The Associated Press
The Yaquina Head lighthouse just north of Newport, Ore., is awash in early morning light as the sun reflects brilliantly off its upper glass panels. The lighthouse is Oregon's tallest at 93 feet and still operates, casting a beam 19 miles out to sea. It was built in 1872 at a cost of $96,000.

Light vacation

Many lighthouses along Oregon coast open for touring

RON COWAN, GANNETT NEWS SERVICE

The Pacific Ocean may look placid and benign to modern coast visitors, but navigators of the 19th century had reason to dread the waters off Oregon.

More than a few ships were victims of the treacherous rocks and currents off the coast before the arrival of modern technology and technology's predecessor, the coastal lighthouses.

Oregon has nine surviving lighthouses, established by the former U.S. Lighthouse Board between 1870 and 1896 with design and construction provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The sometimes imposing, often picturesque beacons were built on prominent headlands or near major estuaries. One, Tillamook Rock, was built on a basalt rock islet 1.2 miles offshore.

Weather and erosion doomed some early structures, and in many locations, such as Heceta Head and Coquille River, residences for the lighthouse keepers also failed to survive.

After installing automated beacons in the 1960s, the Coast Guard began transferring their lighthouse holdings to other government agencies, such as the Bureau of Land Management.

All nine surviving lighthouses have been named to the National Register of Historic Places, and seven are open for public visitation and have scheduled summer tours.

Visitors often can climb to the lantern or tower watch rooms and enjoy the panoramic views. In many locations, such as Yaquina Head, the lighthouses also offer prime viewing of coastal wildlife, from birds to migrating whales.

Storm watching is a popular occupation at Oregon's lighthouses, and photography is a natural activity. Heceta Head, poised picturesquely on a rocky cliff, is said to be the most-photographed lighthouse in the United States.

Here are Oregon' lighthouses:

-Tillamook Rock Lighthouse: Situated 1.2 miles seaward off Tillamook Head, south of Seaside, this privately owned lighthouse stands 133 feet above sea level with a 62-foot-high tower on a basalt rock islet. Nicknamed "Terrible Tilly" for its exposure to storm waves, the lighthouse was built in 1881 to help ships entering the Columbia River.

The lighthouse was replaced by a whistle buoy in 1957 and now is a columbarium, a storage place for ashes of the deceased.

The best viewing is from the Oregon Coast Trail on Tillamook Head, between Ecola State Park and Seaside.

-Cape Meares Lighthouse: Situated 10 miles west of Tillamook and U.S. Highway 101, this 1890 lighthouse stands 217 feet above the ocean but is the shortest lighthouse on the coast at 38 feet. An automatic beacon replaced the lighthouse in 1863.

Access is by trails from the Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint on the Three Capes Scenic Loop. Open 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. daily, May through September. Free.

-Yaquina Head Lighthouse: Situated off U.S. 101, three miles north of Newport, this 93-foot tower was built in 1873 and is the tallest on the Oregon coast, standing 162 feet above sea level. The lighthouse's automated light aids navigating along the coast and at the entrance to Yaquina Bay.

The lighthouse is part of the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, operated by the BLM. Open noon to 4 p.m. daily, visitors also can see seabird nesting sites, walk to tide pools and find more information in an interpretive center. Cost: a $5 vehicle entrance fee; some free days. Call (541) 574-3100.

-Yaquina Bay Lighthouse: This 1871 structure is the second-oldest standing lighthouse on the Oregon coast and served only until 1874, when it was replaced by the Yaquina Head lighthouse. The 40-foot tower rises from a Cape Cod-style house and is said to be haunted. Open noon-4 p.m. daily, May through September, and on weekends the rest of the year. Donation suggested. Call (541) 265-5679.

-Heceta Head Lighthouse: Situated 12 miles north of Florence on the west side of 1,000-foot-high Heceta Head, this is one of the most scenic lighthouses in Oregon, with its red roof and spectacular setting. The old assistant lightkeeper's house now is a bed-and- breakfast inn, and the lighthouse is part of the Heceta Head Lighthouse Viewpoint parking area.

The 1894 structure's automated beacon is seen 21 miles out to sea, making it the strongest in Oregon. Starting May 27, tours are noon-4 p.m. Thursday and Monday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Sunday; beginning June 10, noon-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Sunday. Cost: access fee of $3 per vehicle. Call (541) 547-3416.

-Umpqua River Lighthouse: Situated six miles south of Reedsport, above the entrance to Winchester Bay, this 1894 lighthouse is a copy of Heceta Head Lighthouse and replaced an 1857 structure that fell into the river in 1861.

The replacement lighthouse stands 65 feet and is 165 feet above the south side of the bay. The Douglas County Park and Recreation Department operates the lighthouse and a nearby museum. Tours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. Cost: $1 adults, free for children younger than 11. Call (541) 271-4631.

-Cape Arago Lighthouse: Situated 12 miles southwest of North Bend and Coos Bay off U.S. 101, this 1934 structure (the third on the site) is not accessible to the public.

The 44-foot tower stands 100 feet above the ocean on an eroding islet. Call (541) 756-0100.

-Coquille River Lighthouse: Located in Bullards Beach State Park, two miles north of Bandon on the north bank of the Coquille River, this small but picturesque 1896 structure was decommissioned in 1939. Restored in 1979 as an interpretive center, the lighthouse has a solar-powered light atop its 40-foot octagonal tower. Tours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, May through September. Free. Call (541) 347-2209.

-Cape Blanco Lighthouse: Situated nine miles north of Port Orford, off U.S. 101, this is the oldest standing lighthouse on the Oregon Coast and was built in 1870. Its windswept clifftop location is the westernmost point in Oregon.

The location is 245 feet above the ocean, and the conical tower rises 59 feet. The Coast Guard installed an automated beacon in 1980. Tours are 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. April through October. Donations suggested. Call (541) 332-6774.

The Olympian Copyright 2001

back to main Discover index