Patos Island Lighthouse exhibit opens at historical museum

If you didn’t get a chance to visit the Patos Island Lighthouse exhibit on Patos Island, you will now get a chance to view it on Orcas Island. The lighthouse has a rich history from its inception in 1893, its automation in 1974, and then the rehabilitation of the lighthouse by the Bureau of Land Management in 2008.

Curated by and in partnership with Keepers of Patos Light, this exhibit will be on display at the Orcas Island Historical Museum opening Oct. 17 and available until March 30 (except when the museum is closed in January). There are numerous photos and memorabilia from the families that lived on the island like Helene Glidden who shares her experiences growing up on Patos Island from 1905 to 1911 in her memoir entitled The Light on the Island.

The exhibit has been expanded to include items in the Museum’s collection that have never been displayed before such as an original Coast Guard uniform, a crazy quilt, and the Patos Island Visitor’s Register, an invaluable primary source for history buffs.

The Orcas Island Historical Museum is open Wednesdays-Saturdays, 12–3 p.m. Admission is by donation.