The Ann Sterrett Mansion at 744 Clay St was built by George Sterrett for his wife as a wedding present in 1889. High on a hill overlooking Admiralty Bay It is a most unusual and beautiful building. The insides are truly remarkable. A three tiered, free hung, spiral staircase rises up a 70 foot octagonal tower. At the dome of the tower are frescos depicting the four seasons and four virtues. Dancing in the clouds are angelic maidens painted in Ann’s image.  The dome is a glorified solar calendar. In the center is a ruby red glass which lights up at the beginning of each new season. It is now operated as a bed and breakfast. 
About 8 miles down the road is Fort Worden State Park at 200 Battery Way. This includes the picturesque Point Wilson Lighthouse. In 1792, British explorer Captain George Vancouver named the point after a friend. A light house was built in 1879  and ran continuously until 1913 when the present day structure was built and automated. As the west coast developed, there arouse a concern for the defense of the Puget Sound. The task of coastal protection fell to the Army Coastal Artillery and by 1902 Fort Worden was built. Advances in gun design allowed for huge artillery pieces to be encased in concrete. Although never fired in anger, these behemoth cannons stood vigil through the two great wars. By 1950 the effectiveness of the guns was questionable as war had taken to the air. The guns were removed and in 1953 the Fort was closed. Where once men stared out at the open sea looking for foreign boats, now stands a full service RV park with ocean access.  You can still climb up on the old battery bunkers, and the kids have fun running through the corridors on the inside.  The officers quarters which line the parade field now are rentals. The enlisted barracks, are used for education, and house the Puget Sound Coast Artillery Museum. Here you can find the old pictures and  stories of the Fort as well as excellent models of the batteries and guns. In 1982 the Port Townsend Marine Science Center was founded  and built an education center on the beach next to the RV Park at Fort Worden. Staffed by volunteers, it maintains several wade tanks where you can reach in and touch all those delightful things you have heard about that crawl around on the bottom of the sea. It was here that we finally put a name to the whip like seaweed that we found on most of the beaches. Bull kelp is as common to the Pacific beaches as sand flies. It has a long single stalk which can be over twenty feet long, and a large bulb at the root end. A very strange looking plant indeed.

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