By Joanne Mulloy, President, Mukilteo Historical Society
The Mukilteo lighthouse roof was replaced recently, which was an enormous effort by the Public Works crew at the City of Mukilteo. Matt Nienhuis of Public Works obtained a grant, managed the project, and worked with the US Coast Guard and the Department of Archeology and Historical Preservation (DAHP) for Washington State to ensure the right color was selected for the roofing materials. Finding details to document the history of the lighthouse roof was challenging. The lighthouse was originally built by the United States Light House Service, then owned by the US Coast Guard, which transferred the light station to the City of Mukilteo in 2001. Historical records are difficult to find and there are other roofs on the property which confuses the story more. If readers have historical information on the roof, especially prior to 2001, the Mukilteo Historical Society (MHS) would like your help.
Public Works personnel removing old concrete tiles 
Roof tiles removed – revealing original wood shiplap 
Old concrete tile (left) and new rubber tile (right) 
New ice shield underlayment applied 
Lighthouse with new Coast Guard-approved red roofing tiles, October 2020
When the City of Mukilteo took ownership of the property in 2001, an agreement, outlined in a letter from the House of Representatives, was signed. The agreement stated that the City and MHS, a non-profit organization, would work together to preserve and maintain the light station. This partnership is thriving in 2020. The City of Mukilteo and MHS partner with organizations and each other to secure funding for preservation projects. MHS obtains preservation grants from Lighthouse Environmental Programs (LEP) an organization funded by the purchase of lighthouse license plates. On the roof project, all three groups worked together.
The light station construction started in 1905 and most likely had a cedar shingle roof. Sometime before World War II the lighthouse had a diamond pattern concrete asbestos shingle roof, which was likely gray. In older photos there was an original flagpole, much taller and constructed of cedar. Based on two different patterns in photos, there were two red tile roofs on the lighthouse. The second red tile roof was installed in the mid-nineties with red Monier tiles, weighing ten pounds each. Remarkably, those tiles and the specific red color have no historical significance. In 1997 there was an extensive effort to remove the lead paint and asbestos from the lighthouse. The red tile roof was replaced this year with a red composite material, ensuring the lighthouse is preserved well into the future.
The roof project is an example of how organizations worked together to focus on this historical building, an icon for the Mukilteo community. The lighthouse safeguards the Fourth Order Fresnel lens, the only active one in Washington state. In 2018, MHS applied for a grant from the LEP program to paint the interior of the lighthouse. LEP representatives did a site visit and decided they would not fund this project, since humidity issues needed to be addressed first. LEP provided consultation services of Board member, Harrison Goodall, and a $5000 grant to start the investigation. The resources were used to install data readers to check humidity readings through the winter of 2018-2019. MHS provided volunteer labor to read and compile the data. These readings were tabled once there was stable baseline data. Meetings were held with representation from all involved parties and it was agreed the remainder of the grant and additional MHS funds go toward a building inspection. In November 2018, the inspection was performed by RDH Building Science, Inc. A Public Works crew participated by manning the lift and providing access to building spaces. The primary recommendation was replacement of the roof.
The City of Mukilteo was busy improving the property during this time, replacing a porch, and addressing a sinkhole on the grounds. They replaced the rubber sidewalks which were a tripping hazard, replaced windows on the first floor of the lighthouse and replaced the tower glass with UV protective glass to protect the lens. MHS requested another grant from LEP to help with the roofing costs and received approval for $10,000 to cover roofing materials. Matt Nienhuis acquired the resources to complete the project. The roof replacement was done by contractor, K-A General Construction.
Data will be tracked again this winter to see if the new roof and windows have improved the environment. MHS is grateful to the City of Mukilteo for their work to preserve the lighthouse. The City has done an outstanding job of continuous improvements to a building that has requirements for materials, permits and approvals beyond those of non-historical buildings. 2021 projects include a City funded lighthouse interior painting and a MHS funded repair of the round roof above the lens. We are proud of this community collaboration to maintain the lighthouse and the loyalty to the intent of the House of Representatives almost 20 years ago. Go see the new roof and its new look!
Originally published in the 11/11/2020 issue of the Mukilteo Beacon.