(Photo courtesy of Washington State Digital Archives)

The San Juan Islands’ most breathtaking (literally if you ride your bike or hike to get there) vantage point is atop Mount Constitution on Orcas Island. Once you reach its summit after entering Moran State Park, you’re treated (weather permitting, of course) to a stunning 360-degree view that includes Mount Baker and Mount Rainier, plus Vancouver and Victoria, B.C.

On the summit stands a stone observation tower built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936. Inside the tower is a historical display telling the story of the tower’s construction and the history of Robert Moran, the former shipbuilder Seattle mayor who donated the land for the 5,252-acre state park.

This 1934 photo shows a group of CCC officers gazing out at Lummi Island and other islands from Constitution, which stands more than 2,400 feet above the Salish Sea. The photo is part of the State Parks and Recreation Commission’s Photographs of Park Development, 1933-1938. The collection is found in the State Digital Archives.