Downtown Juneau in Juneau Borough, Alaska — Northwest (North America)
Cape Decision
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 3, 2021
1. Cape Decision Marker
The Cape Decision lighthouse was the last one built in Alaska. Need for it grew as ship traffic and the size of the ships increased. Southeast Alaska was booming with many salmon canneries, herring salteries and whale oil reduction plants. Large vessels could not pass through Wrangell Narrows, as had the smaller ships that preceded them. The big ships needed to detour around the outside of Kupreanof Island. Near Cape Decision, they encountered fog and increasing marine traffic.
The new lighthouse was built on Kuiu Island, near the south end of Baranof Island and marked the entrance to Chatham Strait. Still standing, it is a two-story, reinforced concrete building with the light tower rising above. Inside were the machinery and living quarters for three keepers.
The original, third order Fresnel lens now is at the Clausen Museum, in Petersburg. The Cape Decision Lighthouse Society manages the site.
At-a-glance box
• Location: near southern tip of Baranof Island 63 miles south of Sitka
• First lighted: March 15, 1932
• Original Optics: third order Fresnel lens
• Automated: 1974
Captions (clockwise from left)
• Launch from supply vessel approaching Cape Decision lighthouse. (US Coast Guard Photo)
• Above, the Lighthouse at Cape Decision.
this page online
• The station's two boats and the boathouse in winter. (US Coast Guard Photo)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Lighthouses series list. A significant historical date for this entry is March 15, 1932.
Location. 58° 17.914′ N, 134° 24.327′ W. Marker is in Juneau, Alaska, in Juneau Borough. It is in Downtown Juneau. Marker can be reached from Marine Way. Marker is on the Juneau Harbor boardwalk, south of Marine Park and across from the cruise ship berths. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 252 Marine Way, Juneau AK 99801, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Lighthouses of Alaska (here, next to this marker); Sentinel Island (here, next to this marker); Five Finger (here, next to this marker); Patsy Ann: her statue (here, next to this marker); Mary Island (here, next to this marker); Tree Point (here, next to this marker); Patsy Ann: her history (here, next to this marker); Guard Islands (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Juneau.
Also see . . .
1. Asset Detail | Cape Decision Light Station. National Register of Historic Places registration
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 3, 2021
2. Cape Decision Marker
2. Cape Decision Lighthouse Society. Homepage of the group that now owns the site. (Submitted on September 12, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
3. Cape Decision Lighthouse. Extensive background on the lighthouse and its history, by Lighthousefriends.com. (Submitted on September 12, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
United States Coast Guard
3. Cape Decision Lighthouse
Credits. This page was last revised on November 9, 2021. It was originally submitted on September 12, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 209 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 12, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
