Point No Point lighthouse changes hands.

Jan Tik on flickr.com

Lighthouse lovers in the Northwest here's a flash: The Point No Point lighthouse on Puget Sound has been formally transferred to Kitsap County government, and off the federal books. Under the agreement, the county has guarantees to both preserve the light station and to continue to make it available for public use. 

The Point No Point Light Station is the oldest lighthouse on Puget Sound, and several of its original buildings are still intact. It features a square light tower, fog signal building, oil house and nearby keeper’s quarters.

With strong interest in the light station, Kitsap County formed a partnership with the United States Lighthouse Society to maintain and interpret the site. The light station was recently rehabilitated with a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express. The station has been on the National Register of Historic Places since. 1978. That's far less time than the lighthouse has been up and running--that rolls back to its completion in 1879.

Since the station is no longer needed as an aid to navigation, visitors can rent out the keeper's cottage and spend their time prowling the beach or catching up on the views. They might find themselves having to share the property with other guests, including bald eagles, seals, and other bird life.