1905 historic structure one of Island County’s most visited landmarks

The Port of Coupeville’s Board of Commissioners approved allocation of more than $16,000 in Port funding to hire a permitting specialist and begin permit applications for restoration of the 1905 Coupeville Wharf. The structure is one of the last ‘Mosquito Fleet’ era wharves in Puget Sound.

The Port Board authorized use of Port reserve funds to hire a permitting specialist for the first phase of the restoration project which will focus on replacement of deteriorated pier pilings and caps.  Funds will also be used for the initial costs of obtaining permits. “The complete restoration of the Coupeville Wharf is our Board’s highest priority,” said Chris Michalopoulos, executive director of the Port of Coupeville.  “The board decision was made unanimously, and marks an important first step in getting this critical project underway.”

Significant repairs to the wharf were last completed in the 1980’s. In 2015, the Port of Coupeville hired Echelon Engineering to conduct a structural assessment of the wharf foundation, including the pilings and superstructure. The overall condition of the pier was found to be fair to good condition, with several areas of severe deterioration primarily from mechanical, fungal and marine borer damage. An additional assessment in 2019 found the wharf building to be in fair to poor condition. The architectural engineering firm Swenson, Say, Faget of Seattle recommended repairs to the pier foundation be completed to prevent further building destabilization.

Completion of phase one repairs is expected to take up to two years with a project cost of just under one million dollars. The Port intends to use grant, donor and reserve funds to pay for the project. A second phase is planned for building restoration once the pier work is completed.