Casey History
At the turn of the 20th century, the U.S. Army opened a newly built fort that was to guard the entrance to Puget Sound and the naval shipyard in Bremerton. Located on Whidbey Island, the fort was named “Fort Casey” in honor of Brigadier General Thomas Lincoln Casey, the last U.S. Army chief of engineers.
Fort Casey became part of the “triangle of fire,” along with Fort Worden and Fort Flagler, and its big guns were first fired on September 11, 1901. Within 20 years, Fort Casey was the fourth largest military post in Washington, housing 10 officers and 428 enlisted men.
The Army used the fortification until World War II. When Fort Casey was decommissioned in the 1950s, Seattle Pacific University took ownership of the parade field and part of the property where the troops were housed — updating and renovating the buildings for university retreats, classes, and meetings by other organizations. Today, Seattle Pacific continues to welcome school groups, churches, nonprofit organizations, alumni, and outdoor education classes to this remarkable historical site.
