click to enlarge (photo credit: 10-inch guns on disappearing carriages, Fort Casey State Park, WA, c/o www.cdsg.org ) In the main hall of the Fort Worden Museum, visitors will see a recently completed three-dimensional scale model of Battery Kinzie, showing the design and structure of the massive fortifications, and the emplacements for the two 12-inch disappearing guns that were kept in readiness for possible attack from 1910 to 1943.

On the walls of the main room are photographs of many of the big seacoast defense guns that were once in place at Fort Worden. In addition there are maps showing the range and fields of fire for gun batteries located on both sides of the Strait of Juan de Fuca during World War II.

Thanks to the effort of Claire McDowell, a 248th Coast Artillery alumnus and longtime Museum Board member, the gunnery display now includes scale models of a 12-inch disappearing rifle and a 12-inch mortar.

Coast artillery fire was accurate and deadly, as directed and controlled by precise position plotting, tracking, and sophisticated ballistics corrections. Visitors will find the fire control exhibits to be both interesting and informative.

A small room to the left of the main display area contains the Col. Stanley G. Lillian collection of military small arms.

Also on display at the Museum are mannequins clothed in military uniforms dating from the turn-of-the-century up to World War II; regimental flags and guidons for some of the military units that were stationed at the forts; photographs and artifacts depicting recreational activities and functions at Fort Worden during its most active military years; and military artifacts from World Wars I and II.

Since its founding in 1976, the Coast Artillery Museum, Port Townsend, Washington has sought to preserve and interpret Coast Artillery history with special emphasis on the Harbor Defenses of Puget Sound as they existed and functioned from the late 1800's to the end of World War II. Many people loyal to the memory of the time, as well as those who served at Forts Worden, Flagler, and Casey, have helped to sustain the effort.