Tanglewood Island facts for kids
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A non-functioning lighthouse on the island; in the background is Mount Rainier
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Hale Passage (Puget Sound) |
| Coordinates | 47°16′05″N 122°38′31″W / 47.268°N 122.642°W |
| Area | 18 acres (7.3 ha) |
| Length | 1,800 ft (550 m) |
| Width | 600 ft (180 m) |
| Administration | |
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United States
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Tanglewood Island is a small island located in Hale Passage. This passage is a waterway off the northern shore of Fox Island in Pierce County, Washington. The island is about 18 acres in size.
Contents
Island History
Tanglewood Island has a long and interesting past, from its early days as a sacred place to its time as a summer camp.
Early Days and Sacred Land
Originally, this island was known as Grave Island. It was a very important and sacred place for the Nisqually Native American people. For many years, the Nisqually practiced a special kind of burial here. They would place their honored dead in dugout canoes high up in the fir trees on the island.
New Owners and a Boys' Camp
Later, a pioneer from Tacoma named Conrad L. Hoska (who lived from 1856 to 1910) bought the island. He used it as a summer home.
In 1933, a doctor from Tacoma named Alfred Schultz bought the island for $8,000. Dr. Schultz mentioned that before 1891, the Smithsonian Institution had already removed any old artifacts or relics that could be found from Grave Island.
Camp Ta-Ha-Do-Wa
From 1945 onwards, Dr. Schultz built and ran a boys' camp on the island called Camp Ta-Ha-Do-Wa. It was a place for young boys to spend their summers.
The Lighthouse and Lodge
In 1946, a lighthouse and a main lodge building were finished on the northern tip of the island. The lighthouse was quite unique! It was used during the summer as Dr. Schultz's office and also as a small clinic for the camp.
According to a newspaper from 1947, the Tanglewood Lighthouse was the first round lighthouse built in the United States in 85 years. The government even approved its design and allowed a special beacon light to be installed. This light was turned on in June 1947.
Changing the Island's Name
The government also agreed to change the island's name from Grave Island to Tanglewood Island. The name "Tanglewood" was chosen because of the thick plants and trees growing there. It was also inspired by a famous book called Tanglewood Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The United States Board on Geographic Names officially chose this name in 1947.
For many years, the lighthouse stood as a historical reminder of the island, the camp, and Dr. Schultz. Today, the lighthouse no longer works. After Dr. Schultz passed away, his family sold Tanglewood Island to a group of people. They divided the island into smaller pieces, with each person in the group getting a plot of land.
In 2014, the lighthouse and main lodge had become very old and damaged. The new owners started to take them down, but officials from Pierce County stopped them. This was because they did not have the correct permission to tear down the buildings.
Island Names
The Geographic Names Information System lists several other names that Tanglewood Island has been known by. These include Ellens Isle, Grant Island, Grave Island, and Hoska Island.
Population
In the 2010 United States Census, Tanglewood Island was counted as part of the Fox Island area. The census showed that Tanglewood Island had a population of 8 people living in 5 homes.
