Recent Photos of Anacortes GFA, WA

2008 photos contributed by Dick Konizeski

Dick writes:
There appear to be three buildings; two small, portable light colored fiberglass types that you currently see on com sites (not shown in this email), and the larger gray permanent building, which by the looks of it is either new or newly refurbished. The finish of the building and the area within the fence looks well maintained:fresh paint, no old junk or equipment laying around, etc. With so much equipment there, I couldn`t tell whether the gray building is the old L-shape AFS issue that had been enlarged into a rectangular structure, or if the building had been demolished and replaced by the one we now see. I couldn`t discern the tell-tale divider on the roof for all the conduit, cabling, and steel, but I didn`t clamber around the whole perimeter, either.

I was only able to view the one side without the chain link fence blocking the building except for the image I show here.

As an aside, it`s a great place to visit, with magnificent water and mountain views of the surrounding area. and several fabulous viewpoints and hiking trails.


The former GFA building


Some of the communications equipment



While not an image of the GFA building itself, this image of Mt Erie shows where the building is located. The image is taken from the south, with Pass Lake in the forground.
Photo contributed by Dick Konizeski


Additions to this gap-filler radar building make the original L-shaped structure somewhat difficult to discern. The following might help: In the east-looking view, the radar-tower end of the building is the closest to the observer, on the right. (The original radar-tower footings might even be those used for the present-day microwave tower.) The diesel-generator part of the gap-filler radar building is in the back, extending to the left (north).


Looking North


Looking East


Looking South


Looking West


July 2001 photos & notes contributed by Tom Page


A view of the GFA facility through its main gate. Although the site, located high atop Mt. Erie, reportedly never achieved (full) operational status as an Air Force radar facility, it eventually saw duty as a commercial microwave repeater station. The mountain top was up in the clouds on this particular day. [looking W]


Another view of the GFA facility, as seen over its fence. The radar-equipment part of the building is to the left, and the diesel-power generator wing is to the right. [looking W]
The rear of the GFA building, showing the diesel-power generator wing. The radar-equipment section is to the right. [looking E]


Another view of the rear of the GFA facility, showing the base of one microwave tower. Note that the microwave tower uses the original gap-filler radar tower foundations … apparently with reinforcement. [looking NE]


The other microwave tower at the Anacortes GFA site. One can plainly see, even in the fog, that this tower supports a lot of dish antennas.