Fay Bainbridge State Park

Fay Bainbridge State Park

Fay Bainbridge Park is located on the northeast tip of Bainbridge Island, Washington, immediately south of the Point Monroe sandspit. The park comprises 16.84 acres (68,100 m2) of land, including 1,420 feet (432 m) of saltwater shoreline along Puget Sound.

In 1944, the state of Washington purchased the land for the park for $5,000 from the estate of Temple S. Fay. The land was purchased from the Fay estate with the stipulation that the Washington State Park System maintain the name Fay. Temple S. Fay was a neurosurgeon who introduced the use of hypothermia in medical and surgical illnesses, and he developed rehabilitation procedures based upon analysis of phylogenetic movements. Fay also taught at the University of Washington. His two children honored their father's desire to make the area a park.

The park offers sweeping views of Puget Sound, the Cascade Mountains and two volcanoes: Mount Rainier and Mount Baker. The park is popular for beachcombing, boating, camping, fishing, crabbing and scuba diving.

At the park entrance is a display of a bell donated by the Kitsap County Historical Society. This bell was purchased for the community by Port Madison citizens through public subscription to be used as a "town crier" to proclaim important events. At he request of G.A. Meigs, the bell was brought from San Francisco around 1883 by Captain Jeremiah W. Farnham, allegedly to become the school belfry. As Port Madison needed to provide a courthouse on short notice, they converted the nearly-finished school and the bell was placed on the old public community hall on mill property. It was later moved to A.R. Lintner's Historical Association, and it was moved to the park on March 23, 1953.

In 2011 the park was transferred by the state to the Bainbridge Island Metropolitan Park and Recreation District.