| Fort Columbia State Park | |
|---|---|
 Historic wood-frame buildings at Fort Columbia State Park | |
  Fort Columbia State Park Location in the state of Washington Show map of Washington (state) Fort Columbia State Park Fort Columbia State Park (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Location | Pacific County, Washington, United States |
| Coordinates | 46°15′39″N123°55′06″W / 46.26070786°N 123.9184647°W /46.26070786; -123.9184647[1] |
| Area | 618 acres (250 ha) |
| Elevation | 709 ft (216 m) |
| Established | 1950[2] |
| Administered by | Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission |
| Visitors | 120,104 (in 2024)[3] |
| Website | Official website |
Fort Columbia State Park is a public recreation area and historic preserve at the site of the formerFort Columbia, located onChinook Point at the mouth of theColumbia River inChinook,Washington. The 618-acre (250 ha)state park features twelve historic wood-frame buildings from the fort complex as well as an interpretive center and hiking trails.[1] The park's grounds are located over a tunneled section ofU.S. Route 101.
Fort Columbia was built from 1896 to 1904 to support the defense of theColumbia River. The fort was constructed on theChinook Point promontory as part of a "triangle of fire" defensive strategy that includedFort Canby andFort Stevens.[4] Fort Columbia was declared surplus at the end ofWorld War II and was transferred to the custody of the state of Washington in 1950.[1]
In the 1960s and 1970s, Battery 246 was outfitted to serve as a Civil Defense Emergency Operating Center and was one of several possible locations the governor could use in an emergency. In 1993, the park received a pair of6-inch guns that were transferred to Battery 246 from the formerFort McAndrew,Naval Station Argentia,Newfoundland,Canada.[5]
Exhibits at the Fort Columbia Interpretive Center focus on the fort's history, early explorers and pioneer history. The Commanding Officers Quarters is decorated with turn-of-the-century furnishings. The park grounds feature threeartillery batteries and twocoastal artillery guns. There are picnicking facilities and 5 miles (8.0 km) of hiking trails that work their way up Scarborough Hill. Two historic homes, the Steward's House and Scarborough House, are offered for rental.[1] The park is one of several state parks and sites inWashington andOregon that make up theLewis and Clark National Historical Park.
