In 1792 Patos Island was named Isla de Patos (Island of Geese), by Spanish Explorers Galiano and Bazan possibly due to the numerous geese which inhabited the island. Apparently, the island was a hiding place for smugglers as a consequence of its nearness to the Canadian border and its many bushes and caves.The island’s first mild was on Boundary Go simply reverse Canada’s Saturna Island. Patos Island is on the northern entrance to the Canal de Haro. This was a really harmful passage due to robust currents and foggy climate. In March of 1891 Congress appropriated $12,000 to erect an help to navigation which consisted of a double dwelling, fog sign constructing, water tanks and a submit mild on the western finish of the island. The precise constructing was accomplished late in 1893.Thus there was a white mild on the Canadian facet of the channel and a purple mild on a ten foot tall white stake on Patos Island.By 1915 a number of enhancements had been made with the results of a brand new fog sign and a lighthouse with a fresnel lens. Harry Mahler was paid $700 per yr as head keeper and Edward Durgan acquired $500 per yr as assistant keeper.After serving as lighthouse keeper at a number of totally different places on the West Coast Durgan returned in 1905 to Patos Island as the top mild keeper. He arrived at at Patos with spouse Estelle and their 13 kids the place he grew to become very well-known. Though it had a light local weather, Patos Island was very remoted. The Durgan household would journey twenty-six water miles as soon as a month to Bellingham, Washington for provides. Their nearest neighbor was Saturna Island in Canada which was simply over three miles away by water.Seven of the kids got here down with smallpox and keeper Durgan, as a way to sign for assist flew the lighthouse flag the other way up. Finally assist did come however one account says that three of the kids died. Whereas one other account was that one youngster succumbed. A 3rd accounting states that the kid who died possible died of appendicitis, not smallpoxHelene Durgan Glidden, one of many surviving kids later wrote a memoir titled “The Light on the Island”. On this writing she advised of her talks with God, how she performed together with her pet cow and wandered the shores of the island which she known as “the petticoats” of Patos Island.George Loholt changed Durgan as headkeeper with Mary Durgan’s husband, Noah Clark, staying on as assistant keeper.Journeys over the tough waters for visiting or purchasing had been harmful. In 1911 Noah Clark motored to Blaine,Washington to choose up his spouse, Mary and their younger son who had been visiting the Durgans. On their return journey the boat’s motor failed because it was nearing Patos Island. The boat began filling with water and Clark jumped overboard for assist to save lots of his household and he was by no means seen once more. His household, after drifting within the water all evening, finally crawled on prime of the cabin when the boat crammed with water. Happily they had been rescued after grounding onto a shoal.In August 1912, a misery sign was coming from Patos Island. Captain Newcombe of the Canadian fishery safety tug seen the sign and stopped on the island to analyze. The assistant lighthouse keeper, William Stark, advised the captain that Keeper Loholt was exhibiting indicators of madness. That Loholt had left the station in a ship two days earlier with none rationalization leaving Stark to hold out all of the duties alone. Captain Newcombe notified the lighthouse inspector in Portland, who proceeded to Patos Island.Inspector Beck arrived at Patos and found that the 2 males had been combating and that one had threatened to kill the opposite and drove him from the island. In the end the assistant was suspended and Keeper Loholt continued on as head lighthouse keeper for one more ten years or extra. Throughout which period he rendered help to a number of vessels in misery.These accounts had been talked about within the Annual Report of the Commissioner of Lighthouses.Phone service got here to the island in 1919 and took care of a lot of the communication subject.The lighthouse is now a part of Patos Island State Park and has been restored and is being cared for by a gaggle of selfless volunteers.The lighthouse could be visited by boat from both Friday Harbor or Roche Harbor. Lately there are docents to open the lighthouse to guests throughout the summer season months.The lighthouse is owned by the Bureau of Land Administration. Grounds.open, lighthouse closedThe lighthouse is finest visited by boat. Roche Harbor or Friday Harbor on San Juan Island are two of the closest harbors to Patos Island Lighthouse. Keepers of the Patos Gentle have had docents on the island in recent times to open the lighthouse to guests throughout the summer season months.Orcas Island Eclipse Charters has provided Lighthouse Excursions up to now that move by Patos Island. Outer Island Excursions affords journeys to Patos Island that embrace a hike to the lighthouse.The lighthouse is owned by the Bureau of Land Administration. Grounds.open, lighthouse closed