Fort Worden State Park
Oral History Program

The Fort Worden Oral History Program collects oral histories, writings, photos and memorabilia from those who were at Fort Worden during a memorable period of their life.

Comprehensive Oral History Interviews

Since its inception in 2003, the volunteers of the Fort Worden Oral History Program have collected almost 300 interviews with the men and women who have served, lived, worked, or visited Fort Worden over its long history.

The interviews tell of the real life experiences of those who served at Fort Worden during the military era; who worked or lived here during the Juvenile Diagnostic and Treatment Center days; or have visited, participated in activities, or worked at the fort since it became a state park conference center.

These interviews, which have been transcribed and cataloged, form a rich treasure trove of stories that should be mined for source material by historians, students, genealogists, and writers. We regularly feature new excerpts from selected interviews. We hope you enjoy reading about the lives and times of these men and women.

From interview with Norman Nolan of Port Townsend, WA
on December 19, 2006. Mr. Nolan served in the US Coast Guard and was keeper of the Point Wilson Light House in the 1960’s. This story concerns an incident when he was keeper of the light on Smith Island in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

• Read excerpt

“There was a big round ball like a buoy floated in, washed up on the beach. And I looked at it and it had little dimples all over it. And every time I’d have an inspection I’d say, “You know, I think that a mine.” And the young officers didn’t, they had no idea. But I got an old Commander to come out there.  I said, “I think that’s a mine, Commander.” And he said, “Evacuate the island.” It was a mine. It was a British practice mine. They sent the Navy out and they exploded it.”

From interview with Rodney E. Kendall of Puyallup, WA
on October 18, 2003. Mr. Kendall worked for Kendall Construction, the firm that built the lower campground at Fort Worden in 1973. This story concerns an unusual find unearthed when the electrical system was being installed.

• Read excerpt

“We were digging between the hangar buildings, the dirigible hangars that were down there, we started digging the trenching in there to run the wires out and tie into the existing power lines that were out by the Coast Guard lighthouse. We started digging up all these horse bones that were in there, the skulls and leg bones and the spines and all the parts of a horse and there were several of them, quite a few of them. And we found out that what this was was a burial site that originally when Fort Worden was first in its construction process and when the first Army troops were in here they had a lot of horses."

      "This was a burial site that they set up there where they buried the animals that had passed away…(the horses) all laid in there and decayed …until we got there and dug right through the middle of it all…We were just digging a narrow trench two feet wide. I assume this area covers quite a large area…who knows, there could be hundreds of them down there.”

Select a cataloged list of these interviews from the links below:

Comprehensive Interview List

Comprehensive Interview List

Tapes and transcripts of complete interviews are available for a nominal fee to cover duplicating and shipping costs. Please contact us at:

Fort Worden History Center
200 Battery Way, Port Townsend, WA 98368
(360) 344-4481

Library of Congress Veterans Project

We are collaborating with the Library of Congress Veterans History Project to collect oral histories of veterans and wartime civilians who were based at Fort Worden. A record of these interviews will be registered with the Library's national database. Audio tapes and memorabilia will be preserved in the Fort Worden State Park archives. For a list of archived veteran interviews, please visit the Veterans History Project Database website.

Share Your Story

We continue to collect stories from those involved with the Juvenile Diagnostic and Treatment Center, State Parks employees and from participants in park activities. Memories on tape and donations of memorabilia from interviewees' Fort Worden experiences are carefully documented and preserved in the Fort Worden State Park archives.

You will be interviewed by one of our trained our Oral History Program volunteers. The recorded interview will be no more than 90 minutes in length. During your interview, we encourage family and friends who might have accompanied you to take a stroll along the beach, enjoy a snack in the Fort Worden Commons, visit the Marine Science Center or partake of the other activities Fort Worden offers. If you are unable to travel to Fort Worden, we can arrange to interview you by telephone.

Categories of particular interest include:

  • Veterans
  • Civilian Employees
  • Military Family Members
  • Juvenile Diagnostic and Treatment Center Residents and Employees
  • Fort Worden State Park Campus Partners
  • Fort Worden State Park Volunteers
  • People who have participated in festivals, workshops, or other activities at Fort Worden

We hope you will take this opportunity to leave a legacy for future generations by sharing your memories. Please contact us at the address below. We look forward to your contribution.

Patience Rogge
Oral History Program
200 Battery Way, Port Townsend, WA 98368
(360) 344-4481