Lighthouse #5-Cleft of the Rock Lighthouse

As you can see by the description, this lighthouse is attached to a residence and it is not very easy to take pictures of, in fact, you have to pull to side of the road and then get out on the highway and take pictures real fast. Deb and Justin were quite nervous watching me out on Highway 101, as cars are whizzing past around the corner, it actually makes for a nice picture, pretty background, take care, more to follow........

Cleft of the Rock Lighthouse (1976)

Cleft of the Rock Lighthouse was built by Jim Gibbs, a former keeper of the famous Tillamook Rock Lighthouse. The tower is a replica of the 1898 Fiddle Reef Lighthouse, which was a lighthouse on Vancouver Island long ago. Cleft of the Rock Lighthouse stands 110 feet above the Pacific Ocean. Gibbs decided to build this private lighthouse as part of his home. It is located on the cliffs just south of Yachats. Jim Gibbs has written a number of books, including Tillamook Light and Pacific Graveyard. He is a true historian of lighthouse, maritime and shipwreck history, and has collected a number of treasures from the past that now decorate his home. This lighthouse is not open to the public, and can only be viewed from mile post 166 on Oregon's Highway 101. Just after passing this mile post marker, look down off the northwest side of the highway, and you will see James Gibb's home and lighthouse as shown below. We ask that you please respect his privacy, and not go any closer than what the freeway has to offer.

Japanese Dock

Taking a quick break from the lighthouse tour to show you a couple of pictures of the Japanese dock that floated some 4500 miles and landed at Agate Beach near Newport, OR, we wanted to take some pictures before the dock was dismantled and removed from the beach. It was quite an awesome sight, the dock was over 60 feet long and was nearly seven feet tall, it is the largest piece to wash up on Oregon's shore as a result of last year's tsunami.

Lighthouse #4-Yaquina Bay

This is the other lighthouse in Newport, it is on the south end of town, where as Yaquina Head is on the north part of town. This lighthouse is no longer used, it is fun to visit, rooms are very small, designed for the particular time period, pre-1900's, take a look at the pictures of Justin in the lighthouse, it looks like a giant in the small rooms. Take care everyone, more to follow.....

Yaquina Bay Lighthouse (November 3, 1871)

The lighthouse on Yaquina Bay is another popular lighthouse to visit along the Oregon coast. You wouldn't imagine this lighthouse was only in operation for three years, and was nearly torn down several times. Nonetheless, it stood the test of time and now offers a terrific place for visitors to take a brief look into the past. A number of people had wonderful expectations for Yaquina Bay and the Newport area. As a result, this lighthouse was built to begin the expected migration of settlers into this fertile land. The lighthouse was lit for the first time on November 3, 1871. Both before and after the completion of the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse people argued over where the lighthouse should have been built. As a result, the Yaquina Head Lighthouse was built just two years later. Then, just one year after that, on October 1, 1874, Yaquina Bay's light was extinguished. Because of the short amount of time that this lighthouse was in operation, there are few stories to tell. However, there is a short story written by Lischen M. Miller that details a sea captain's daughter who was never to be seen again after entering the abandoned Yaquina Bay Lighthouse. This story as well as the lighthouse's historical presence is what kept it alive through the years, as this house spent a number of decades in shambles. It wasn't until 1974 that Yaquina Bay Lighthouse was fully restored by the Oregon State Park Group. Today, visitors from all over visit this house. It is one of the few that are open all year, and can be viewed from the inside. Several of the rooms have memorabilia of Oregon's maritime past that are on loan from the Oregon Historical Society.

Lighthouse #3-Yaquina Head

This lighthouse, along with Heceta Head lighthouse, are probably the two we have visited the most, the views are quite spectacular, I have taken a lot of photos of this area, and I am always excited to go back, it is one area of the Oregon Coast I could go back to every time we visit. I am including a couple of my favorite photos of this lighthouse, the one with the birds is one of Grandma's favorites.

Yaquina Head Lighthouse (August 20, 1873)

Yaquina Head Lighthouse is one of the most popular lighthouses in the United States. There are hundreds of thousands of guests that visit every year. The tower is the tallest on the Oregon Coast - soaring 93 feet in the air. This lighthouse is the only Oregon Lighthouse with a marble floor. It stands 162 feet above sea level, and can be seen from ocean vessels as far away as 19 miles. I was told this by one of the kind volunteers at this lighthouse. He added that it can be seen "no further, thanks to the curvature of the earth." There has been much talk in the past that this lighthouse was supposed to have originally been constructed on Otter Crest (ten miles north of Newport). However, this rumor was found to be a misconception. During construction, two different boats met their doom on Yaquina Head's shores trying to deliver supplies. After much labor, the lighthouse was lit on August 20, 1873. There was a large dwelling built for the three keepers that manned this lighthouse station. Because of this lighthouses proximity on the coast, there were a number of storms and high winds that caused surface damage to the tower and the keeper's dwellings. Fences were built to ward off rocks and other debris from destroying the property. However, this didn't stop the tower from being struck by lightning in October of 1920. Luckily, through the years, the lightening and severe storms haven't really hurt this lighthouse. In fact, to this very day the structure of the lighthouse is within one inch of being perfectly straight. If you would like a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean and the surrounding area, be prepared to walk circles up a number of lighthouse stairs! Also, it is worth the time to talk with the volunteers at this lighthouse; they are all very nice and have a number of interesting stories and facts to offer. At the top of this lighthouse you will get a good view of the lens that magnifies a blinking 1000 watt light bulb.

Lighthouse #2-Cape Meares

Hello everyone-this lighthouse is located just outside of Tillamook, where we went to the cheese factory, it is located in a very pretty area, please see the description I found on the internet with regards to this lighthouse.

 Hope all is well, will be posting again very soon!





Cape Meares Lighthouse (January 1, 1890)

The Cape Meares Lighthouse resides 200 feet above the Pacific Ocean just beside steep cliffs. This lighthouse doesn't offer many stories of peril like its sister lighthouses on the Oregon coast. On January 1, 1890 Cape Meares was lit by Anthony Miller (the first principal keeper) and his two assistants. At this time, the lighthouse consisted of a fire-wick kerosene lamp and an eight-paneled lens that had both red and clear panels to create a red flash every minute. Cape Meares' light could be seen for 21 miles. The story of Cape Meares reads much like "Little House on the Prairie." A number of families took care of this lighthouse through its years. Cape Meares Lighthouse experienced weddings, childbirth, and one death. A keeper, and new father, by the name of George Hunt became sick and died from severe pneumonia on July 10, 1903. While tending a lighthouse may seem like a fun job, it comes with a price. Most lighthouses, including Cape Meares, were a good distance and difficult journey from the rest of civilization. In 1963 the original lens was replaced by a flashing light. The lighthouse no longer needed someone's careful eye. A few years after this, the Oregon State Parks took control of the area. You can now view the lighthouse by visiting Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint. The parking lot you will use was once the keeper's dwelling and barn. The path you follow down to the lighthouse is the same path that the keepers once used.



Lighthouse #1

As you all may know, it has been a goal of mine to take a picture of every lighthouse in Oregon, well, this summer, I was able to complete the task. There are 11 lighthouses listed in Oregon, however, 2 are actually attached to residences, therefore, there are really only 9 actual lighthouses, but I did take a photograph of all 11. Starting with this post, I will feature one lighthouse at a time, with a little background about each one, I will start with the northernmost lighthouse and work my way south down the coast of Oregon, hope you enjoy the journey! The first lighthouse is Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, and it is located just outside Cannon Beach, in the Northern Oregon Coast, I have added a story I found on the web just beneath the photo.

If you venture to Ecola State Park you will be treated to your best view of the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse. This is about as close as you will get to this particular Oregon lighthouse, as it is located one mile from the shoreline. So, if you would like a good look at Tillamook Rock you will have to bring your binoculars.

Workers had to improvise to overcome the many challenges presented by the task of building this lighthouse. 30 feet of rock was blasted to create a flat structure for workers to build on. The construction claimed one man's life, and took over two years to complete.

Just days before the final completion of Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, workers heard a ship approaching in the night. The lighthouse was not prepared for lighting, so driftwood and lanterns were set on fire to warn an English ship by the name of "Laputa" of the approaching dangers. The next morning the workers found the "Laputa" had struck the mainland, killing all sixteen passengers on board. Days later, on January 21, 1881, the lighthouse, standing 133 feet above the ocean, was lit for the first time.

Five men worked this lighthouse. Four were always working on "The Rock" with a fifth taking a break on the mainland. Because of the violent waters around Tillamook Rock, these men would often be stuck for months at a time without their scheduled provisions. Life on this rock was very hard; there were no families or female keepers. As you can imagine, the storms made for wretched conditions; waves would crash over the rock bringing heavy debris.

The constant wear and tear on this lighthouse made it the most expensive to operate in the nation! Because of this, the lighthouse was finally abandoned and the light turned off on September 10, 1957.

This lighthouse is now a "cemetery at sea." It is designed to hold more than a half-million urns of human ashes, and is privately owned.

Tillamook Rock Lighthouse is not open to the public but can be viewed from Ecola State Park. This park is located on the north side of Cannon Beach. I recommend that you visit this park and bring some binoculars to view the lighthouse with. This is one of the most beautiful places on the entire Oregon coast! If you visit the Seaside or Cannon Beach area, you simply have to stop by. Ecola State Park has a $3 parking fee.